I was driving home and a preacher was on 90.1
I tuned in because listening to the pop and rap stations is irritaing and I was all countried out today.
This guy starts preaching on the Mark of the Beast and alludes to the fact that his current sermon series is on Revelation.
Strike one.
Whenever guys start preaching on Revelation, especially in a very dogmatic premillenial Left Behind way - I get nervous for that congregation.
Then he starts talking about the question that he is most asked by his flock...
"Can I lose my salvation?"
As a Reformed guy I would have any easy answer to that - "uh, no...check out Romans 8"
This pastor starts going on and on about how the believers throughout time have all been saved by faith, but the Old Testament guys (Sampson and Saul in particular) didn't have their sins credited to Christ's account. He says they got saved in a different way than New Testament folks. Furthermore he claims...the people who get saved in the Tribulation (giving him this for the sake of arguement) will also be saved by faith but in a different way - they will be saved by deeds he says.
Seemed like strike 2 to me. I arrived home before he could strikeout...
I am no eschatological expert but I think this guy is way off and I am always outraged and saddened when preachers spend time on Revelation. Its the hardest book of the Bible to understand. Lets get through the first 65 books first.
I am also no super-theologian when it comes to soteriology but I was under the impression that we were all saved in the same way thru faith AND that faith was always in Gods Promise, which was Christ, regardless of whether people knew that or not.
Am I off or is that radio preacher confused?
90.1? Isn't that public radio?
ReplyDeleteWhy do you say you're outraged when "preachers spend time on Revelation." This implies that you think preachers should not preach from this book, which I assume you don't mean. Yes it is a difficult book but if studied and taught carefully it can yield it's intended benefits for the church.
Good eye Jeremy...
ReplyDeleteI meant 90.7
Also, I don't mean to say that we shouldn't preach from Revelation ever. I mean that way too many contemporary pastors want to dwell on the last book of the Bible which is certainly inspired and beneficial...yet, I feel that congregations might benefit more by a careful study of the other books before one gets to Revelation.
It is the last book in the Bible...maybe thats for a reason. I just think that pastors should be sure that their people have a firm hold on the essentials of the faith before they begin preaching on the metaphors and details of Revelation.
Of course, thats a quick reaction to what came across my ears an hours ago. Sometimes I wonder if I should be more thoughtful before I write my blog posts.
Its a very good book and extremely interesting, but I wont touch Revelation from the pulpit until I get Genesis correct! LOL
ReplyDelete