Preaching Simply

There is great merit in being an eloquent orator, articulate speaker, witty writer, and deep thinker. Do not take what is about to be shared in this post as an war on intellectualism or those who use their cleverness to open dialogues with unbelievers about Christ. The problem however, is that many believers come under the lie that to preach the Gospel, to reach the lost, and to be a servant of Christ requires seminary, understanding of deep theology, doxology, eschatology, anthropology, apologetics, and more. There is a prevailing attitude in churches that the requirements to be an evangelist or to preach the evangelion (Gospel) requires a college degree and an mind that can delve into mysteries of the Patristic Father, canons, church writings, and more. The truth however, may startle the seminarian and proud pastor.

The Apostle Paul endeavored to be simple in speech, and sought to not be eloquent. The irony is that Paul was the most scholarly, educated, and established Apostle. Here is the apostle Paul's resume and degrees, "Then Paul said, "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today," (Acts 22:3), and "I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin--a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law." (Philippians 3:5). The Pharisees were the Oxford, Yale, Harvard, and Cambridge of theology, divinity, and religion. But Paul says of this, "Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ." (Philippians 3:8). The Apostle Paul castes aside his former education, his position as Pharisee, his cap and crown of renown, and instead chooses Christ.

The Apostle Paul dedicated Himself to speaking simply about Christ and Gospel, so that everyone could understand, "For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you. Our letters have been straightforward, and there is nothing written between the lines and nothing you can't understand. I hope someday you will fully understand us." (2 Corinthians 1:12-13). The Apostle emphasizes that he came in simplicity, and that nothing was written that they could not understand. Paul goes on and says, "And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit." (1 Corinthians 2:4). In contrast to most speakers and preachers of today, Paul boasts in not coming with cleverness and persuasiveness when he speaks, but that he relied on power of God (see ). This power could refer to Holy Spirit gifts (1 Corinthians 12), or it may refer directly to Jesus Christ Himself, "but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." (1 Corinthians 1:24). Considers that verse precedes the former in the same letter it seems more likely Paul meant that He relied on Jesus Christ, who is the Power of God to help him when he preaches, which goes along with this statement, "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with eloquent words of wisdom, lest the cross of the Christ be emptied of its power." (1 Corinthians 1:17). The Apostle Paul keeps reiterating this idea of speaking simply, not with allegory and words that require exegesis and analysis. He says, "When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God." (1 Corinthians 2:1). Instead Paul says that he sought to speak with spiritual words from God rather than what his own intellect and mind could contrive, "And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." (1 Corinthians 2:13). He then says the kingdom of God is power, not speech, "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power." (1 Corinthains 4:20). This all alludes to what the Apostle Paul says about Christ, "Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God," (1 Corinthians 1:24), and "so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Colossians 2:2-3). Paul is making it clear that human wisdom is not Wisdom of Christ, and that you must move in power, which again is Chrsit (see last two verses). The Apostle Paul has taken seriously Jesus' own words, "But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven/And don't address anyone here on earth as 'Father,' for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father.Nor are you to be called instructors (teachers), for you have one Instructor, the Messiah." (Matthew 23:8-10), and "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:26). 

It was in 200 A.D. and beyond that the idea of creating a Church Talmud (commentaries, writings of wisdom by men who were not eyewitnesses of Chirst) came to be (these are called canons, Canon Law). Jerome was one in particular who propogated this idea, as did Eusebius, and other writers known as the Aposolic (not Apostles) and they wrote 'wisdoms of men' (Colosians 2:20-23) that do not benefit a believer (Colossians 2:23). It however, was Thomas Aquinas and the scholastics that really got the idea of making writings deep, confusing, and requiring an intellectual comb to get to ther mysteries, this is called allegorism, and St. Augustine of Hippo was in favor of it. From allegorism came idea that Bible is one big allegory, and contained within are mysteries, but this is not true, the Bible is an account from Creation to the the Apocalypse of God and Man's interactions, and the necessary doctrines, and beliefs we should hold true to. From Aquinas and Augustine came Liberal Christianity, a heretical system of belief that views the Bible as mythology, rather what it is, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17). What bothered the scholastics and Catholics was that contained in Scriptures (66 Books of Old and New Testaments) was the simple truths about God and how to be a Christian. Though it is simple, it is deep, but not in a way that cannot be understood or requires a degree in theology, but deep because it comes from deep One, God Almighty. For fifteen centuries the Catholic Church keep people bogged down in allegory and writings not from Holy Spirit or Apostles, but men of reason and corruption building man made religion (Col 2:23) like St. Benedict of Nursia and His Rule. Truly Jesus' own words reflect what these misguided theologians and scholars taught, "But I also have a message for the rest of you in Thyatira who have not followed this false teaching ('deeper truths,' as they call them--depths of Satan, actually)/ Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets, 'I will not impose any other burden on you." (Revelation 2:24, NLT and NIV). It took the Reformers to finally break free, and allow us to have access to the Holy Bible which spells it out in simple, but profound language. We understand, but are in awe. For it is simple, "Jesus Christ was crucified for sins of mankind, he rose from dead, believe in Him and you will be saved." Simple to understand that Jesus became sacrifice needed for our sins (Hebrews Chapters 8-11), that He being God rose from dead, and if you believe in him you shall have eternal life (John 3:16), and is Life itself (John 14:6) and from which all life came into existence (John 1:1-15, Colossians 15-20). Simple to understand, He is God and so could do these things and by believing and following Him we have what he offers, salvation and forgiveness of sins, and eternal life.

Jesus said something very convicting, "Then he said, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 18:3). Children trust easy, aren't complicated, speak plainly and simply but profoundly, are innocent of conscious evil (generally, there are exceptions), and children want to be close to their parents, as we should want to be close to Christ; they are independent, but not too independent, nor do they rely on their own strength, but instrad are interdependent on their earthly parents, as we should be on our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit. What Jesus says about being like child is what the apostle Paul has flushed out and spoken of earlier. Simplciity. The Apostle Paul even says this, "If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing.If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! But when the time of perfection (Jesus' Second Coming, see ) comes, these partial things will become useless. When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:1-6, 8-13). The Apostle Paul gives us a vivid picture of how knowledge, wisdom, and knowing the deep mysteries without love is empty.
Many will not embrace Paul's words, and will ignore them. They will continue to confuse and create complicated explanantions to questions. The reason for this is that they want people to come to them, to need them, rather than to as Paul demonstrated, turn to Jesus Christ and learn the spiritual things, "And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." (1 Corinthians 2:13). These words are contained in the Holy Bible (66 Books), but you too can receive spiritual words and truth from Christ Jesus, The Power and Wisdom of God! (1 Corinthians 1:24). That is why you must read the Bible and practice the presence of God the Trinity. Do not become discouraged by those preachers who could convince you that only the learned can preach or teach, for the apostles were taught by Spirit and baffled the Sanherdrain, the most learned religious men, "The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus/When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13). Jesus Chrsit the Teacher can educate you with Holy Spirit to be great preacher and teacher (see Matthew 23:8-10, John 14:26, John 16:13). The Holy Trinity will help you understand, for God is the author of all wisdom, power, and knowledge. Seek Him and He will lead you to the right answers. Listen to His voice, and read His word, The Holy Bible (66 Books, NIV, NLT, ESV, AMPC, Interlinear).