What Preaching Reveals about the Preacher

I do have a concern with many who occupy the pulpit, who claim to believe that the word of God is inerrant and infallible, but preach from it...when they preach from it...like they are a functional agnostic. If we really believe that the Bible is the very truth of God and infallible in all it asserts, then why would we not preach from it in a way that shows we believe that very thing. If it is the very word of God, and therefore the very truth of God (who cannot tell a lie), then it carries all the authority of God; and we should preach it as authoritative and binding in all of its precepts.  

It is not enough for the preacher to stand up before his people and tell them he believes in the Scriptures, and tell his people to read and study their Bibles. He must preach from the Bible and apply the Bible, and bring the authority of the Scriptures to bear on those to whom he preaches, so that they understand they are under its authority.  

If the Bible is inerrant and infallible, then it follows that it is authoritative. If it is authoritative, then it is also sufficient, sufficient for faith and for the life lived by faith. If it is authoritative then it also has all the attendant power to accomplish what God has designed it to accomplish; and is truly the power of God for salvation, and the power of God for sanctification. (Romans 1:16, Ephesians 5:26, I Peter 2:2); which creates for Him a people who are pleasing to Him and bring Him joy and glory. If preachers truly believe this, then this belief will be evident in their preaching.

As preachers, what we preach and what we do not preach, and how we handle the Word reflects what we truly believe about it, and also reveals our attitude toward it. Don't be fooled by someone who merely gives lip-service to the inerrancy, infallibility, authority, sufficiency, and power of the Word of God. Pay attention to what they preach about, how they use the Scriptures, and how they treat the Scriptures. This will reveal their very heart toward the Scriptures, and in a sense their very heart toward God, Himself.