Tell the Whole Truth
A.W. Tozer warns against the dangers of timid leadership and the watering down of the gospel message.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the importance of preaching the whole truth of the Gospel, lamenting that many Christian leaders shy away from conveying the cost of true discipleship. He contrasts the call of Christ to carry one's cross and embrace suffering with the modern tendency to promote a comfortable and superficial faith. Tozer challenges believers to understand that loving righteousness requires a hatred of sin and that accepting Christ necessitates a rejection of self. He warns against the dangers of conforming to worldly values, reminding us that true faith may come with significant sacrifices.
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It is sad indeed to know that there are Christian leaders among us who are too timid to tell the people all the truth. They are now asking men and women to give to God only that which costs them nothing! The contemporary moral climate does not favor a faith as tough and fibrous as that taught by our Lord and His apostles. Christ calls men to carry His cross; we call them to have fun in His name! He calls them to suffer; we call them to enjoy all the bourgeois comforts modern civilization affords! He calls them to holiness; we call them to a cheap and tawdry happiness that would have been rejected with scorn by the least of the Stoic philosophers! When will believers learn that to love righteousness it is necessary to hate sin?
That to accept Christ it is necessary to reject self?
That a friend of the world is an enemy of God? Let us not be shocked by the suggestion that there are disadvantages to the life in Christ!
Sermon Outline
- The Problem of Timid Leadership
- Christian leaders failing to tell the whole truth
- Consequences of watering down the gospel
Key Quotes
“Christ calls men to carry His cross; we call them to have fun in His name!” — A.W. Tozer
“When will believers learn that to love righteousness it is necessary to hate sin?” — A.W. Tozer
“That to accept Christ it is necessary to reject self?” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must be willing to tell people the truth about the cost of following Christ, even if it's uncomfortable.
- We must reject the idea that we can love God and the world at the same time.
- We must be willing to hate sin in order to love righteousness.