Dedicated To The Men of God Who Preach the Word of God As It
Is To Men As They Are
"Preach The Word"
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CHAPTER ONE
NO MORE ABOMINATIONS
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Vice is a monster of such frightful mien
As to be hated needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We, first endure, then pity, then embrace.
by Pope, "Essay on Man"
Jeremiah prophesied judgment against Israel
because of Israel's participation in the abominations of
the heathen among them. The sad part about the whole
affair was that Israel could no longer even blush over
her sins. Jeremiah lamented, "Were they ashamed
when they had committed abomination? Nay, they
were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush (Jer.
6:15)." The same lamentation is made in 8:12. Not only
did sin not bother Israel anymore, but they even
persecuted God's man for bringing the message of God
to them.
No wonder Jeremiah was called the "weeping prophet."
He wept over the people because of their coming
destruction. He wept because of their callousness
toward sin. He wept because God's people no longer
had any realization of the holiness of God.
Lest we be surprised at the hardness of Israel, we
should be reminded of the effect of sin upon man. "Exhort
one another daily while it is called today, lest any
of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin
(Hebrews 3:13)." Written to Christians, the admonition
is clear, "Be careful. Sin deceives. Sin hardens."
We have seen this same digression of sin in our country.
There was a time when dirty magazines were scarce.
To purchase such a magazine one had to go into a
bookstore of ill reputation. The magazines were out of
sight, behind the counter. Later, they became available
on newstands. Then corner markets began to pick up
the pornography trade. Now, with no shame left, the
filth peddlers advertise their dirty books on television.
As people have gotten used to the filth, the content
has gotten blatantly worse. Originally, nudity was the
main theme of the dirty magazines. Soon, sex scenes
began to dominate their pages. From there, such
magazines have unashamedly shown bestiality,
homosexuality, teen porn, kiddie porn, and now (God
help us) baby pornography.
At one time homosexuals were afraid to come out of
the closet. Now they proudly proclaim their perversion
on network TV and parade in our nation's streets seeking
to be considered normal
Before, abortion was a blight on society. Now it is
socially acceptable. Now it is an intelligent alternative
to having unwanted children. NO!!!!! A thousand times
NO!!! It is still murder. The baby-butchers will stand
before God with far more murders on their hands than
Hitler, who murdered "only" 6,000,000 Jews. Our
abortion mills have murdered over 16,000,000 babies
since 1973. To coin a phrase, "We've come a long way,
baby" — the wrong way.
WHO DECIDES WHAT IS AN ABOMINATION?
Some would be quick to add, "But that's your
opinion." The questions we must consider are: Is there
such a thing as right and wrong? Who decides what is
right and what is wrong? And, is there a set standard?
If one man's opinion is as good as another, then
truly, there is no absolute right or absolute wrong. If
there is no set standard, then the homosexual's standard
of right and wrong is as good as mine. If there is
no set standard, then the abortion doctor's standard of
right and wrong is as good as mine. If every man's opinion
of right and wrong is as good as the next man's
opinion, we have chaos.
For instance, I believe homosexuality is a filthy
perversion. However, the homosexual believes it is
normal. He believes it is right for him (or her). Who's
to say?
According to Judges 17:6 and 21:25, Israel's main
problem was that "every man did that which was right
in his own eyes." Because what was right in their eyes
was evil to God, God continually had them oppressed
by others. If we were to ask the Israelites in Jeremiah's
day about their lifestyle, obviously, from the context
of the passage, they saw nothing wrong with their
actions. But God called their actions "abominations."
Since the fall, man has been calling evil good. "The
imaginations of man's heart are evil from their youth
(Gen. 8:21)." "There is a way which seemeth right unto
a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death (Prov.
14:12)." "The heart is deceitful above all things, and
desperately wicked: who can know it (Jer. 17:9)."
Man's sense of right and wrong is so warped by sin and
the flesh, he cannot properly decided right and wrong.
Man needs a standard.
God has given us a standard — the Word of God.
Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy
word is truth (John 17:17)." The Psalmist wrote, "Thy
word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy
righteous judgments endureth forever (Ps. 119:160).
Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and
thy law is the truth (Ps. 119:142). Thy Word have I hid
in my heart, that I might not sin against thee (Ps.
119:11)." Happy (and smart) is the person who makes
the same decision as the Psalmist, "Therefore I esteem
all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I
hate every false way (Psalm 119:128)."
Israel had come a long way, the wrong way. Those
things which were abominable to God were accepted
by Israel. Looking at a few of the things God stated
were an abomination to him, we find that we are
traveling down the same road Israel trod.
LEVITICUS 18:22, 26 —
HOMOSEXUALITY & NAKEDNESS
"Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with
womankind: it is abomination (Leviticus 18:22)."
God had already made His thoughts about homosexuality
known in the destruction of Sodom and
Gomorrah. He told Israel why men were not to have
sex with men, "It is abomination." Later, in Leviticus
20:13, God pronounced the death penalty in Israel for
any men caught committing such acts. The reason?
"Both of them have committed an abomination...Their
blood shall be upon them."
In Leviticus 18:26 God stated, "Ye shall therefore
keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not
commit any of these abominations..." In other words,
God was stating that other condemned practices of
chapter 18 were also abominations to him. These included
bestiality (23) and nakedness among family
members.
Although most fundamentalists would still consider
bestiality and homosexuality abominations in the sight
of God, many see nothing wrong with family members,
dressed in only underclothes or scanty night clothes,
walking around one another in the home situation.
Many see nothing wrong with mixed swimming if
practiced only among close friends or family. How
many cases of incest in "Christian" homes have taken
place because of uncontrolled passions fanned by immodesty
among family members? How many boys and
girls have grown up in homes where immodest dress
among members led them to lives of promiscuity?
Like Israel of old, that which was an abomination to
God is no longer an abomination to us.
PREACHING STANDARDS
DEUTERONOMY 7:25 — IDOLATRY
"The graven images of their gods shall ye burn
with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold
that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be
snared therein: for it is an abomination to the
Lord thy God."
Idolatry and idolatrous practices are abominations
to God. And yet, how many Christians carry a rabbit's
foot for good luck? How many believers have statues of
Buddha in their home? How many women have hung
"kitchen witches" in their kitchens for good luck?
Many Christians still play with the Ouija board. Many
still read their daily horoscopes. Notice that the term
God uses to describe His hatred of idolatry is the same
that describes His hatred for homosexuality — it is an
"abomination."
Lest we think idolatry is limited to statues and occultic
items, we need to be reminded of Paul's statement
in Ephesians 5:5, "For this ye know, that no
whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man,
who is an idolator, hath any inheritance in the
kingdom of Christ and of God." Covetous people are
the ones who must always have something else. They
must have the latest fashions, the latest appliances,
the lates cars. That person who cannot be content with
what he has is an idolater.
Madison Avenue's job is to make American's unhappy
with what they have and make them desire
what Madison Avenue's accounts are selling. This
philosophy has crept into the Church. Many Christians
are saddled with payments for items they bought on
credit, after swallowing the advertiser's line, and now,
they have no financial freedom. God cannot direct
them in how to give for the work of Christ because
their money is spent before they receive the paycheck.
Someone has said, "America is the only place where
people buy things they don't want, with money they
don't have, to impress people they don't like." The
worst part of it all is that, just like Israel, we no longer
blush at our abominations.
PROVERBS 3:32; 11:32 — THE FROWARD
"For the froward is abomination to the Lord..."
(Proverbs 3:32)
"They that are of a froward heart are abomination
to the Lord..."
(Proverbs 11:20)
According to Strong's Concordance the froward
are the perverse, the deceitful, the crooked. Those who
deceive are an abomination to the Lord. Try to find a
modern television hero who doesn't use deceit to get
what he is after. We and our children see this, and it
becomes a part of our lives.
So what if a man cheats on his income tax? So what
if a man lies a little to get ahead in his job? Our churches
have many who find these acceptable practices.
Like Israel, we are not ashamed when we commit
abomination.
PROVERBS 6:16-19 — SOWERS OF DISCORD
"These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven
are an abomination unto him:
"A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that
shed innocent blood,
"An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet
that be swift to running to mischief,
"A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that
soweth discord among brethren."
(Proverbs 6:16-19)
Truly, all sin is sin. And yet, God makes a distinction
in these verses about His feelings concerning certain
sins. The first six listed are sins which He hates. The
seventh has the added distinction of being an abomination
to Him. From the context of the passage we could
conclude that worse than a lying tongue is he who sows
discord among the brethren. Worse than feet which
run to mischief is he who sows discord among
brethren. Worse than hands that shed innocent blood
is he who sows discord among brethren.
God clearly set forth the evil of those who sow discord
among the brethren, but just let a preacher
preach against a popular practice of many of the
church folks and watch how quick some use their
phones to sow discord. Amazingly, this group of individuals
gathers around them a following that keeps division
constant in the local church. They hinder the work
of God and grieve the Holy Spirit. Considered "pillars"
of the church and good people, they make the
preaching of the Word of God of none effect. God calls
them an abomination.
God spoke concerning this group in other places as
well. In I Corinthians 3:3 He called them carnal. In
Romans 16:17, God told the church to "mark those
which cause divisions...and avoid them."
Why does this group feel they have to tell others
they disagree with the preacher? Many times they stop
new believers from getting anything from the
preacher's messages. They have taught the new
believer (and their own children) that when they
disagree with the preaching, they don't have to obey.
Seldom does this crowd ever dig into the Scripture
with an open heart, bathed in prayer, willing to obey if
they find the preacher is right. They often say, "Well,
that's his interpretation." Of course, they don't have
one of their own, for they have never studied the Scripture
to see what it is saying. They just know they don't
agree. It's almost as if they had never read Hebrews
13:7 and 17:
"Remember them which have the rule over you,
who have spoken unto you the word of God:
Whose faith follow, considering the end of their
conversation.
"Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit
yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as
they that must give account, that they may do it
for joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable
for you."
"But," someone objects, "the preacher is wrong."
What makes you think you have to tell everyone in the
Church? Don't we have a "prayer hearing" and "prayer
answering" God who can change the heart (and
understanding) of the preacher? It's strange that this
complaining crowd is so spiritual that they are sure the
preacher is wrong, but they are not spiritual enough to
get through to God and let Him handle the situation.
He that sows discord is an abomination, no matter
what position he holds in the church. Haven't we
become more like Israel of old?
PROVERBS 28:9 —
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH SKIPPER
"He that turneth away his ear from hearing the
law, even his prayer shall be abomination."
(Proverbs 28:9)
The person who makes a conscious choice not to
attend or hear the preaching of the Word of God really
wastes his time praying. God calls that person's prayer
an abomination.
How spiritual the "sometime attenders" can sound.
These Sunday morning Christians, who attend when
they feel like it, think they get in touch with God
whenever they pray. Little do they realize that their
prayer is an abomination to God Almighty.
The truth is, we need to hear His Word far more
than He needs to hear ours. His Word is the eternal
Word of God. It is the Bread of Life. It is the milk we
need to grow spiritually.
Basically, God said, "The person who thinks so lightly
of what I have to say by choosing to do something else
when he could be hearing My Word, has nothing
to say to Me that is worth hearing. His prayer is an
abomination."
In a recent survey, taken from 300 registered voters
in Nashville, Tennessee, only 52 percent felt skipping
church was wrong. Today's Christian would call it a
little thing. God states that even the prayer of one who
skips the preaching of the Word of God is an abomination.
WORSHIP IN VAIN
By justifying our sinful practices, we have made the
Word of God of none effect. Modern Christians have
decided they are the standard for right and wrong.
What is your standard?
Jesus warned the Pharisees, "ye have made the commandment
of God of none effect...in vain do they worship
me" (Matt. 15:6,9). They had taken the Word of
God and used religious customs to circumvent it. For
instance, they had been commanded to take care of
their parents, but they released themselves of that
obligation by saying they had dedicated all their
possessions to God, so they could not use them on their
parents.
Today's Christians have taken statements which
sound spiritual ("I'm not convicted about it yet;" "I'm
not a legalist; I have liberty in Christ;" "I only worry
about the essentials;") and have explained away their
obligation to obey the Word of God.
Harry Ironside, in his book Daniel, referred to Christians
who make such arguments.
PREACHING STANDARDS
NO MORE ABOMINATIONS
"...I have heard Christians refer to certain precepts in the
Scriptures as non-essentials. But we may rest assured there
are no non-essentials in our Bibles. "The words of the Lord
are pure words, as silver tried in the fire, purified seven
times." When people talk of non-essentials in regard to
anything concerning which God has revealed His mind, it is
well to ask, "Essential or non-essential to what?" If it be a
question of the soul's salvation, undoubtedly the one great
essential is faith in His blessed Son, whose finished work
alone avails to put away sin and procure peace with God.
But if it be a question of what is essential to the enjoyment
of communion with God — essential to obtaining the Lord's
approval at the judgment-seat of Christ — Then it is well to
remember that in everything the believer is sanctified to the
obedience of Christ."
Ironside repeated his strong warning to the church
of his day, 1911, a few paragraphs later:
"It is of grave importance that we bear this principle in
mind in these Laodicean times. We live in days when
everything that once was deemed important is looked upon
as a matter of indifference; when truth for which myriads of
martyrs shed their blood is considered hardly worthy of being
contended for — days when the claims of God as set
forth in His faithful Word are openly set aside even by those
who "call themselves by the name of the Lord," and profess
to owe everything to the cross on which the Lord Jesus died.
Latitudinarianism is the prevailing order, and few ask, with
intention to obey, "What saith the Scripture?" "
Ironside went on to explain the dangers of allowing
practices in our lives which are contrary to the Word
of God.
"Allow one thing in your life unjudged that you know to be
contrary to the word of God, or that you fear is not in line
with God's will for you, and you will soon find your
spiritual eyes become darkened, your spiritual susceptibilities
deadened, and no real progress made in your soul, but
rather a steady decline. But where there is faithfulness in
separation from that which is opposed to the mind of God;
where His word is allowed to sit in judgment on all your
ways, you will learn that "the path of the just is as a shining
ldigayh.t, which shineth brighter and brighter unto the perfect
Other objections are answered in the following
chapters, but remember the words of Scripture concerning
both the Father and the Son: "For I am the Lord, I
change not... (Mal. 3:6)" and "Jesus Christ the same
yesterday, and today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)"
Since God has not changed, what was an abomination
to Him 2000, 3000, or 4000 years ago, is still an
abomination to Him today.
"Let God be true, and every man a liar..."
(Romans 3:4)
STUDY FROM DR. MIKE ALLISON
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