By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
HENDERSONVILLE — Standing behind his “home” pulpit on the final day of this year’s Tennessee Baptist Convention, Bruce Chesser, the senior pastor at First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, encouraged attendees to stand strong in their beliefs about the Bible’s infallibility.
Chesser, preaching from II Peter 2, said Christians should be on high alert in regard to false teachings, which are more prevalent today than ever.
“The fact is, today you can find someone who will teach, preach and believe anything that you want to believe,” said Chesser.
“If we somehow walk away from the gospel, and lose our foundation, our firm footing in the Good News, we will not be filled with the spirit,” he said, “We will not be fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ, we will not walk in fellowship with Him and we will not see men, women, boys and girls come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.”
Chesser challenged the crowd to make it known that the Bible — as the late Vance Havner would often say — is a Holy book, not a book full of holes. He challenged pastors to make certain that they stay true to the Bible’s inerrancy.
“If you want to walk with God, if you want to reach Tennessee for Christ, you must be careful that you are teaching God’s Holy Word,” he said. “When you walk away from that, you have lost truth.”
Chesser warned about the false teachings that are easily found in today’s culture. “If you want to believe that there is not a hell, and that God is too good to send anyone to hell, if that is what you choose to believe, you can find folks who will affirm you in that and will preach that.”
Chesser said it is likewise easy to find those who will say that illicit sexual behavior is acceptable, and that “everyone is going to heaven.”
“(The Bible warns) that there will be those who come in among you and teach something that is not true,” said Chesser. “Oh, it sounds good. It resonates with people who want to hear things that make them feel good. But it is not the true Word of God.”
Chesser said that presenting a watered-down version of the gospel is damaging to all involved. He said it is the duty of Christians to point others to the Bible and to salvation.
“Maybe the reason we are not seeing more people come to faith in Christ is because we are not telling them about the way, the truth and the life,” he said. “The one who forgives our sin, who changes our hearts, who makes all things new.”
Chesser said he was thankful for men like Adrian Rogers and Jerry Vines, who fought against the idea that the Bible is filled with half-truths. He said the same arguments are being made today by those who slyly try to dilute the Bible and the gospel.
“They’ll use the same (terms) we use, but with a different meaning,” he said. “In other words, they will use our vocabulary, but not our dictionary. It will sound the same, and will fool naive people.”
He then encouraged pastors by saying: “We are the keepers of the gate, we are the shepherd of the flock. It is our responsibility to not only teach, but also to guard, so that God’s Word is faithfully taught.”
At the end of his message, Chesser briefly turned the sanctuary into a courtroom. He asked those in attendance to rise, place their hands on the Bible, and to take an oath “to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” while serving as a witness and bearing testimony to God’s amazing grace.