Preaching Christ Crucified Brings Moral Power
ETHICAL preaching disconnected with Christ crucified has little reformatory power. It may illuminate the moral judgment, but it will not quicken the conscience into life. The testimony of Thomas Chalmers on this point is pertinent. Speaking of his preaching prior to his conversion to evangelical views, he says: “I certainly did press the reformation of honor, and truth, and integrity among my people; but I never once heard of any such reformations having been effected among them. . . . I am not sensible that all the vehemence with which I urged the virtues and proprieties of social life had the weight of a feather on the moral habits of my parishioners.” But after Chalmers began to preach Christ as the sinner’s Saviour, and morals as the fruit of faith in Christ, he saw great moral transformations in the lives of many. And it is always so. Christless preaching falls dead on the human heart; but the preaching in which Christ is the alpha and omega is always, more or less, both morally and spiritually, fruitful.—Ex.