Beware of Smooth Talking

Bulletins

Brian Nielsen
05/01/25 - General

Do you want to be a smooth talker or a truthful, caring one?

For years, truth hasn't worked for some. We read this in Isaiah 30:8-11 -- "Now go, write it before them on a tablet, and note it on a scroll, that it may be for time to come, forever and ever: That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of the Lord; who say to seers, 'Do not see' and to prophets, 'Do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Get out of the way, turn aside from the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.' "

Yes, that's what the rebels said: Do not prophesy right things; speak smooth things. Tell the truth and you might be hated as Micaiah was by the King of Israel in 1 Kings 22:8.

In New Testament times, we can be hated -- or be called haters -- for trying to warn people with truths like 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 -- "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God."

Even what should be received as wonderful news from our Savior has been turned into controversy or has been rejected. turned into controversy or has been rejected.

But we still need to tell that Jesus in Mark 16:16 said, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."

As Christians and evangelists, we are not expected to win popular votes. Jesus in Matthew 7-13-14 told us, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

Easy or not, we need to tell people about the narrow way, and that is the way we need to take as well. That's despite what some smooth talkers might tell us as Jeremiah 12:8 warns, "For even your brothers, the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherous with you; Yes, they have called a multitude after you. Do not believe them, even though they speak smooth words to you."

Again, do you want smooth words or soulsaving truth?

(Scripture taken from NKJV)