# Have you been exposed to this kind of preaching?



## saintandsinner77 (Feb 3, 2011)

I used to be part of a reformed church in which the 'pastor', who was self-ordained, preached 75% of his messages around the following subjects:

1) Women are to be keepers at home regardless of circumstances
2) All Christians must homeschool
3)Women should have long hair
4) Women should wear long dresses at all times (i.e. modesty) in public (even when it is 95 degrees in the summer)
5) Men need to lead their homes
6) Women need to submit to their husbands

I was told by this 'reformed pastor,' that I should not fellowship with any believer who does not hold these positions. Anyone else here been in a law-centered reformed church and been subject to the constant pounding of the above points?


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## AThornquist (Feb 3, 2011)

No, but if I had visited and found that to be the case, I would have gone to a different church.


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## Jack K (Feb 3, 2011)

It would be one thing to believe the items on that list. It is yet another thing to make them into the theme of your ministry, so that they account for most of your sermons! I can't imagine such a pastor would be left with anything but either a self-righteous congregation or one that's constantly feeling guilty.


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## Notthemama1984 (Feb 3, 2011)

I was a member of a church for a while where the pastor turned every sermon into a speech against premarital sex and divorce. What was happening was one of his daughters was going through an ugly divorce and another was tangled in premarital sex. The pastor's life was simply coming out in his sermons. Could this be the case with the church you mention?


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## amg (Feb 3, 2011)

I have been under like preaching and my advice is very plain- get out. The testimony of the Scriptures is one, the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (John 5.39; Luke 24.27) and all true Biblical preaching is going to lift up Christ before the people. Not only are each of the statements listed above not reasonably set forth from the Scriptures in any dogmatic and decisive manner, but even if they were, the purpose of preaching is not moral reform. The Bible does give us moral commandments that are very plainly set forth, such as the ten commandments, but we do not preach law keeping, we are to preach Christ (Romans 1.10-17; 1 Corinthians 1.23). One of the primary functions of the law is to drive us to Christ (Galatians 2.16, 3.24).

Furthermore, moral and ethical reform comes from an understanding of what it means to be in Christ and to be a part of His body. However, the tendency anymore is to preach moral reform because it is a quick and easy solution to fleshly issues, in other words, abstaining from fornication greatly reduces the likelihood of teenage parenthood, but the truth of the matter is that it does not move a sinner one iota closer to salvation by the grace and mercy of Christ. Could you picture Peter preaching at Pentecost that women were to be in the home and they are to home school the children? Find a church which preaches the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and His gospel of gracious free and sovereign grace.

_But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;_
1 Corinthians 1.23
_
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. _
Hebrews 12.2


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## Skyler (Feb 3, 2011)

I have been to churches that emphasized that and hammered on it over and over (not Reformed, though). I think they felt that they were trying to balance out the lack of teaching in that area in the world in general, but the problem with that thinking is that most of the congregants aren't actually paying that much attention to what other churches teach, so they end up being seriously imbalanced in that area. You have to present a balanced message.


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## au5t1n (Feb 3, 2011)

Chaplainintraining said:


> I was a member of a church for a while where the pastor turned every sermon into a speech against premarital sex and divorce. What was happening was one of his daughters was going through an ugly divorce and another was tangled in premarital sex. The pastor's life was simply coming out in his sermons. Could this be the case with the church you mention?



Interesting. Doesn't that disqualify the pastor from ministry in light of 1 Tim. 3:4-5?


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## Notthemama1984 (Feb 3, 2011)

austinww said:


> Chaplainintraining said:
> 
> 
> > I was a member of a church for a while where the pastor turned every sermon into a speech against premarital sex and divorce. What was happening was one of his daughters was going through an ugly divorce and another was tangled in premarital sex. The pastor's life was simply coming out in his sermons. Could this be the case with the church you mention?
> ...



Of course it should. Unfortunaely in this little backwoods church, the people willing to "shepherd" are very few and far inbetween. Thus the church tends to overlook shortcomings.


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## lynnie (Feb 3, 2011)

I knew of an OPC guy who spent every midweek bible study harping on how the Pope and RCC are the antichrist. I think of the term "heresy of emphasis". Keep the gospel central and don't harp on any one thing all the time.


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## N. Eshelman (Feb 3, 2011)

During seminary we were warned against this type of ministry. Dr. Beeke called these (among other things) theological hobby horses. 

Here's a blogpost that I wrote in 2006 about it: 
presbyterian thoughts: Follow That Grasshopper...He KNOWS Something!


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## jayce475 (Feb 4, 2011)

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 
Mat 28:20 _Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you_: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 

He's not obeying the great commission fully. The full counsel of God ought to be preached.


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## Rich Koster (Feb 4, 2011)

I once attended a Fundamentalist congregation that held to that and made it clear. They also refused to take the tax exempt status, and paid all taxes ,so they could preach whatever they wanted to concerning the government.


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## seajayrice (Feb 4, 2011)

Turn on the local Christian radio station or dial into the Christian TV. Just another stripe of faithless preaching and dare I say, law without gospel.


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