“And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.”-2 Peter 2:2
As my wife and I were driving I-75 North, I happened to look up and see a large billboard with the following in big black letters: “Go to church, it doesn't matter where, just go.” At first, it seemed an admirable sentiment (certainly became a wonderful conversation starter); however after reading Second Peter chapter two, I must conclude that this is utter foolishness.
Pernicious preaching is destructive, wasteful, ruinous preaching. Pernicious preaching exalts the man over the message. The sinner over sacrifice. It laces lasciviousness into the soundness of scripture in order to please the nature of carnality. Carnal meaning lustful, sinful, natural, worldly, and unholy. The worst thing that can happen to a pernicious preacher is he can be successful. When carnal men use carnal means to accomplish carnal ends it surprises no one. Hollywood will produce wicked movies to entertain wicked hearts. The music industry will write ungodly lyrics that resonate with ungodly lifestyles. Covetous business men will cheat and lie to gain the advantage and make money. This is no surprise, they are behaving as is their nature. However, when a church seeks to adopt carnal means to attract carnal men, we profane that holy gospel by which we are called. Preaching becomes less about promoting Christ, and more about crafting a message than aligns with your marketing scheme. The preacher devolves into an influencer instead of an evangelist. Happy to purr like kittens instead of roar like lions. Undermining the truth, and bringing shame to Christ. When the message is self centered, self loving, founded in the prosperity of the flesh it is a pernicious message. The defenders of pernicious preaching will call to our attention the swelling numbers, and rising interest. While claiming that more are hearing “the message” and who are we to judge? Yet, all who would say this conveniently forget that God designed the church; not you. He designed it with a goal, plan, and community. The goal is to glorify God. The plan is salvation, and the community is the imitation of Christ. To circumvent this is to undermine it, and bring reproach upon the cause of Christ. Thereby causing the “way of truth to be evil spoken of.” Our works will never justify disobedience to the truth. Christ said: “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed.” You cannot open up your garage with a sign that says "hospital" over it and start treating patients. Criminal charges will come against you, because attempting to care for patients outside the rule of law will get somebody killed. Likewise, don’t go rent a building, spout catchy one liners about scripture while taking people's money and call it a church. Destroying the souls of men by speaking peace when there is no peace and building up your own kingdom in the process. Piling on promises of goodness when sermons of reverence and humility are in order. Not only is it destructive to the hearers but it tempts the faithful. Tempting them to compromise, and draw back into the world. Tempting those preachers who are laboring faithfully. Not to mention starving the appetites of those earnest hearted souls desperate for scriptural truth. Coming to hear the meat of the gospel only to be fed marshmallows. Preaching absolution without restitution. Pride over piety. Self love, instead of selfless love. Carnal appetites, satiated by carnal means, and never called to kill it off. To “crucify the flesh with the affections and lust thereof”. Pernicious preaching is poisonous preaching; and make no mistake if you are supporting a pernicious preaching church, you have part in the same.
While pernicious preaching destroys, principled preaching gives life. When it convicts, instructs, reproves, exhorts, encourages, and blesses. The church that wants what God wants, and loves what God loves; that church will gladly spend and be spent in service to God. Settled upon the truth that we are nothing without Him. Completely convinced that without a born again, Holy Ghost filled transformative experience, we cannot see God. Holiness of heart, and holiness of life. This church, though rejected, defied, and even poor in this world; this church will stand the trying fire. This church is pleasing to God, because it is obedient to His Word. Go to this church, because it matters where you go to church.
