Where Do We Look for our Vindication?

Spurgeon wrote in the midst of the fury of the Downgrade Controversy (and toward the end of his life that was sped up by this controversy), “I am quite willing to be eaten of dogs for the next fifty years; but the more distant future shall vindicate me.”

He provides an example that preachers, pastors, denominational leaders--whoever has any type of charge or responsibility over God’s people--that they need to be tethered to the truth of God’s Word rather propelled by a desire to please others.

In Kentucky, we had someone write in to the Western Recorder (the state Baptist paper) about some practices that were entering the church. Were they unbiblical? No! In fact, he said, “These may be biblical, but they aren’t Baptist!” I felt compelled to write in, “Are you willing to be more Baptist than biblical?”

Paul wrote to the Galatian church, “For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Too often, a pragmatic view is fueled by what works, what gets results. Some see staying biblical as lacking in tangible results (budgets, bodies, buildings). Are we trying to please man? Trying to vindicate our value to others? The Gospel of Jesus Christ fueled by the Holy Spirit is where the power comes from!

Do we believe that? Or does our power, purpose, meaning, and value come from people-pleasing and people being pleased with us?