A PREACHER FROM THE DEAD OR THE LIVING WORD?
The
rich man in hell, realizing his torments would never end, immediately
became concerned for the safety of his five brothers. His desire was
that Lazarus be sent to preach and warn them lest they too should
descend into the place of never-ending agony and pain. Note that he
was only interested in his family members and says nothing about the
glory of God in the salvation of his brothers. Not one word is spoken
about Christ being magnified as God’s sacrifice for sin nor did he
indicate any awareness of the necessity of the Spirit’s work in the
hearts of his brothers. His motivation did not involve the Lord at
all!
Notice Abraham’s response, which speaks volumes.
“They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them”
(Luke 16:29).
There is something far better than someone coming back from the dead
and preaching about the reality of hell and that is the proclamation
of “the Word of God that liveth and abideth forever…and
this is the Word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1
Peter 1:23, 25). It is this Word “that is able to make
men wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2
Timothy 3:15). The rich man’s reasoning is typical of the
unregenerate mind which believes that people would embrace truth if
they beheld a great miracle, such as a preacher coming back from the
grave. But, salvation does not come through beholding a miracle, but
through and by the living Word, applied to the heart by the Holy
Ghost Who must perform the work of regeneration within a spiritually
dead sinner bringing them to “repentance toward God, and
faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts
20:21).
The written Word speaks of the Incarnate
Word. The book of God tells the story of redemption. It sets forth
Adam’s fall into sin and the consequences of that
representative man’s transgression, which is death. It tells of
God’s remedy for sin, the Substitutionary sacrifice of the Lord
Jesus Christ Who died that God might be just in justifying the
ungodly. The Old Testament proclaims Christ in prophecy, picture and
promise while the New Testament declares His incarnation, the purpose
for His coming, “to save His people from their sins”
(Matthew 1:21).
It tells of His life-long compliance to the law and that He was
“obedient unto death, even the death of the cross”
(Philippians 2:8). It
tells of His absolute victory over sin, Satan, death and hell, His
exaltation, enthronement, universal reign and second coming. The Lord
sends forth His Word and as His gospel is proclaimed, He blesses
according to His eternal purpose. “My Word shall not return
unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it
shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isaiah
55:11).
-preacher
Jim Byrd
http://www.sermonaudio.com/source_detail.asp?sourceid=13thstbaptist
Comments