All the Doctrine You Know

Posted on by Douglas Wilson

“The truth is, no preaching ever had any strong power that was not the preaching of doctrine. The preachers that have moved and held men have always preached doctrine. No exhortation to a good life that does not put behind it some truth as deep as eternity can seize and hold the conscience. Preach doctrine, preach all the doctrine that you know, and learn forever more and more; but preach it always not that men may believe it; but that men may be saved by believing it.”

Phillips Brooks, The Joy of Preaching, p. 103

Remember the Point

Posted on by Douglas Wilson

“Much of our preaching is like delivering lectures upon medicine to sick people. The lecture is true. The lecture is interesting . . . But still the fact remains that the lecture is not medicine, and that to give the medicine, not to deliver the lecture, is the preacher’s duty.”

Phillips Brooks, The Joy of Preaching, p. 102

Handicapped in the Sanctification Stakes

Posted on by Douglas Wilson

“Our bodies want sleep, air, sunshine, sex, water, meat, and so on. These desires are God-given, but because the world has been knocked cock-eyed by sin, they can become inordinate. Now, who among us was doing so well with all these bodily demands, the ones that came with the hardware already installed, that we thought to upload a few more dependencies just to show how good we are at the self-discipline? Oh, you know, Smith was doing so well with hunger, thirst, and lust that he decided to add nicotine and alcohol”

Devoured by Cannabis, p. 43