Are We Allowed to Use OT Figures as Moral Examples?
For years, I have heard people say it. In books, in articles, in podcasts. Again and again, we are told that preachers cannot use OT stories as moral examples.
Why? Because it breaks the rules of Christ-centered preaching. If we talk about OT figures we can only discuss how they point forward to Christ. If we use them as a moral example then we have simply become moralists.
Or so we are told.
Now, it should be acknowledged that the motivation here is commendable. Yes, we want to preach Christ (though we need to define what that means more carefully). And yes we don’t want to advocate some sort … Continue reading...
The Flying Scotsman: Lessons from the Life of Eric Liddell
Note: The complete series on Eric Liddell is now at the bottom of this post.
The Bible makes it clear that one of the greatest helps to running the Christian race is to look at the lives of the many saints that have gone before us. The author of Hebrews reminds us that “we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses” such as Abraham, Moses, Gideon, Sampson, David, and that therefore we should “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb 12:1). In other words, the examples of the saints inspire us. And we should follow those examples.
Now, the word “example” has fallen on … Continue reading...