C. J. Mahaney on the Pastor's life and Doctrine

Tuesday is Pastor's Day at Resolve07. So here is an extract from an article written by C. J. Mahaney entitled 'The Pastors Priorities: Watch your life and doctrine closely.'

'Watch yourself and watch your teaching. Or, as the NIV renders this verse, “Watch yourlife and doctrine closely.” First Timothy 4:16 requires us to pay equally close attentionto both. While it is appropriate, even necessary, to distinguish between life and doctrine,the two are ultimately inseparable. I cannot watch my life accurately unless I understand sound doctrine. And it does me no good whatsoever to study doctrine unlessI also apply it to my life....

As we watch our doctrine, we must never forget that which is central to ourdoctrine: the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you fail to keep the gospel at the core of your lifeand ministry, you have ceased to watch your doctrine closely. “The preachers’commission,” writes J. I. Packer, “is to declare the whole counsel of God; but the cross isthe center of that counsel, and the Puritans knew that the traveler through the Biblelandscape misses his way as soon as he loses sight of the hill called Calvary.”

In all our preaching, we must never lose sight of the hill called Calvary, where theSon of Man was killed in our place. Regardless of the text or topic at hand, there must besome view of Calvary in every sermon. Your congregation should experience theamazing and comforting sight of the crucified Savior each and every time you preach. They should anticipate the sight of Calvary in every sermon, and rejoice when it comesinto view. And all the more, when the cross is not immediately obvious in the text. “Where is the hill?” they should be asking. “Where is that blessed hill on which ourprecious Savior died?” We should exalt Christ’s finished work in our sermons so as tocomfort the converted and convict the unbeliever.

Spurgeon’s example should inspire us: “I received some years ago orders from myMaster to stand at the foot of the cross until he comes. He has not come yet, but I meanto stand there until he does.” Let us stand with the Prince of Preachers, gentlemen. Aswe preach the whole counsel of God, let us keep the cross central—by doing so, we willindeed be watching our doctrine.'

Read the entire article at

http://www.challies.com/media/The_Pastors_Priorities.pdf