Leaving Beyond – Grounded In Scripture

Written by: April J. Buchanan

 “There is no truer love than that which reproves sin; soft words that flatter are often the greatest enemies of souls.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

Priding oneself on doing nothing and “just loving everyone” is contra-Scripture. Some take no stand against evil and boast in their position to “just love everyone.” But that is not love—not as Scripture commands us to love. Refusing to stand in the truth against the evil that seeks to infiltrate churches is not something of which to boast, but something to be ashamed. Refusing to resist evil by proclaiming the truth—while embracing useless mystical practices from the new age and other false religions—is not something of which to boast.

Many abandon truth. Why? Because it is hated. It calls men to repent. It does not feel good. It exposes our sin. It does not promise all we desire. It does not flatter us with how great or wonderful we are.

Many pastors and professing Christians do not proclaim the truth. Instead, they preach a message that offends no one, saves no one, and brings no persecution. They flatter themselves and one another with how loving they are and what great things they are doing. They boast in their love and their works while forsaking Christ’s work and His love. They sacrifice truth! They allow the world to infiltrate the church with its ideologies. In doing so, they perform the work of Satan—redefining the church and her mission in the world.

Such men know nothing of persecution that identifies them with Christ, because they cater to the world and reshape the church according to its demands. Many “churches” today are Christian in name only. Yet God still has His faithful few within them, and He has not forgotten His own.

“Every man will suffer. But persecution can be avoided . . . all you have to do is compromise.” ~ Voddie Baucham

Many have not walked in the truth, stood firm in the truth, and will never be persecuted for being identified with the truth. They are identified as “accepting,” “affirming,” “loving,” and aligned with the world’s ideologies under a cloak of Christian language. They will not reason according to Scripture. They affirm the world and call it love. They have no real biblical convictions.

Trying to talk to “Christians” who claim to be more loving because they “just have a relationship with Jesus” but reject “doctrine” is frustrating to say the least. They may be agreeable and gentle in tone, but they have made an idol out of love. In their effort to “get people to Jesus,” they remove the truth that offends, building bridges that lead men by another way.

Many “Christians” do not walk in truth, and when challenged they will not stand firm either. They want the praise and glory that comes with being called a Christian, but they do not want to endure the persecution that comes with being identified with Christ. They claim courage, but even in the little things, they stand in opposition to the truth.

Dear saint, we don’t live for the highs—we live to glorify Christ, today and tomorrow.

Grace and Peace, y’all
Soli Deo Gloria

Written by: April J. Buchanan

 “Nothing will make men hate sin so much as a holy God; the more we see of His purity, the more our vileness is exposed.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

Prior to picking up this book, I looked to see what others—of the doctrinally sound type—had to say about it. Many love this book and see its benefits to Christ’s bride. Some, however, while recommending it, also have concern that it may lean more heavily on warnings and not enough on grace. With this in mind, I began listening to it. I paused one chapter in, went back, opened it in my Kindle, and read along from the beginning.

This book, for me, followed my reading of Holiness by J. C. Ryle. I suppose that had an effect on my reading it. It also came during the time of the assassination of a husband and dad—the martyr of a brother in Christ.

Seeing such depravity, with some in the world looking for answers and turning to the church, while others desperately work to excuse themselves of any responsibility for the evil in our world—as a Christian, I’m constantly reminded of the evil in my own heart and the beautiful truth of God’s Word. It is there I turn for truth, for answers, for certainty, and for the examination of my own heart. I’m not desperately searching; I know where to turn, and I know “why.”

So, as I began this little book, with these things in mind, my heart already challenged by Ryle’s Holiness, I set forth to see what Bunyan had to say.

I didn’t get far before what to some may read as too heavy, or “for those people,” my own heart was searched and examined. I read this fellow Pilgrim, who walked long before me, leaving behind words that vividly deal with the depths of man’s depravity—wicked man, deceived man, “Badman”—but also words by which any wise Christian must examine his own heart.

Am I a Pilgrim who loves my life so much that my words, echoed in time, would soothe wicked consciences? Or would, and do, my words challenge fellow Pilgrims in their journey and encourage them along their way? What kind of Pilgrim am I to fellow Pilgrims? If my words perish with me, so be it, but I will give an account for each one. My thoughts so often betray my profession of love for my God. Let those wretched enemies be cast down.

I long for holiness, and I thank God for such a desire, which I could never have mustered within myself, but which is evidence of His work in me.

Many stand in pulpits, and many professing Christians never hear holy preaching—words that, as they go forth, the Holy Spirit uses to convict. Instead, they hear words that shield them from holiness, that unveiling beauty which shines in our hearts and minds, exposing remaining sin—those sinful desires that have no place before our Lord. Many hear what merely baptizes their sinful desires in Christian language. They hear words, many words, but they are not holy.

Holiness strips away the veil on depravity and reveals what manner of man we really are. It exposes those things in us that have no place before our Lord. The Christian weeps over remaining sin. And the saint cries out to God against his own heart, praising God for the power He has given over those things, and for the revealing of them, that they may be put to death. He praises God for His grace—so undeserving.

If what we hear, what we read, and what we meditate on is constantly about how great we are, how much God needs us, and the big things we are going to do, then when the world is confronted with the reality of such depravity, such men have no answers. They believe man is basically good and that he just needs to find the gold within. He has been told how much God needs him. He has not sat under holy preaching that sanctifies. He has not listened to or sung songs so theologically rich and true that his own heart might be sanctified and encouraged in the reality of who God is. Instead, he hears words that teach him morality, self-achievement, and how wonderful he is. His deceived heart hides from that which is truly holy.

When that which is desperately wicked is no longer veiled, he shudders at the vileness of the heart. He has no idea what wickedness dwells in man. For he has only caught a glimpse of depravity. If he were exposed to the holiness of God, he would begin to understand something of the vileness of his own heart. What manner of words do we desire?

Oh dear saint, fellow Pilgrims, Scripture isn’t all about me or you. It’s about God! And He is holy! Are we surprised by holiness? Are we surprised by the depths of man’s depravity? We have yet to behold such holiness as we shall. And many have yet to see how vile a wretch man really is, and that God’s justice is good. Tell him now! Warn him! Proclaim Christ and His sufficient atoning work! Proclaim God’s Word, which is holy, that in so hearing it, the Holy Spirit may convict his sinful heart and he may be saved. Many proclaim an unholy gospel and sing songs that stir emotions but produce no holiness in those who sing them.

God is holy, holy, holy!

Grace and Peace, y’all
Soli Deo Gloria

Written by: April J. Buchanan

“The Bible is a book to be read, studied, and understood, not just listened to through another’s words.” ~ J. C. Ryle

I remember my first women’s Bible study group. We were a very small group and we met in someone’s home. One lady would drive about an hour to come meet with us and teach us. I was a baby Christian. I had no idea how to study my Bible, but I wanted to learn everything there was to learn.

Little did I know that what was called “Bible study” was really our learning from a well-respected and very popular teacher of that time—someone I’d later learn had many red flags. I had bought my workbook and couldn’t wait to gather with the other ladies and discuss what we had learned from our guided questions and answers. We came together, prayed, and then sat in front of a TV where we listened to Beth Moore teach us what she said God had revealed to her.

I was so inspired by her. I hung on every word she said. I was amazed at how much she knew and how intimate a relationship she seemed to have with God. I wanted that too. I was doe-eyed, gullible, and Biblically illiterate. What I didn’t realize then was that I was not learning what Scripture says, how to read my Bible, or how to be discerning. I was learning how to hear God outside of Scripture—and that if I wanted a relationship with God like Beth’s, I needed to be willing to be thought crazy in order to have such a relationship. To be thought such was admirable.

In one teaching, I heard her talk about an old man she saw out in public and how she said God told her to go brush his hair. I heard many other stories that sounded strange and seemed to have no real Gospel-centered or Christ-centered point to them. But she had already taught me not to question the experience—just to be obedient to whatever I felt like God was telling me to do, no matter how crazy. If I questioned it, then I’d quench the Spirit and miss out on an intimate relationship with God.

So, I learned very early how not to study my Bible correctly. I learned to obey whatever I felt in my heart, because that was supposed to be God speaking to me—no matter how strange it seemed. That, according to Beth Moore, was what it looked like to have a relationship with God.

Later, I would learn how to correctly study my Bible. I’d learn how to discern truth from error biblically. I’d learn what a real relationship with God looks like. And I’d learn that Beth Moore hadn’t taught me anything worth holding on to.

I was discipled very early on, but it was in false teaching—and it only got worse from there. Later, God would open my eyes to all those false teachings, and it was a very painful experience and loss. But it was worth it! Now, what I have to hold on to is solid, and when tested, it stands firm. The truth does not fear being tested.

Many today are discipled and instructed, but it is with closed Bibles. They may be told that they will go through a book of the Bible, but they are not actually opening their Bibles, going verse by verse through the text, and hearing what God says. They are gathering around books, workbooks, and TV screens. They are not learning how to study their Bible so they can see if what they are being taught is true.

I’m not saying all workbooks are false, or all study materials are bad. But if you have never learned how to correctly study your Bible, you have no way of knowing if it is true or if it is false. You may assume it’s true because they use Christian terminology and cite Scripture. But not everyone who does so is actually bringing out of the text what it means. There are many false teachers.

We must learn how to study our Bible so we may be able to test all things—even our favorite teachers.

Dear saint, learn how to study your Bible. It is one of your greatest weapons against Satan’s devices.

Grace and Peace, y’all
Soli Deo Gloria

Written by: April J. Buchanan

“A profession of unity that silences truth is no profession of Christ at all.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

Horizontal calls for unity at the cost of vertical reconciliatory truth are merely man’s attempt to bring peace in a fallen world apart from the objective commands of God.

To minimize sin, to call for unity, and to fail to define what is meant by unity is to be dishonest in one’s appeal to a superior unity than what God commands.

Many men come to the foot of the cross, but not all men repent. Many hear that Christ died for them, but they do not hear the command of a King to repent. Many hear that God loves them, but they do not hear that God is just and that they deserve the holy, righteous, undiluted wrath of God.

Many men come together at the foot of the cross and sing Jesus Loves Me, but they walk away worse than before—not having heard the message that confronts them in their sin, the wrath they deserve, the holiness of God, and thereby the exceeding beauty of grace. They do not grasp what they do not deserve, nor are they amazed that God would save a wretch like them.

Many men unify at the foot of the cross and hear much of the correct Christian language, though it is never vertical but entirely horizontal, whereby the death and resurrection of Christ are made man-centered. Love is redefined. Truth is suppressed. Unity is redefined. All becomes subjective. God’s Word is not authoritative. Christ is stripped of His authority and kingly role. He is brought low. Love, peace, and unity are made idols, set above and against God’s Word.

To fail to address man vertically is to fail to honor our King.

Grace and Peace, y’all
Soli Deo Gloria

Written by: April J. Buchanan

We must remember that convictions can be as firm as concrete, and this is good when those convictions are built upon Scripture. Yet pride so easily reveals its ugly head in our corrupt hearts. When confronted with God’s Word, instead of humbly receiving correction, we are tempted to dig in our heels and double down. This danger is not for a few—it is common to us all.

Therefore, we ought never to rejoice when a brother or sister wrestles with Scripture exposing their convictions. Instead, we should pray for them, just as we would want them to pray for us—that we may all see clearly what the Word of God says, and when necessary, repent. Sometimes that repentance must even be public, that our convictions might be shaped by the truth and not by stubbornness.

It is far more grievous to harden ourselves and double down against the truth than it is to hold a conviction in ignorance. May our hearts and minds be continually informed by the truth of God’s Word. And may we be quick to repent when confronted, lest pride lead us deeper into error.

Today it may be me, tomorrow another dear saint. Praise be to God for His Word and for fellow believers who love it and faithfully proclaim it. As Scripture reminds us, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).

And we are not without the wise reminders of saints who have gone before us:

“He that is proud of his knowledge, is ignorant of the nature of true knowledge; for true knowledge makes a man humble, and gives him a greater sense of his own ignorance.” ~ Jonathan Edwards

“Do not think it is a shame to repent; it is a shame not to repent. A proud heart scorns correction; a gracious heart yields to the Word, and blesses God for it.” ~ Thomas Watson

“The true test of spiritual maturity is not how much we know, but how much we are willing to submit when the Word of God confronts us and demands change.” ~ John MacArthur

Grace and Peace, y’all
Soli Deo Gloria

Written by: April J. Buchanan

“Do not place your confidence in any man, however faithful he has seemed; test all against the Word of God, for a man may fall, but God’s Word cannot.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

One of my great concerns is how easy it is for us to find someone with a microphone, a platform, and a message that helps us in a specific time. But when they begin to show themselves in error, their “followers” remain loyal and defend them in error.

This isn’t isolated to those who follow false teachers. It can even be those who once taught sound doctrine but sinned in such a way as to be disqualified. Their followers are so loyal to the person that they put away all they have learned—even from this “influencer”—and commit their loyalty to them rather than loving them enough to call them to repentance (Galatians 6:1; James 5:19–20).

We see it also when one changes their convictions from what Scripture commands to what feels right in the moment. Their loyal followers do not take them back to Scripture but pledge allegiance to them as they go in opposition to what God clearly says (2 Timothy 4:3–4). This is even true of followers of what may be known as “discernment ministries.”

Dear saint, we can learn from others and be grateful for how they have helped us in times when we needed it and they rightly handled Scripture. However, our loyalty is to Christ, to the Gospel, the purity of the Gospel, His message, and His Kingdom (1 Corinthians 3:4–7). If a brother or sister sins or errs, we do not follow them. We love them enough to warn them and tell them the truth.

Test everything against God’s Word (Acts 17:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:21–22).

There’s no such thing as online church. Yes, we absolutely can listen to podcasts, read blogs, and learn from doctrinally sound and biblically discerning believers. And yes, they may help us grow in grace and knowledge of the truth (2 Peter 3:18).

But if we begin to develop a cult-like mindset whereby they can do no wrong—and we do not love them enough, when they err, to warn them—then we need to examine ourselves. Something is very wrong.

Dear saint, find a doctrinally sound church and commit to it. Those believers will—and ought to—love you enough to help you see when you are in error. If they don’t, something is wrong. I want that! I hope you do too.

Be careful not to develop the mindset that anything someone says in a blog, podcast, or from a big platform must be true. At the same time, do not fall into the opposite error of assuming it must be false or that you can trust no one but yourself—that is perhaps even more dangerous (Proverbs 18:1).

If those of whom you listen to their podcasts or YouTube channels, or follow on other social media platforms have always been otherwise doctrinally sound, but then fall into some disqualifying sin or begin to err in doctrine, practice, or methodology—your allegiance is to Christ, His Word, and His message. If possible, love them enough to share your concerns (Galatians 2:11–14), and guard your own heart against the temptation to abandon what you know to be true because of your “relationship” with this person (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Sisters, we are especially vulnerable to this temptation. If we know this beforehand, we will be armed with the truth and less likely to be swept away in error.

When big events happen in our world we tend to look to certain voices who have been faithful to sound doctrine and have been faithful to stand firmly against error. We trust them to proclaim the truth and stand firm in it. But when they err and we are convicted by Scripture of their error, do we stand firm or do we suppress what we know to be true, change our convictions, and follow them in error? Do we recognize our own weakness and ability to err? Are we learning to think Biblically or have we learned to trust whatever these say because they have always been sound? How is this any different than the one who blindly follows false teachers who tell them “God said” and they believe whatever they say because they felt something?

Test everything according to sound doctrine.

Grace and Peace, y’all
Soli Deo Gloria

Written by: April J. Buchanan

“The church is the pillar and ground of the truth. If she does not speak out, who will? If she is not faithful to Christ, who will be?” — Charles Spurgeon

We often think that when Scripture warns not to add to or take away from the Word of God, it is strictly that men will seek to take up their pen and spill ink where it does not belong, or rip pages (as some in history have) from Scripture that go against who they believe God to be.

We woefully, willfully, and ignorantly ignore the more subtle dangers where this is a present reality in many churches and among many Christians.

We don’t have to rip out pages of Scripture to do violence to the text and pervert its purity. We don’t have to pick up our pens and add to the text what we want it to say (as some have).

We merely need to learn—incorrectly—how to study our Bibles from false teachers. They disciple their followers to read Scripture through a narcissistic lens, whereby they remove anything that forces them to see what is in the text (context) and read into the text meanings never before held throughout the history of the church.

All the false prophet has to do is claim new revelation, go to Scripture, find a text he can do violence to by ripping it out of its context and forcing it into his supposed revelation, and then give a mandate for the church that must be obeyed—or else you are in disobedience to God.

Some ask, “Why can’t we all just get along?” Well, dear saint, when there are those who attack the purity of the Gospel, the sufficiency of Scripture, the authority of Scripture, and the heart of evangelism by corrupting the message and mission and anathematizing those who proclaim the true Gospel, it is not we who are causing division. We are obeying God in protecting what is pure, true, and holy. We warn of such blatant attacks against what is pure, and we will not live in a gray area that does not truly exist except in the deceived hearts of men.

Friend, if we fear man and just want peace that makes us feel comfortable, we will quickly find ourselves enemies of God. We cannot unite with that which perverts all that is holy and worship God with a pure devotion at the same time. Such worship is putrid to God, who is holy. Choose where we stand.

Grace and Peace, y’all.
Soli Deo Gloria

Written by: April J. Buchanan

“We are all prone to deceit and self-delusion; no man can see himself aright without the light of God’s Word.” — John Owen

Two things can be true at the same time that seem at odds—God is sovereign, and man is responsible.

Today, however, it is often the case that Christians affirm what is objectively true and then, at the same time, affirm what is contrary but feels true.

While two truths can stand together—such as God being both Just and Love—what we often find in ourselves is not two truths, but truth on one hand and what only feels true on the other. We fail to see these inconsistencies until someone else sheds light on them.

Often, we hold to what is true while simultaneously clinging to what feels true, without realizing it, because we judge things superficially and fail to test all things Biblically.

For example:
• Can it be true that while a heretic proclaims the Gospel, God may save some in spite of them, while we also obey God in warning that this person teaches heresy?
• Can it be true that when a platform is shared by those who represent the true Gospel, a false gospel, and even false gods, the true Gospel may still be proclaimed—and yet much harm may result to the purity of the Gospel because of its ecumenical nature?

You see, we have beliefs rooted in truth, and we also have beliefs shaped by emotions and experiences. Emotions are not inherently bad. Experiences are not inherently bad. But if we elevate emotions and experiences to the level of authority alongside Scripture, we create conflict—often without even realizing it.

If we don’t test these things according to Scripture, they will be tested—and we will be forced to choose.

In order to justify what we believed on the basis of feeling or experience, Scripture will inevitably be compromised.

Even the most faithful defenders of the authority, sufficiency, inerrancy, and immutability of Scripture are vulnerable to experiences that stir deep emotions and set themselves in opposition to God’s Word.

No one is exempt from such temptations.

We all have confirmation bias. We either submit it to Scripture, or we twist Scripture to fit it.

Thus, the authority of Scripture is not only under attack from false teachers, but even from within the hearts of those who are otherwise doctrinally sound. They, too, must wrestle with their own bias, emotions, and experiences that stand against Scripture.

It is easy to find people who agree with us and support us in error. What we need are brothers and sisters who will come alongside us, open the Scriptures with us, and keep our eyes fixed on Christ and His Word. Only then can we discern whether what we feel, believe, or have experienced is holy and true—or whether it is a counterfeit, dangerously close to the truth yet still false.

Any man who thinks he cannot err is both deceived and dangerous.

Scripture alone is perfect and holy. It is the standard by which all our thoughts, feelings, and experiences must be tested.

No matter how strongly we believe something, that does not make it true. We can be utterly convinced of a lie. The question is not how strongly we believe, but whether what we believe is true according to the Word of God.

Grace and Peace, y’all.
Soli Deo Gloria

Written by: April J. Buchanan

“Unity without the gospel is a worthless unity; it is the very unity of hell.” — J.C. Ryle

Mark 9:40 is not a call for Christians to set aside their differences with heretics and cults for the sake of working together for a “greater good.” It is not a call to Ecumenism. The true meaning is unifying of the true brethren and beautiful. Let us not miss that.

Those who want to justify uniting with false religions, heretical sects, and cults often appeal to this verse, claiming that Jesus said, “For the one who is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:40). But in doing so, they lean on a text that some may feel is unclear—though it is not—while ignoring the many clear passages that instruct and command us otherwise.

They argue that as long as anyone—even from another faith—names the name of Christ, then we can work together. But this passage does not justify Ecumenism, nor does it override or excuse disobedience to other clear commands of Scripture.

We are explicitly commanded to separate from false teachers:
• “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).
• “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works” (2 John 10–11).
• “Watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them” (Romans 16:17).

We are commanded to guard the purity of the Gospel:
• “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).
• “O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you” (1 Timothy 6:20).

There is no cause so great that it warrants distorting the Gospel.

In Mark 9:40, Jesus is not endorsing unity with false teachers. Rather, He is correcting His disciples for their intolerance—rebuking them for failing to recognize that genuine believers outside their immediate circle were still doing the work of God. The passage is a warning against creating an exclusive “inner circle” as though only our group has a monopoly on the truth.

It is not promoting Ecumenism. It encourages unity among brethren as it glorifies God.

We must be wary of those who ignore the clear commands of Scripture and appeal instead to obscure or more difficult texts (this not being one of them, though some may not read the context to understand the intended meaning) to justify what God has already condemned. Always let the clear passages interpret the unclear ones. And beware of those who twist Scripture to excuse disobedience, especially when God has plainly revealed what is acceptable to Him and what is not:
• “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
• “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

When Jesus said, “If they are not against us, they are for us,” are we really to believe that He was teaching us to unite with heretics and cults for the furtherance of the Gospel? Are we to believe that He meant we should not warn that they preach a different Jesus and another gospel, but instead allow them to freely proclaim their false Christ? Would Jesus ever command His people to participate in the perversion of the Gospel by joining hands with those who lead others after another Jesus?

Is that what He meant when He said, “If they are not against us”?

No—this verse is actually a strong argument for unity among true brethren. It is not promoting Ecumenism. One must forsake the context of the passage and the authors intended meaning to read Ecumenism into this passage.

Scripture calls for believer’s to maintain fellowship with the brethren, Gospel-unity, to maintain the purity of the gospel, to expose error, to be separate from those who cause divisions by bringing in false teachings, and to evangelize the lost.

This passage demonstrates that there is no neutrality: we are either for Him or against Him; there is no gray area. If we are “for Him” then we are truly regenerate and we are united in the true Gospel while we have differences in other matters of doctrine. This passage is showing us unity with the brethren; it is not promoting a false unity with cults, heretical sects, or false religions.

Dear saint, test everything against sound doctrine. Especially when what we want to be true seems to contradict the clear and plain teaching of Scripture, we may be tempted to seek out passages that appear to say what we want them to say in an effort to justify our desires. Always read the entire context, and be careful not to bring your bias to the text or try to conform it to what you want it to mean. Scripture has meaning independent of our beliefs, feelings, or desires. The text says what it says and means what it means. Those texts have meaning—God’s meaning—and we do not have the right to bend them for our purposes.

Grace and Peace, y’all.
Soli Deo Gloria

Written by: April J. Buchanan

Wrestling the Enemy Within

I think to myself, “I love God’s Word; I love the truth,” but there remains within me an enemy—the law of sin.

A formidable foe it is.

Daily, Christians—by the grace of God—wrestle with this foe within. Without vigilance, one may be deceived into thinking himself better than he is, already conquered by the enemy within.

Misplaced Battles

Many battle the devil and blame him for all their challenges. They battle demons and attribute to them all their mistakes. They battle the words of others contrary to their desires and even use God’s Word as a weapon against reality—a tool to support their own delusion.

They are more concerned with words spoken outwardly than with the ideologies and teachings in their own minds that are enemies of truth. Conquered from within, they fight against those who warn of teachings and doctrines that feed corruption in their hearts and minds. Instead of tearing down strongholds in the mind, they rebuke those who warn them of error and danger.

Their hearts become factories of idols, and their minds are overrun by false teachings and worldly ideologies—all in the name of love and even in the name of God. They fail to recognize the wickedness of their own hearts and win battles that make them feel good about themselves, but these are mere distractions from the real battle within.

As John Owen wrote:

“Be killing sin or it will be killing you. The war within is the greatest and most dangerous of all wars.”

Justification and the Ongoing Battle

Man is justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. While we in Christ are justified and can add nothing to our salvation, we continue to war against the sinfulness that remains in us. We also contend with external influences that seek to enter our hearts and minds and draw us away from the truth.

Romans 7:21-23 reminds us:

“So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.”

The Danger of Man-Centered Pulpits

Failure to faithfully exposite the Word in the pulpit—replacing it with man-centered, felt-need, shallow, motivational messages—creates entertainment rather than discipleship. Singing theologically shallow, man-centered songs and producing atmospheres centered on personal experience keeps men focused on self rather than on dying to self and encountering the truth that wages war against the law of sin in the heart of man.

The truth commands man to repent. The truth exposes the sinful heart. It unmasks ideologies and deception in the mind. It does not deliver a soft blow—it confronts the enemy.

Yet far too many in the pulpit fail to deliver the blow. They darken the lights, speak to the flesh what it desires, promise it in God’s name, and affirm the hearer in their felt needs. The enemy within is not conquered—it is affirmed.

As J. C. Ryle observed:

“It is a grievous thing when the pulpit ceases to fight sin, and men are left satisfied with their own delusions and false hopes.”

Conclusion

Not only do men sit and hear powerless versions of the Gospel, but they hear messages that feel powerful—delivered with charisma, entertainment, and emotional appeal—while leaving with their false beliefs and fleshly desires now clothed as God’s will.

The battle within remains unconquered. The Word of God alone is the sword that strikes, exposes, and conquers the enemy in the heart.

Grace and peace, y’all.

Soli Deo Gloria