Noah, a preacher of righteousness
The bible refers to Noah as a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5). But how did Noah preach? Noah preached through the building of the ark, as instructed by God. Each day, as Noah took a piece of wood or some tool, to construct the ark, he preached by those actions. So, for instance, the day Noah cleared the land to commence the construction of the ark, by that action, he preached; the day he cut wood to lay and put together parts of the ark, a message was preached by that action. Indeed, from the day Noah first mentioned to somebody about the revelation God gave him about the end of the then world (Genesis 6:13)?from that day?the preaching ministry of Noah commenced. Likewise, we preach, not only by what we say, but also, by how we live (the Americans say, "Your actions are so loud, I can't hear what you're saying."). Noah's preaching ministry continued until the day God shut him and his family in the ark (Genesis 7:1-6). Thus, the bible lets us know that Noah began to preach from when he was 500 years old till when he was 600 years old (his age when he was shut in by God). Noah, therefore, preached righteousness for one hundred years!

Noah preached righteousness for a Century
Beloved, Noah was on-message for one hundred years, without wavering! Today, sadly, it is a rarity to find preachers who can remain on-message for even ten years, without veering off-message. We are not talking of just any message, but the message of righteousness; we are talking of the message that speaks of the righteous standards of God, as opposed to the unrighteous standards of men; we are talking of the message that speaks of the grace of God which teaches that men should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world (Titus 2:12-13).

Why the paucity of the preaching of righteousness?
We can barely find men who are able to remain on-message without veering off-message, because of some fleshly, carnal, worldly advantage. Today, many preachers who once called men to the saving knowledge of a righteous God, are now calling men to an unrighteous and permissive god, who allows every, and anything; many preachers who once called men to a holy God, are now calling men to an unholy and lawless god who does not frown at sin and sinful living; many preachers who once called men to a saving God are now calling men to an indolent and carefree god that wants to ?bless' and bring you to eternity whether or not you receive Christ's salvation. Today, many preachers who once preached about the severity of the judgment of God, are now preaching an indulgent and lackadaisical god who changes with the times, and who will no longer judge sin and sinful living!

They quickly forget that the One True God does not, has not, and, will not change. Indeed, God cannot change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8)! Indeed, they forget that God saved only eight people in Noah's day out of the several thousands, if not millions in the world at the time (Hebrews 11:7). They have forgotten that when Sodom and Gomorrah and the adjoining cities were destroyed by God, only Lot and his two daughters eventually made it to safety?even Lot's wife who had escaped the fire of God's judgment, became a pillar of salt when she looked back, in flagrant disobedience to God's instruction (a clear sign of God's judgment on those who look back to the life of sin, after they have been delivered therefrom, contrary to many teachings of 'grace'!). They forget that the God, who did not lower the standard for Jesus, the Son of God (Hebrews 5:8), will not lower the standard for anyone! The same standard God used in the day of Noah, is the same standard He's been using, and He still is using today.

It is amazing that many cannot endure preaching righteousness for up to 5 years without veering off-message! Some don't even make it past the first year! It is expected that a preacher of righteousness will endure and persevere in the preaching of righteousness, and remain on-message from the first day God called and revealed His heart and Will to them, till the day they depart this world!

It seems that Satan has beguiled many-a-modern day preacher. No sooner people come flocking in, than they lower the tone and standard of their preaching, to accommodate those flocking in, who, most times, will not move one inch to change their lifestyle to be in sync with God's. Today, many preach righteousness only for a very brief season, and soon veer off to preaching the doctrines of devils. But why is this so? The answer is not far-fetched, some of which include:
>> men who are yet to live righteously cannot bear to preach righteousness for long;
>> men who make an excuse for their failings cannot consistently preach righteousness;
>> men who indulge their fleshly desires for wealth, title and position, and fame, rather than the divine trio of humility, purity, and charity, cannot persevere in preaching righteousness;
>> men who seek the approval of their congregants, and of men in general, rather than the approval (the righteousness) of God, cannot remain on-message for righteousness, for when they suspect that they would lose the followership of men/membership of their churches, they water down, and even liquidate the message, and lower the bar on God's righteousness.

So now, we have men who are divorced and remarried while their divorced spouse is still alive (Matthew 19:3-9; Romans 7:1-3), preaching?can such a person preach against divorce and remarriage while the divorced spouse is still alive? There are preachers today who are in their third, if not fourth marriage, while their previous spouses are alive?can such men preach the purity and sanctity of marriage? Can a man who is gay (and this is all about sensuality) preach about the wrath of God against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men? (Romans 1:18-32). A man who sees nothing wrong in receiving money from known felons cannot preach against "the wages of a harlot" being brought into the house of God (Deuteronomy 23:18). Just a few instances of men who are unable to preach the righteousness of God.

Let there be no mistake
God has not changed, and will not change, because He is perfect! From eternity past, to eternity to come, God remains the same! He said,
"Be ye holy, for I am holy." (Leviticus 11:44; 1 Peter 1:15-16 )
Therefore, holiness is the minimum requirement for everyone who says he believes in Jesus! Indeed, the bible says that, without holiness,
"no man shall see the Lord." (Hebrews 12:14).

You cannot want to "be in bed" with the world and still be in Christ! The bible says in James 4:4, that such people are adulterers and adulteresses; stressing that,
"... whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."
Notice that all that is required to be an adulterer or adulteress is a desire to befriend the world?the actual friendship does not have to be consummated yet, before a person is in spiritual adultery! You cannot be a preacher of what you are not willing to not just embrace, but also cleave to forever!

Let us ingrain within us, the admonition of the Holy Spirit:
"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." (2 Timothy 4:2-5)
And I say that the time is now, for look around you and all you see are people who are unable to endure sound doctrine, heaping to themselves teachers?self-acclaimed and unproven men in the way of God! You see preachers who are themselves unable to endure the preaching of the message God has handed down for this generation; for many have pursued after the gain of Balaam, and the sensuality of Jezebel!

Last Word
Let us go back to our first calling?the calling to holiness?and not just embrace it, but cleave to it also, forever; then, our preaching of righteousness will be on-message, and never veer off-message till we go to be with the Lord!

May the grace and peace of God rest on you now and forevermore, Amen.

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