[218 words]
“We have watered the truth down until the solution is so weak that if it were poison, it would not kill you, and if it were medicine, it would not cure you.” — A. W. Tozer
Five characteristics of watered-down preaching:
1. It has few, if any, Scripture in it (2 Tim. 4:2; Rom. 4:3; Gal. 4:30). Those who water-down their preaching are afraid that Scripture may offend someone.
2. It scratches itching ears rather than piercing sinful hearts (2 Tim. 4:3; Isa. 30:8-11; Micah 2:11; 1 Kings 22:1-8; Acts 2:36-38; 5:33; 7:54).
3. It has very little distinctive doctrine in it. It may require one Lord, but not one body, one baptism, or one faith (Eph. 4:4-7; Matthew. 28:18-20; Phil. 2:9-11).
4. It references some Scripture, but not all Scripture (Acts 20:20, 26-27, 35). It omits verses dealing with marriage, divorce, and remarriage (Matthew. 19:9), hell (Rev. 21:8), homosexuality (Rom. 1:26-27), and other passages that may offend.
5. It emphasizes one side of God’s nature, but not the other. It emphasizes His goodness, but not His severity (Rom. 2:4-5; 11:22), His love, but not His anger (Psa. 7:11), and His patience, but not his holiness (Habakkuk 1:13).
Wade Webster