Helpful Negative Truth

Again, men tell us that our preaching should be positive and not negative, that we can preach the truth without attacking error. But if we follow that advice, we shall have to close our Bible and desert its teachings. The New Testament is a polemic book almost from beginning to end ... It is when men have felt compelled to take a stand against error that they have risen to the really great heights in the celebration of the truth.

John Gresham Machen (1881–1937, American Presbyterian New Testament scholar, Professor of New Testament at Princeton Seminary, led a revolt against modernist theology at Princeton, forming Westminister Theological Seminary).