Keeping On An Even Keel

by Pastor C. R. Stam
    

      Occasionally we receive letters on the importance of preaching a"well-rounded" message. One old friend wrote us recently to the effect that, unlike this writer, he sought to keep on "an even keel" in his ministry, not just preaching the mystery revealed to Paul, but the whole Bible, and opposing fluoridations, communism, modernism and all that he felt was opposed to the truth.

Now we too seek to proclaim a "well-rounded" message and to keep on "an even keel" but what does this involve? Is one who consistently proclaims the mystery lopsided or unbalanced in the message? Were the twelve apostles off balance when they proclaimed "the gospel of the kingdom"? Of course not, for this is what they were sent to proclaim(Luke 9:1-6).

And neither are we off balance or lopsided in our ministry when we consistently proclaim what Paul called "my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery" (Rom. 16:25),for this is our gospel too.

This does not mean that we are to preach only from the Pauline epistles.Far from it. But it does mean that we should make sure that our hearers are well-grounded in the Pauline epistles and that when we preach from other parts of the Bible we should relate it to the mystery, God's message for today.

When the twelve apostles preached from the Old Testament Scriptures,they preached Christ according to the revelation of prophecy. But Paul's "gospel" was "the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery" Hence when we preach from the Old Testament Scriptures, we should preach Christ "according to the revelation of the mystery", applying, relating, comparing, and contrasting God's  programs for other dispensations with His program for the dispensation of grace.This is exactly what Paul himself does in Romans and Galatians, and this is "keeping on an even keel."

A failure to "preach the Word"and to preach it rightly divided is not keeping on an even keel or bringing a well-rounded message; it is simply getting away from the message God has commissioned us to proclaim.

Since the faithful proclamation of this glorious message rouses Satan's enmity more than anything else, we must pray for God-given boldness in making it known, like the Apostle Paul, who said:

"[Pray] for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." (Eph. 6:19,20).

Today's Thought:
Religion is detrimental to your well-being!  Religion is false! Religion is the reason why many unbelievers refuse God and Christ! Religion is dead!  Religion is Satan’s buddy!  Religion is destroying the faith of  many!  Religion was NAILED TO THE CROSS, AND THE ENMITY THEREOF! We who have trusted Christ are a New Creation which God did,and He placed us into the Body of Christ.

 Therefore, it is the responsibility of each and every member of the Body of Christ to be a good soldier, and TO PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD, THAT  YE MAY BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND IN THE EVIL DAY, AND HAVING DONE ALL, TO STAND!  (Eph. 6:13