Take Heed to Thy Teaching

The point: Break free from the curse of professional jealousy and jockeying for ecclesiastical position.

Paul's mention of preachers motivated by 'envy and strife' is used as an example of professional jealousy, which Martin condemns as an abomination in ministry.

Verse 15, some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife and some of goodwill. The one do it out of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel, but the other proclaim Christ affection, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction for me in my bones. That curse of professional jealousy. No doubt there were some preachers who were the big cheese until Paul came along.

17:06 - 17:32 Read in full sermon

The point: Break free from the curse of professional jealousy and jockeying for ecclesiastical position.

The practice of ministers taking country churches as stepping stones to bigger, more lucrative positions is given as an example of professional jealousy and self-promotion, which blights churches.

It's an abomination in the sight of God. Fellows going out and taking little country churches just as a stepping stone to a bigger church. And church after church, in denomination after denomination, is blighted because of short pastorates of men who are using the church as a pedestal upon which to prove their efficiency, only to move on to a more lucrative salary and to a bigger place of influence, not for the cause of Christ, but for the promotion of their own ministerial image. May God deliver you from that.

18:05 - 18:36 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: A vivid illustration of a sincere Christian doctor who, despite good intentions, gives wrong medicine that kills the patient, demonstrating that sincerity cannot cancel out the…

A personal story of choosing a sincere Christian doctor who, despite good intentions and love, makes a wrong diagnosis and prescribes fatal medicine, illustrating that sincerity cannot compensate for incorrect content (truth).

Let me illustrate this principle from human experience. Suppose in a few weeks' time I begin to complain of severe stomach pain, day and night, and it really gets to me and finally I say to my wife here, I've just got to go to the doctor. And I have two options. There are two doctors in town who specialize in this type of problem.

26:49 - 27:12 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: A vivid illustration of a sincere Christian doctor who, despite good intentions, gives wrong medicine that kills the patient, demonstrating that sincerity cannot cancel out the…

A contrasting story of an atheist doctor who, despite his hatred for Christians, correctly diagnoses and prescribes effective treatment, illustrating that correct content (truth) can save, even with bad motives.

He made a wrong analysis and gave a wrong description, and all his love and sincerity could not cancel out the killing effects of the wrong menacing. Conversely, suppose I go to that doctor that hates Christians and hates the very mention of Christ. I go into his office and he happens to know me. He says, oh, you, Reverend, thought you dropped dead before now, but here you are.

29:28 - 29:52 Read in full sermon

Driving home: I say that this is a reversal of the mentality of the Apostle Paul. A complete reversal.

A vivid hypothetical story of an angel appearing with glory but adding to Paul's gospel, illustrating that even angelic sincerity cannot validate a perverted message, echoing Galatians 1.

And he says to you, Galatians, says to the Galatians, you can hear the content, and if it's putting commas where I put periods, if it's putting brackets where there's blank space, don't you listen to them. You're sitting in your room some night, and all of a sudden you're startled. You hear what sounds like the fluttering of wings, and you turn around, and lo and behold, there's an angel that comes fluttering into your room. And the room is filled with light.

33:16 - 33:41 Read in full sermon

Driving home: My friend, don't you dare accuse the living God of revealing something and then saying it was unessential.

The role of a seminary trustee, appointed to preserve the institution's intent and properties intact, is used as an analogy for a minister's responsibility to preserve the 'trust' of divine truth without alteration.

as we were approved of God to be entrusted with the gospel. Even so we speak not as pleasing men, but God who trieth our hearts. If you are made a trustee, we have some of the trustees at the seminary here. When the original trustees die and go to their reward, and other trustees are elected, what is the task of a trustee?

42:07 - 42:32 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not treat doctrines like election as 'contraband goods' but proclaim them openly as 'front store goods' in your exposition of the Word.

A story of a bookstore owner at a Pentecostal Bible Institute who kept Reformed literature 'under the counter' as 'contraband goods,' illustrating how some treat doctrines like election as hidden or shameful, rather than openly proclaimed.

Can't do it. Well, to make a long story short, this fellow told me that he, through his reading, had become quite persuaded of the Reformed position, and he ran the bookstore there, and he kept Banner of Truth literature and all this other stuff under the counter in the back. And when anybody would get his appetite whetted in any of his classes, he taught a class or two, then he'd take them in the back of the bookstore and give out his contraband goods. Well, you know, it's a shame when people treat such doctrines as election, the particular design of God in the death of the Son, the certainty...

53:12 - 53:59 Read in full sermon