Well Stated

On my sidebar, you'll find a link to free podcasts of messages by Dr. John MacArthur. I have greatly appreciated his teaching ministry in the last couple of years, and have been listening to the free podcasts while doing housework (a multitasking habit I highly recommend, along with listening to the Bible on tape). Lately the topic has been on speech and taming the tongue, and I liked this quote so much, I wanted to share it with you all. He was teaching from Ephesians 6:18-20 and commenting on the topic of preaching the gospel:

Listen beloved, God wants you to proclaim Christ but He wants you to proclaim Christ as it ought to be done. (...) I'm afraid sometimes that a good message proclaimed in a bad way will do just about as much as a bad message.

It's important for people to hear the truth about their position before God apart from Christ. That message must come first before the message about His love for them. Otherwise, it's not really the gospel, it's more like a "warm fuzzy from Jesus," which falls on empty ears. So what if Jesus loves me? I'm doing pretty well without him, thank you!

We all need that boldness to speak as we ought, as Paul says.

(For more information and resources on Dr. MacArthur's ministry, visit gty.org.)