Flesh-pleasing pulpit opiates!

(J. A. James, "Dislike to Ministerial Faithfulness Stated and Explained")




They are a rebellious people, deceptive children, children who do

not obey the Lord's instruction. They say to the seers, "Do not

see," and to the prophets, "Do not prophesy the truth to us. Tell

us flattering things! Prophesy illusions! Get out of the way!

Leave the pathway. Rid us of the Holy One of Israel." Is. 30:9-11



It is a striking fact, that He who was love incarnate; who was

mercy's messenger to our lost world; who was named Jesus,

because He was to be the Savior of His people; who was the

manifestation of God's love to man—delivered, during the

course of His personal ministry, more fearful descriptions of

Divine justice and the punishment of the wicked, than are to be

found in any other part of the Word of God! What can exceed

the solemn scene of the parable of the rich man in torments?

Hell and destruction are there set openly before us.



No man can fulfill his ministry, therefore, without frequently

alluding to the justice of God in the punishment of sin.

He must seek to alarm the fears of the unconverted by a

representation of the consequences that will follow a state

of final impenitence.



Such a subject frequently calls up all the enmity of the carnal

mind. To be told, not only that they are sinners—which all will

admit in general terms—but that their sins are such as to deserve

the wrath of God, such as to expose them to the torments of hell,

and such as will infallibly bring them to the bottomless pit—unless

they truly repent; to be told again and again that they are hastening

to perdition; to have the rod of Divine vengeance shaken over their

heads; to have all the dreadful curses of the violated law analyzed,

ascertained and announced; to have this done in their hearing, and

done frequently; to be made to sit and hear their future eternal

doom, and thus to be tormented before their time—is what they

cannot, and will not endure! Unable to bear any longer his pointed

addresses to the conscience, they will leave his ministry—for the

flesh-pleasing pulpit opiates of some flatterer of men's souls,

who is too cowardly to trouble the minds, or alarm the consciences

of those who love smooth, flattering and delusive preaching.



To be publicly denounced as deserving Divine wrath; to be told

that they are sinners to such a degree as to merit the eternal

punishment of a holy God; to be reminded that, instead of their

fancied good heart, pure nature, and blameless life—they are,

in the sight of God, depraved in every faculty and polluted in

every part; to be represented as unfit for communion with God

here, and for His presence hereafter—all this is so opposed to all

their notions, so mortifying to their vain pride, so degrading to

their dignity, that they cannot but dislike it. To such a debasement

they would not willingly descend; and hence their demand for the

teaching of deceit, and the smooth speech of falsehood. What

they want is to be flattered into a good opinion of themselves.

They hate the doctrine which disturbs their self-delight, and

revile the man who attempts to tell them the solemn reality

of how vile they are!

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