A preacher argues that harshness and rudeness aren't the same as truth. The gospel can offend, but real boldness comes from the Holy Spirit, not anger or cruelty. Mistaking brutality for truth leads to legalism and false holiness.
We've begun to confuse rudeness with truth. Some say, if a preacher isn't making me feel bad, he's not really preaching. And so we celebrate harshness as if it were holiness. Now, let me be perfectly clear. The truth will offend. That's inevitable. The cross itself is offensive, and we should never water down the Word just to keep from hurting someone's feelings. That's cowardice. The gospel must be declared with boldness, no matter who it offends. But here's the danger. Boldness can be Spirit-led, while harshness is flesh-driven. Rudeness is not boldness. Anger is not anointing. Cruelty is not conviction. If we start equating brutality with truthfulness, we've fallen into legalism or religion. Now, some will pat themselves on the back for telling it like it is, when what they're actually doing is pleasing the religious crowd that enjoys enjoys emotional punishment because it makes them feel holier, like they've taken enough emotional lashes to pay for their sins without actually having to repent. Sometimes the truth confronts, and sometimes the truth encourages. Sometimes the truth offends, and sometimes the truth comforts. Let the truth be the truth. Don't water it down to please the secular world, and don't add legalistic pain just to please the religious crowds. Preach the truth boldly. Preach it with conviction. Always preach it with love, and true boldness. Noise does not equal power. Volume does not give authority. Those truly backed by the Holy Spirit don't have to be rude.
