A Commentary on the Times (But not aired on CNN)
"Any pastor desiring to carry the torch of truth today need not expect to have many friends." So wrote Chuck Baldwin in a recent article for The Covenant News. Baldwin also said, "It has never been harder to continue to carry the torch of truth than it is today," and "Truth has been replaced with entertainment." Well said, absolutely true. (Note, these very words are not popular.)
It's hard to write truth today. (Try it sometime.) It's even harder to live truth. Friends and family leave us one by one when we stand firm for truth. Congregations dwindle. Readers move on to something more soothing and comforting. We're called "unloving." In a word, truth is very unpopular.
Let's get specific. The truth about God makes us unpopular, for few really seem to care for biblical theology. "Theology" is even a word that turns people off today. What about the glory of Christ? Another unpopular subject. What about personal holiness, or proving that we are justified by sanctified living? (Bad question.) Shouldn't we just be mostly concerned with church growth, accommodating our message to the masses, being friendly, being emergent-minded, being entertaining, concerned with the overall numbers -- isn't this what matters? No, not really. (And no apologies.)
Anyone ever read the Bible? (Bad question.) Well, though unpopular, here it is: "Buy the truth, and sell it not" (Proverbs 23:23). We "buy" truth by believing it, living it, honoring it. And we must never "sell" it, no matter how tempted we are to do so. Proverbs 23 contains particular instructions for children to know how to "be wise" in life, by "listening" to fathers and mothers who "guide" them "in the way" (verses 19-22). Don't Christians in general need this also? Truth is built on the solid foundation of God Himself, and His infallible Word. The modern church needs to get back to this solid ground, for apart from the truth of Christ, "all other ground is sinking sand." And there goes my popularity. But no matter, "a remnant" shall hear! Selah.
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