Sentimental:
“Marked or governed by feeling.” (Webster).
THE
PASTOR:
1. CAN NOT PREACH Election because the daughter of Brother and Sister
Elite, is
in attendance with her family, and they belong to an Arminian church.
And we do
not want to offend them.
2.
CAN NOT PREACH ON BAPTISM because some of the church members have loved
ones
who have been sprinkled, and they would surely believe the Pastor’s
remarks
were directed toward them.
3.
CAN NOT PREACH ON CLOSED COMMUNION, for some will feel left out, and
nobody
likes that left out feeling.
4.
CAN NOT PREACH ON MISSIONS, because we do not want to offend our
members or
visitors who have some Primitive Baptist kinfolks.
5.
CAN NOT PREACH CHURCH TRUTH, for there are some good people in the
invisible
church, and many of them are fiends to some members of our church.
6.
CAN NOT PREACH ON HOLY LIVING, for everyone sins. Therefore, we are not
qualified to rebuke our brother or sister for sinning. “Who is it
that is so
sin free that they can cast the first stone?” (It was rank and God
defying
hypocrites to whom Christ put this question; it was not addressed to
the
church. The Lord’s church is not only qualified to officially rebuke
sin, but
is commanded of the Lord to do so (John 8:1-10; I Corinthians
5:12-13,
6:2-3; Romans 6:14-15; I John 2:1).
7.
CAN NOT PREACH STEWARDSHIP, because Brother Hardship is in debt way
over his
head, and to preach tithing would be like rubbing salt in his wounds.
8.
Etc.
THE
SHAMEFUL RESULT OF THE ABOVE SENTIMENTAL RESTRICTIONS IS A CHURCH AND
PASTOR THAT SIMPLY, CAN NOT PREACH!
Nevertheless, the word of God admonishes every New Testament church and
Pastor,
saying: “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season;
reprove,
rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (II Timothy
4:2).
And
the first New Testament preachers said: “... WE OUGHT TO OBEY GOD
RATHER
THAN MAN” (Acts 5:29).