The Uncompromising Preacher
We are definitely living during an age when standing is not
popular and compromise is the word of the day. We were instructed
in II Thessalonians 2:15 "to stand fast." Also over in
I Corinthians 15:58, it says "Be ye stedfast,
unmovable." There are many other passages of scripture where
we are commanded to stand and not waver. Therefore we that are
blood bought, born again believers need to take note and put
these verses to practice in our own lives and say "no"
to compromise.
This brings to mind a young Baptist preacher who lived during the
mid seventeenth century. The
preacher's name was John Bunyan. He was the author of
"Pilgrim's Progress" along with other great pieces of
Christian literature.
Born in Elstow near Bedford in 1628 and in 1655, he received
Jesus Christ as his Saviour. Shortly
afterwards he began to peach the Word. When he preached he
possessed great fluency of speech and most valuable gift of all,
he uttered every word he spoke with the force and weight of
thorough con-viction. The people that stood around to hear him
had no doubt in their minds that he spoke from his heart. Listen
to an exact quote from John Bunyan which showed his zeal in
preaching. "In my preaching of the Word, I took special
notice to open and allege that the curse of God by the law doth
belong to and lay hold upon all men as they came into the world,
because of sin. This part of my work I fulfilled with great
feeling, for the terrors of the law and guilt for my
transgression lay heavy on my own conscience. I preach what I
smartingly did feel, even that under which my poor soul did groan
and tremble to astonishment. Indeed, I have been as one sent to
them from the dead; I went, myself in chains, to preach to them
in chains; and carried that fire in my own conscience that I
persuade them to beware."
Now the time during which he lived, was not easy for those that
stood their ground, (concerning God's Word). It was a time when
public worship was a crime against the laws and might subject any
member to a fire and imprisonment. On a preacher weighed with 10
fold force. But did this stop the young Baptist preacher; not
hardly. On Nov. 12, 1660, he was arrested at the village of
Samsall where he had gone to preach. He was taken to a prison in
Bedford and there he was to remain for 12 years; and why? Because
of his refusal to compromise! Before his judge he maintained a
bold and deter-mined bearing. When required to plead, he frankly
avowed that he had preached, exhorted, and comforted his
brethren; that he had used the powers God had given him to the
best of his poor ability in furtherance of the glory and the
knowledge of the truth. Also upon being told that if he persisted
in this latter he would be banished from the realm, he simply
replied, "If I were released to-day, I would preach, by
God's help, tomorrow." It sounds to me that
John Bunyan had the Apostle Paul syndrome; Amen.
All this was no doubt without great sacrifice on his part. When
being placed in prison it meant leaving his wife and 4 children.
In which one of his children was blind; this added to his burden.
It is said of him that he cheerfully, indeed, would have laid
down his life for those dear ones; but there was one thing he
could not and would not sacrifice for them, and that was
principle. So for this he was incarcerated in a filthy den for 12
long years.
The question we must ask ourselves is, "What can be learned
from this man's life?" The answer is, that we ought to do
more trusting God and less fearing of man. We need to say like
David, "I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people,
that have set themselves against me round about." Why was
David able to say that? Because he realized, "But thou, O
LORD, art a shield for me." Psalm 3:3&6.
The Lord paid with his life. We ought to be willing to do the
same (John 15:20) and stand against
compromise. If the Lord compromised on the cross where would we
be today?
by John W. Reaves Jr.