Over the years, since I began preaching the gospel, from time to time, issues have arisen. This shouldn't catch any preacher by surprise. However, during the past few years, our differing has taken on a characteristic that I find both alarming and perplexing--we have allowed it to become personal. Please allow me to further explain.
When we differ over doctrinal matters, it is very serious. How do we resolve such differences? "Test all things; hold fast to what is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21) We must, with open minds, go to God's book and study to see what His word says concerning the subject about which we differ. God's word is always the deciding factor regarding what is right or wrong on any subject. At least that's what I thought. Today, I see brethren who take much different approaches to deciding what is true about a subject.
I see men who try to judge the motives of those who take certain positions regarding the subject in question. Who, save God, can judge the heart? "But the LORD said to Samuel, Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7) Preachers are very good at telling other brethren why one of their colleagues has arrived at the wrong conclusion concerning a subject. How do they know? Did the brother tell them about his heart and motives.
Why do we constantly go into areas where we have no business being? Some preachers seem, for personal reasons, to want to destroy the name or credibility of other preachers. Others judge a person's teaching by the part of the country where he preaches. I know this very well. While I preached in Las Vegas, more than one preacher said to me: "Guess you don't preach too hard on gambling out there, do you." Why would living in a place where gambling is legal change what God's word says concerning the subject? I preached what the Bible says about gambling in Las Vegas, just as I do in Ohio. It is a sin.
A few years ago, I listened to a tape where a Texas preacher talked about "California preaching" as though it were different from "Texas preaching." Not if it is true gospel preaching. The churches here in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky have many of the same problems faced by churches in the west. To be honest, some of the problems here do not trouble the churches there. We need to stop "painting everyone with the same brush." Immodesty, adultery, social drinking, and gambling are sinful in Las Vegas and just as sinful in Beavercreek, Ohio.
Let us open the book, leave personal attacks out of our discussions, quit trying to judge motives, love truth and the souls of our brothers. Yes, there are some "preacher fusses," but we also have some serious differences. What we need are more discussions about the scriptures and fewer, if any, about preachers and their motives.