There are those who seem to make a distinction between preaching Christ and preaching the doctrine of Christ, but the Bible makes no such distinction. Some feel that somehow Christ is left out when doctrine is preached. They emphasize “Christianity instead of churchanity,” or “the man instead of the plan.” But is this a biblical concept? Is Christ separated from His church, or His plan of salvation, in Scripture? Are we leaving Christ out when we preach and teach on the worship, organization, mission, and discipline of the church?
We must never forget that loving the person of Christ cannot be separated from submission to His teachings and commandments (John 14:15, 21, 23–24). Jesus taught: “If you continue in My word, then are you My disciples indeed” (John 8:31). Therefore, when one teaches what Jesus taught, he is teaching Jesus. Furthermore, all the New Testament constitutes the teaching of Christ (Col. 3:16; 2 John 9; 1 Cor. 14:37). Teaching the Scriptures is teaching Christ!
When Paul admonished Timothy to “preach the word” (2 Tim. 4:2), he did not mean to leave Christ out. Neither did he mean that doctrine is to be left out in “the preaching of the cross” (1 Cor. 1:18).
On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached the man (Acts 2:22–36) and the plan (Acts 2:38). Proper emphasis was given to both. “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them” (Acts 8:5). But notice also verse 12: “But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.” In preaching Christ, they heard and believed things concerning the kingdom of God, and upon believing, they submitted to God’s plan of salvation.
Likewise, Philip preached “Jesus” to the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:35ff). But he must also have preached the plan, because the eunuch inquired about being baptized after hearing Jesus preached.
Paul reminded the Corinthian brethren that while he was with them he had “determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). Are we to assume from this statement that Paul spent eighteen months in Corinth with nothing to say about doctrine, the church, worship, discipline, false teaching, and other issues? Read all the topics he addresses in the Corinthian letters! Was Christ left out? Certainly not. Christ is the person and the reason behind everything that pertains to Christianity.
We must keep a proper balance in our teaching and preaching. People must be converted to Christ—not simply to baptism. Yet they must also learn the plan of salvation and the meaning of what is required to be saved. Worship loses its meaning without a proper focus on God and His Son. All doctrinal matters must be centered on Christ, or else they become only a moral or religious code for living.
Our commitment to Christ must be the motivation for all we do toward God and man. Therefore:
- To preach moral or doctrinal principles while excluding Christ is not the gospel.
- To preach Jesus while excluding doctrine is not the complete gospel.
Either way is only half the story.
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