In a message Wednesday night, the preacher referred to this passage:
NAU 2 Corinthians 2:17 For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.
“Peddling the word” – the KJV puts it ‘corrupt the word’, but the idea is more that of dishonest peddlers who try to swindle their customers.
The NET Bible notes explain the word this way:
The participle … refers to those engaged in retail business, but with the negative connotations of deceptiveness and greed – "to peddle for profit," "to huckster"
We’ve all met with fellows like this before, haven’t we? (If you haven’t yet, you will.)
Our preacher last night illustrated this kind of peddler this way: He’s like a man selling apples. He has some good ones, some so-so ones, and some ‘past due’. How does he display his wares? Does he put the best ones on the bottom of his basket, the so-so ones next and the ‘past due’ ones on the top?
No! Of course not. The best are put on top and the ‘past due’ ones are hidden on the inside.
Then came this application, not quoted exactly verbatim, but close:
“The worst thing about attracting people to church with rock music and then preaching Christ is the place it puts Christ in the basket.”
Think about it.
HT: Jeff Musgrave, our preacher of the evening.
Hi Pastor Don,
I don’t comment much but I enjoy reading your blog and the comments/replies to comments. Something that came to mind when reading this is that we see Christ’s own example of drawing others to Himself was to use truth or the expounding of truth (or parables to His disciples) and not gimmicks (swallowing a goldfish) or things that appeal to the flesh (rock music bands). Men, like fish, are drawn to light and disappointed by lures.
Off topic and in reference to your previous blog post, we have very strong feelings/beliefs about the SG music whether it is “sanitized” or not. I think Rory expressed a lot of what we too have observed. I also find that the SG and/or Chris Anderson music is written in such a manner as to “greatly lend itself to being sung in a swinging pop manner” even when “sanitized.” One of my kids asked why people felt so strongly that they “had” to have this music included in our church’s repertoire–was the pull to that and other worldly music that just “seems” to follow it that strong?
In spite of what many of the “newer” groups out there state, it does seem that “lite” worldly music (aka light rock aka easy listening of my growing up time era) and wrong doctrines and/or lack of separation from wordly standards (esp. in areas of dress and modesty) seem to come into the church (local body) at about the same time–not always in the same order but it makes me wonder if one weakness isn’t feeding off another weakness. Like the old adage, I haven’t seen a basketful of good apples turn a bad apple good yet but I’ve seen a lot of good apples totally ruined.
Thanks Marla
Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3