"Speak To Us Smooth Things"
We are living in a "politically correct" world today. Much of this "political correctness" has made its way into the Lord’s church just as it did in Isaiah’s day. God says in Isaiah 30:9-10, "This is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of the Lord; who say…do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits." Many people did not want to hear God’s truth then, and they do not want to hear it today. Paul says that people "will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap to themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned to fables" (2 Timothy 4:3-4). This is happening in the Lord’s church today. There are those who are tickling people’s ears with their teaching and preaching in all the stories (fables) they tell as they strive to entertain the people.
Jesus says "For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them" (Matthew 13:15). If people do not hear and follow the Lord’s word they will be lost.
Many in the church do not want to hear what the Bible says about Hell, drinking alcohol, dancing, adultery, lying, denominationalism, marriage, divorce, and remarriage, or any of the other sinful activities that are going to cause people to be lost. People do not want to give up their sinful activities. For this reason many in the church are not preaching and teaching the whole counsel of God. People are wanting them to "speak to us smooth things". Some are preaching and teaching only what the people want to hear. Many of the lessons and sermons that are being taught would be readily acceptable in any denominational church.
We must have a desire to hear the truth of God’s word or we will not hear it. Paul says, "because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they may be condemned who did not believe the truth." (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).
Those who refuse to teach and preach all of what God says will be held accountable for what they have done or have failed to do. Elders are ultimately responsible. God says in Ezekiel 3:18, "When I say to the wicked, you shall surely die and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at your hand." We become guilty when we refuse to teach and preach all the truth of God’s will. Paul says in Acts 20:26-27, "Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God." If we refuse to teach and preach "the whole counsel of God" or fail as elders to see that it is taught, we will cause other people to be lost, and we will also lose our own soul when we stand before the Lord in the Judgment. We must teach all of the Lord’s will so we can be pleasing to Him and go to Heaven.