One of the most difficult things about preaching through Scripture one book at a time is that inevitably I’ll be encouraging people to be obedient in an area where I myself am not. That is the nature of preaching. We are almost always preaching above our heads.
There are times when I step into the pulpit feeling like a terrible hypocrite. The text before me is one that encourages unity and forgiveness within the body of Christ and I’m struggling hardcore to forgive a guy in the church that has wounded me.
I’ve watched as other ministers have dropped out of ministry because of the weight of feeling like a hypocrite. And I’d be lying if I didn’t confess that in darker moments I’ve entertained the thought of joining them. But at the end of the day I’m not confident that the accusation of hypocrisy stands. Nor do I believe that preaching on that which I have yet to attain myself disqualifies from ministry.
The Case of John Newton and the Apostle Paul
First, consider this from John Newton:
The Lord leads me, in the course of my preaching, to insist much on a life of communion with himself, and of the great design of the Gospel to render us conformable to him in love…many, who only can judge by what they see, suppose I live a very happy life. But alas! if they knew what passes in my heart, how dull my spirit is in secret, and how little I am myself affected by the glorious truths I propose to others, they would form a different judgment. (Works of Newton, Volume 2, 108)
Did you hear it? Newton is passionately telling others to grab hold of Jesus but he himself is little affected by the glorious truths of the gospel. I’m convinced this would be terrible hypocrisy if not for what Newton says next:
Could I be myself what I recommend to them, I should be happy indeed.
Newton is preaching above his head. He is striving for that which he is encouraging his people to strive for. Newton is only saying what the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:12. “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Paul too was preaching and teaching above his head.
Conclusion
Preaching above your head doesn’t make you a hypocrite, it makes you a human. You are a hypocrite when you preach something that you yourself are not striving for and hoping for.
If, for instance, I preach about forgiveness but I’m not waging war on unforgiveness in my own soul then I’m a hypocrite. But exhorting others to do what I haven’t yet accomplished accomplished isn’t hypocrisy. It’s all in the heart and the fight.
But even still there will be moments when you step into a pulpit as a hypocrite. You won’t feel—or even want to feel—the great truths that you explain to others. This is a terrible and grievous sin. But thankfully the gospel is true even for hypocritical preachers.
Keep preaching the gospel.
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photo credit: Waleed Alzuhair via photopin cc
This won’t be an exact quote because it’s from memory, but I remember Elisabeth Elliot sharing Addison Leitch’s words (her 2nd husband) on the very topic you address. He said that if teachers and preacher spoke only on topics in which they were completely victorious, they’d have nothing to speak about.
Amen!