The Gospel, Bound to Be Offensive

We live at cross purposes with this world. This is, as you can determine from my blog title, one of the main purposes of my writing, i.e., to bring out this fact especially in light of the opposition Christianity has been receiving from our postmodern culture. One way to offset such opposition is to provide examples of bold preaching from bygone years. Styles may change, yes, but not the truth. The following is an excerpt from one the Second Great Awakening's most notable and passionate preachers, Edward Dorr Griffin. 

“So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand (Ezekiel 33:7-8).

Even in the midst of unprecedented revival, Edward Dorr Griffin preached passionately out of great difficulty knowing that the message of salvation runs counter to this culture and that the hearts of man are hardened to it. In a sermon preached on the above text (The Watchman), Griffin says:

"It is impossible for a minister to deliver the whole message of God without giving offence to some. And the reason is, that the character and destiny of sinners are such as they cannot bear to hear described. The truth is, that heaven and earth are at variance. The world is not as it was made, nor as it ought to be. It has revolted from God; and God esteems the character of unregenerate men as bad, and is as angry with them, as any watchman ever represented. Else why is every page of his word filled with solemn accusations and complaints, which call forth resentments against this book more than against any other book on earth? Why is it that every eye, as soon as it is opened, sees this controversy to be as real as the existence of God? Why was this beautiful paradise changed to a vale of tears, to be chastened with griefs and shaken with tempests? Why did a view of divine wrath against the world press out the bloody sweat of Gethsemane? Did not the agonies of Calvary show that God was angry with men? If all these proofs fail to strike, one is at hand which, one would think, could not be resisted. Why is it that when sinners die, God puts them into an eternal hell? . . . Settle it then that heaven and earth are at variance, and that God has a controversy with men." (Sermons, 2:574)

Griffin avers that he takes no pleasure in giving his hearers pain:

"Could you point out any way in which I could disquiet you less, which would comport with the duty I owe to God and with tenderness to your immortal interests, and for which you yourselves would not reproach me another day, I would gladly spare you."

But we ministers (yea, all believers) will one day be called to account for how we proclaimed God's truth. Therefore, he says, "I dare not amuse you with softer tones, and neglect to warn you of the sins of your heart and the retributions of eternity."

This is the way we need to be thinking. Far too much time is put on what men want, what our culture deems "acceptable." Is it not our calling to represent the King, and be an ambassador for the courts of heaven? Then to our Lord we are responsible, he who loves far deeper, and whose justice requires far more than lost men can fathom.