Together # 50
A Together of Battle
A Together of Battle
Warn and Admonish One Another
copyright by Dick Wulf, 2018
Watch one another's lives to warn of potential danger and admonish one another toward diligent and stubborn resistance to evil.
Acts 20:30-31; Col 1:28; Col 3:16; 1 Thess 5:12-14; 2 Thess 3:15; Titus 3:10-11
Since nothing in life is more important than our relationship with God, we must be ready to warn and admonish one another about anything that threatens that nearness. To make sure we understand, “admonish” is defined as “to caution, advise, or counsel against something;
to reprove or scold, especially in a mild and good-willed manner; and/or to urge to a duty; remind”. (from dictionary.com)
Satan has brought many things into the world to defy God and His love relationship with us. Because of this, we must be on our toes to recognize our critical responsibility to spot those things capable of weakening or destroying faith that other Christians might not see coming.
We certainly do this with children. To keep them from running into the street in front of traffic, we warn and admonish. When we urgently yell, “Stop! Don’t run in the street!” we are warning. When we say before we get to the corner where we will cross the street, “Remember not to step off of the sidewalk until I say to go.” we are admonishing.
God tells us through Scripture to warn and admonish others, and this is best done with those we know well, those in our Christian Inner Circles. But, before we go further, we need to grasp that this warning and admonishing is not to be so frequent or so forceful as to become over-protecting or nagging . Nor is it to be controlling or over-involved.
As books on camping can explain the dangers of the outdoors, sermons, Bible study, and Christian books can warn and admonish in a similar way. But hikers and campers still occasionally need to point out to one another a slippery rock to avoid and other unseen dangers. Likewise, Christian friends, family members and spouses need to warn and admonish one another as they go through life. It is in these relationships during “real life” that dangers can be spotted or anticipated and require warning or admonishment.
Warning and admonishing one another is the opposite of the Together to look out for one another’s good. While looking out for the next good thing someone needs is related to helping *growth* of faith, watching one another’s back for evil is related to avoiding *destruction* of faith. Warning and admonishing is what prevents the necessity of restoring one another’s faith, another Together. While we may find more enjoyable looking out for one another’s good, we may actively resist anticipating the evils that might attack those we are close to because we just want to enjoy the relationship. Yet, if someone we care about is hurt by evil, we will feel terrible if we have avoided warning and admonishing for the sake of our own comfort. Therefore, we must make a deliberate priority to watch out for one another whenever danger seems likely.
One way to identify threats is to consider how Satan might damage Christians we know well. As much as we might not want to admit it, we can still think like the devil. The old self is still alive in us. It is possible to think of how, if we were Satan, we might derail the faith and the life of those we know well.
And, that is just what we need to do! We must recognize Satan’s schemes against those we love most. If we were the evil one, what would we do to each of those in our Christian Inner Circle? Satan sure knows their weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Are we, then, going to remain ignorant of them? We cannot delegate this to the larger church. How on earth would a church, its pastor or members, know these people “of ours” well enough to know how Satan might attack? But, in our closer Christian relationships, we can and should be able to guess at what the devil is planning.
to reprove or scold, especially in a mild and good-willed manner; and/or to urge to a duty; remind”. (from dictionary.com)
Satan has brought many things into the world to defy God and His love relationship with us. Because of this, we must be on our toes to recognize our critical responsibility to spot those things capable of weakening or destroying faith that other Christians might not see coming.
We certainly do this with children. To keep them from running into the street in front of traffic, we warn and admonish. When we urgently yell, “Stop! Don’t run in the street!” we are warning. When we say before we get to the corner where we will cross the street, “Remember not to step off of the sidewalk until I say to go.” we are admonishing.
God tells us through Scripture to warn and admonish others, and this is best done with those we know well, those in our Christian Inner Circles. But, before we go further, we need to grasp that this warning and admonishing is not to be so frequent or so forceful as to become over-protecting or nagging . Nor is it to be controlling or over-involved.
As books on camping can explain the dangers of the outdoors, sermons, Bible study, and Christian books can warn and admonish in a similar way. But hikers and campers still occasionally need to point out to one another a slippery rock to avoid and other unseen dangers. Likewise, Christian friends, family members and spouses need to warn and admonish one another as they go through life. It is in these relationships during “real life” that dangers can be spotted or anticipated and require warning or admonishment.
Warning and admonishing one another is the opposite of the Together to look out for one another’s good. While looking out for the next good thing someone needs is related to helping *growth* of faith, watching one another’s back for evil is related to avoiding *destruction* of faith. Warning and admonishing is what prevents the necessity of restoring one another’s faith, another Together. While we may find more enjoyable looking out for one another’s good, we may actively resist anticipating the evils that might attack those we are close to because we just want to enjoy the relationship. Yet, if someone we care about is hurt by evil, we will feel terrible if we have avoided warning and admonishing for the sake of our own comfort. Therefore, we must make a deliberate priority to watch out for one another whenever danger seems likely.
One way to identify threats is to consider how Satan might damage Christians we know well. As much as we might not want to admit it, we can still think like the devil. The old self is still alive in us. It is possible to think of how, if we were Satan, we might derail the faith and the life of those we know well.
And, that is just what we need to do! We must recognize Satan’s schemes against those we love most. If we were the evil one, what would we do to each of those in our Christian Inner Circle? Satan sure knows their weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Are we, then, going to remain ignorant of them? We cannot delegate this to the larger church. How on earth would a church, its pastor or members, know these people “of ours” well enough to know how Satan might attack? But, in our closer Christian relationships, we can and should be able to guess at what the devil is planning.
. . . in order that Satan might not outwit us.
For we are not unaware of his schemes.
2 Cor 2:11 (NIV)
It’s my duty to make sure that Satan does not win even a small victory over us,
for we don’t want to be naive and then fall prey to his schemes.
2 Cor 2:11 (the Voice Bible)
So submit yourselves to the one true God
and fight against the devil and his schemes.
If you do, he will run away in failure.
James 4:7 (the Voice Bible)
For we are not unaware of his schemes.
2 Cor 2:11 (NIV)
It’s my duty to make sure that Satan does not win even a small victory over us,
for we don’t want to be naive and then fall prey to his schemes.
2 Cor 2:11 (the Voice Bible)
So submit yourselves to the one true God
and fight against the devil and his schemes.
If you do, he will run away in failure.
James 4:7 (the Voice Bible)
Warning and admonishing goes hand in hand with the Together to “Arm Yourselves” well as “Stand Up to the Devil at One Another’s Side”.
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
Eph 6:11
Eph 6:11
A couple of “no-no’s” appear in the Bible’s instructions to the church that we need to examine.
We are to warn and admonish if any Christian might fall prey to false teaching.
We are to warn and admonish if any Christian might fall prey to false teaching.
Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth
in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!
Remember that for three years I never stopped
warning each of you night and day with tears.
Acts 20:30-31
in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!
Remember that for three years I never stopped
warning each of you night and day with tears.
Acts 20:30-31
We are to warn those who disrupt the harmony and progress of the church. This also applies to the smallest building blocks of the church, our Christian friendship groups, families and marriages. And, if anyone in our Christian Inner Circles is disruptive in any of their larger fellowships or their institutional church, we must warn them to stop.
And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive . . . .
1 Thess 5:14
Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time.
After that, have nothing to do with them.
You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.
Titus 3:10-11
1 Thess 5:14
Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time.
After that, have nothing to do with them.
You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.
Titus 3:10-11
And possibly the harshest mandate has to do with those who blatantly ignore the instruction of Scripture.
Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter.
Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed.
Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.
2 Thess 3:15
Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed.
Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.
2 Thess 3:15
This instruction meshes with Matthew 18 and 1 Corinthians 5:1-5.
“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you.
If they listen to you, you have won them over.
But if they will not listen, take one or two others along,
so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church;
and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
Matt 18:15-17
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you,
and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate:
A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. . . .
So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit,
and the power of our Lord Jesus is present,
hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,
so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
1 Cor 5:1, 4-5
If they listen to you, you have won them over.
But if they will not listen, take one or two others along,
so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church;
and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
Matt 18:15-17
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you,
and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate:
A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. . . .
So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit,
and the power of our Lord Jesus is present,
hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,
so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
1 Cor 5:1, 4-5
Of course, we don’t want to have to take such drastic action. The answer is to warn and admonish early before a Christian is too involved to get out of easily whatever is damaging to his or her faith.
Opportunity to Become More and More Like Jesus Christ
Opportunity to Become More and More Like Jesus Christ
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Nathan and Avery have had over fifty people from their church to their home for a meal. Only once did they hear a person refer to wanting to change anything about their life to honor God more by becoming more like Jesus. Why were these evangelical people staying so safe only talking about well-established doctrinal topics? Why did they mention the church, its people and its programs, and hardly ever mention Jesus? Why did it seem that they had a personal relationship with the church but not with Jesus?
Such complacency drove Avery and Nathan to their knees in prayer. Then this married couple mentioned to the pastor and other church leaders that they were not finding people working out their salvation with fear and trembling. Nor did anyone seem concerned that anything needed to be done to conform more to the likeness of Christ. They warned of huge negative consequences from such stagnant faith. The pastor and leaders began to realize that knowing the Bible was only the beginning and that almost every church program except those helping the needy were oriented to learning and stopped short of doing. With the realization that more than sermons and Bible study groups were necessary for anything other than mediocre spiritual growth, consideration began of how Christians were to be involved with one another in light of Scripture. |
Jesus warned and admonished. Let’s look at a few examples from a new translation called the Voice Bible.
If you forgive people when they sin against you,
then your Father will forgive you when you sin against Him
and when you sin against your neighbor.
But if you do not forgive your neighbors’ sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 6:14-15 (the Voice Bible)
What good is it to mouth the words, “Lord! Lord!" if you don’t live by My teachings?
What matters is that you come to Me, hear My words, and actually live by them.
Luke 7:46-47 (the Voice Bible)
Jesus (to his disciples):
You can’t stop temptations to do wrong from coming.
But how tragic it will be for the person who becomes the source of the temptations!
It would be better if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea,
than that he should offend one of these little ones. So each of you needs to be careful.
Luke 17:1-3 (the Voice Bible)
then your Father will forgive you when you sin against Him
and when you sin against your neighbor.
But if you do not forgive your neighbors’ sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 6:14-15 (the Voice Bible)
What good is it to mouth the words, “Lord! Lord!" if you don’t live by My teachings?
What matters is that you come to Me, hear My words, and actually live by them.
Luke 7:46-47 (the Voice Bible)
Jesus (to his disciples):
You can’t stop temptations to do wrong from coming.
But how tragic it will be for the person who becomes the source of the temptations!
It would be better if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea,
than that he should offend one of these little ones. So each of you needs to be careful.
Luke 17:1-3 (the Voice Bible)
The above examples of Jesus’ warnings and admonitions can get us started on becoming more like Him.
In the first example, Jesus taught what was the right behavior for a believer and followed it up with an explanation of what bad would happen if that behavior was not done. Christians forgive, and if they do not, they are not forgiven. (Matthew 6:14-15)
In the second example, Jesus pointed out the uselessness of presenting oneself as a Christian without actually doing what God teaches us in the Bible. All of us have areas of living biblically about which we are indifferent or resistant. We need others to point out that we cannot so dishonor Jesus as Lord and expect Him to treat us as deserving citizens of His kingdom. (Luke 7:46-47)
In the third example, Jesus points out extreme danger. Often this is the only time that we warn, and we certainly should do so. Remember the example of the child crossing the street. (Luke 17:1-3)
We can all grow in our ability to watch out for one another in the way of warning against going against God’s will and to caution one another against things that will bring a weakening or destruction of faith or that might damage life.
Not only should we want to warn and admonish others, but we should be desperate to have others warn and admonish us. What is at stake is our life in Christ! If we are open to warnings and admonitions, and if we thank those who provide such, we will honor God by cherishing our relationship with Him so much that we want no interference.
In the first example, Jesus taught what was the right behavior for a believer and followed it up with an explanation of what bad would happen if that behavior was not done. Christians forgive, and if they do not, they are not forgiven. (Matthew 6:14-15)
In the second example, Jesus pointed out the uselessness of presenting oneself as a Christian without actually doing what God teaches us in the Bible. All of us have areas of living biblically about which we are indifferent or resistant. We need others to point out that we cannot so dishonor Jesus as Lord and expect Him to treat us as deserving citizens of His kingdom. (Luke 7:46-47)
In the third example, Jesus points out extreme danger. Often this is the only time that we warn, and we certainly should do so. Remember the example of the child crossing the street. (Luke 17:1-3)
We can all grow in our ability to watch out for one another in the way of warning against going against God’s will and to caution one another against things that will bring a weakening or destruction of faith or that might damage life.
Not only should we want to warn and admonish others, but we should be desperate to have others warn and admonish us. What is at stake is our life in Christ! If we are open to warnings and admonitions, and if we thank those who provide such, we will honor God by cherishing our relationship with Him so much that we want no interference.
Now we ask you, brothers and sisters,
to acknowledge those who work hard among you,
who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.
Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.
1 Thess 5:12-13
to acknowledge those who work hard among you,
who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.
Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.
1 Thess 5:12-13
This Together shows that being like Jesus is not all fun and games. Love has some difficult responsibilities. Even so, let’s allow the Holy Spirit to work through us in warning and admonishing others.
Opportunity to Worship God
Opportunity to Worship God
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Calvary Church leadership hears often of members who are committing serious sin, including adultery, date rape, spouse abuse, feeding dissension through gossiping, and other God-dishonoring behavior. After years of turning their heads away in order to not offend and lose members for the sake of financial stability, the leadership has become very concerned. Divorces have damaged so many families. People have been hurt by Christians they thought they should be able to trust. And, with Amos 5:21-24 in mind, church leadership realizes that their popular worship services with fantastic songs and accompaniment may not be received as worship by God. They have caught themselves not taking responsibility for what their people do outside of worship services and church meetings.
At a weekend retreat for pastors and church officers many Bible verses surfaced about warning and admonishing believers. They began to pay more attention that God warns and admonishes His people through His words in the Bible. They studied how the Apostle Paul warned people to get much more serious about doing things the way God wants. Conviction spread among these leaders, and by the time they headed home on Sunday they had decided to warn and admonish church members as an act of worship, to reflect back to God his “tough love” as well as worship by taking God more seriously. |
God often warns and admonishes his people. In His warning and admonishing He is patient and longsuffering. Wonderfully, God has given us wisdom from His words in the Bible to warn and admonish one another like He does. When we do so, we are worshiping by reflecting His character, even using His words and standards in doing so. We then care in an important way, just like He cares for us by warning and admonishing us in the Bible and through other believers.
An examination of how God warns and admonishes is too extensive to be covered here, but let’s learn from a few passages in Scripture.
An examination of how God warns and admonishes is too extensive to be covered here, but let’s learn from a few passages in Scripture.
“But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you
and go off to serve other gods and worship them,
then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them,
and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name.
I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples.”
2 Chron 7:19-20
You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above
or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
You shall not bow down to them or worship them;
for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,
punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation
of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations
of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Exodus 20:4-6 (one of the Ten Commandments)
and go off to serve other gods and worship them,
then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them,
and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name.
I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples.”
2 Chron 7:19-20
You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above
or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
You shall not bow down to them or worship them;
for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,
punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation
of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations
of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Exodus 20:4-6 (one of the Ten Commandments)
Thoughtful reflection on God’s warnings should bring us to our knees. Just in these two examples, we should examine with the help of those in our Christian Inner Circles anything that might be an idol in our lives, and we should see if we have watered down the work of the church to just what is comfortable and, in so doing, made it “an object of ridicule among all peoples”.
God has been generous in giving us promises. Some which have no conditions require no admonishment. Others have conditions that those we are close to might be overlooking and then wondering why they are not receiving a promised blessing. For these promises, we need to admonish.
Here is an unconditional promise, among very many, which require little admonishment.
God has been generous in giving us promises. Some which have no conditions require no admonishment. Others have conditions that those we are close to might be overlooking and then wondering why they are not receiving a promised blessing. For these promises, we need to admonish.
Here is an unconditional promise, among very many, which require little admonishment.
"You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."
Isaiah 55:12
the mountains and hills will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."
Isaiah 55:12
Here is a conditional promise that requires tons of warning and admonishment today.
"If my people who are called by my name,
will humble themselves and pray
and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,
then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
2 Chron 7:14
will humble themselves and pray
and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,
then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
2 Chron 7:14
When we urge everyone in our Christian Inner Circles to “humble themselves and pray and seek God’s face and turn from their wicked ways”, we reflect back to God the very essence of His conditional promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14. It can even be wondered, “If we do not worship in this way of obedience, how have we watered down our hymns and praise songs?” Without the first type of worship, what use is the second? The history of the nation of Israel in the Old Testament should testify to that predicament.
So, let’s worship God by allowing Him to see Jesus in us when we warn and admonish one another.
How Used in Battle to Defeat Evil and Satan
So, let’s worship God by allowing Him to see Jesus in us when we warn and admonish one another.
How Used in Battle to Defeat Evil and Satan
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Martha decided to make a local bingo parlor her "witnessing territory". But, her close Christian friends knew her past history as a compulsive gambler. They stopped Satan in his tracks when they warned Martha that she was playing with fire. Then they powerfully resisted the devil on her behalf through prayer. She stopped playing bingo, and then invited many of her bingo friends over to her house for a Bible study.
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In war the enemy can shoot from any side. Soldiers watch each other's flanks and warn one another of approaching danger. No single soldier can keep watch in every direction, and Satan will often attack on our blind side. Christians are commanded by God to warn one another of danger and to admonish one another toward greater strength.
Warning and admonishing does not need to be “in-your-face” confrontation or uncomfortable. Because it should usually be done by close friends or family members, warning and admonishing can almost always be done little-by-little over time in a friendly, loving fashion.
Warning should be very different from judging. The tone of voice makes a big difference. Warning does not so much say, "You are wrong!", as "I think it would be unwise in light of Scripture” or "I'm afraid for you if you take that approach."
The usual method of admonition is to pair it with teaching.
Warning and admonishing does not need to be “in-your-face” confrontation or uncomfortable. Because it should usually be done by close friends or family members, warning and admonishing can almost always be done little-by-little over time in a friendly, loving fashion.
Warning should be very different from judging. The tone of voice makes a big difference. Warning does not so much say, "You are wrong!", as "I think it would be unwise in light of Scripture” or "I'm afraid for you if you take that approach."
The usual method of admonition is to pair it with teaching.
. . . Christ in you, the hope of glory.
He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone
with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.
Col 1:27-28
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Col 3:16
He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone
with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.
Col 1:27-28
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Col 3:16
While a lot of teaching occurs in sermons, Bible study, and books, personal conversations can best identify the needed areas for warning and admonition. Sermons, Bible study, and books may have touched on the needed subject too long ago or not have been specific enough. Therefore, there is nothing that matches responsible, loving friends, family members or spouses to bring up in conversation scriptures applicable to the danger. It will be timely and delivered by someone important who has earned the right to be listened to.
I remember once trying to help a Christian marriage where the husband was extremely and openly abusive to wife and kids, not physically but verbally. This behavior had been witnessed at church events for more than the 12 years he had been a deacon in his Baptist church. The wife made her case well to her husband, but he was not about to give up his power plays that frightened everyone into submission. His children disliked him greatly and would begin active rebellion soon when they became teenagers. His wife wanted to divorce him.
The problem was that this husband would not listen to anyone. There was no one who could warn him of God’s displeasure and upcoming judgment because no one in all those years had gone out of their way to help him do anything, something like build a fence, invite him along on a fishing trip, or compliment him regularly. No one had loved him enough to earn the right to warn him of his behavior. There were two problems. First, the men of his church thought that being a Christian was coming to church. There was little teaching about “being” the church in relationships. Second, fewer and fewer people wanted to be around him because he treated his family so poorly at church events.
You can hopefully see why it is so important for church leaders in our churches to teach the responsibility of obeying the Togethers. This is taking biblical obedience seriously and not letting people just attend church and get smarter about the Bible. With regard to this Together of warning and admonishing, deeper relationships are absolutely necessary. Church leadership teams need to make certain that every church member has a few close friends and is improving Christian obedience to the Togethers in their family and friendships.
But, there is a way to warn and admonish a resistant person in danger of God’s withdrawal and anger or even of harm to self. This method of admonition and warning is what I call “hit and run counseling”. It is crafting a well-thought-out statement and then making a seemingly off-handed comment without allowing conversation about it. The point can be presented without persuasion or powerful language or parental tone. This method of simple comments without conversation will often cause the other person to consider what was warned or admonished.
I usually give this example. A teenage daughter’s date last night did not treat her very nicely. So, as you walk through the living room where she is sitting and texting, you say, “That date of yours did not treat you very special last night.” and you disappear into the next room. If the daughter argues, you say nothing. This makes her remember the last thing you said and hopefully she will think about it. If, however, she can disagree and drag you into a conversation, she will be able to “lose” the thought you meant to plant in her mind.
So, let’s imagine that you see a Christian friend at work who is married but flirting more than once with another woman at work. This friend is not one to easily consider that he does anything wrong. Still, you off-handedly say as you pass by him when no one else is around, “You keep flirting with Sue and you might end up having feelings for her that would hurt your family.” The goal is to not get drawn into conversation so that he will at least think a little about what you have said. And you will have warned and admonished him as taught in Scripture. Yet, keep in mind that the less often you do something like this, the more powerful it will be when you do.
Very close relationship in a Christian friendship or a Christian family or a Christian marriage allows something possibly more powerful than any other way of warning and admonishing. Expression of genuine fear for the other person cannot be easily discounted. An example of this would be saying, “I am really afraid that if you buy that expensive car you will put your family in jeopardy if any kind of emergency comes up.” Note that in these close, valued relationships consequences can be spelled out in detail.
There are innumerable things that require warning and admonition.
For Christians new in the faith or inadequately discipled, what might be taught by unbelieving friends and acquaintances is dangerous. Christians need to watch one another’s backs regarding relationships with non-Christians. We want those in our Christian Inner Circles to relate with and witness to unbelievers, but we do not want them to take on ungodly thoughts or behaviors.
I remember once trying to help a Christian marriage where the husband was extremely and openly abusive to wife and kids, not physically but verbally. This behavior had been witnessed at church events for more than the 12 years he had been a deacon in his Baptist church. The wife made her case well to her husband, but he was not about to give up his power plays that frightened everyone into submission. His children disliked him greatly and would begin active rebellion soon when they became teenagers. His wife wanted to divorce him.
The problem was that this husband would not listen to anyone. There was no one who could warn him of God’s displeasure and upcoming judgment because no one in all those years had gone out of their way to help him do anything, something like build a fence, invite him along on a fishing trip, or compliment him regularly. No one had loved him enough to earn the right to warn him of his behavior. There were two problems. First, the men of his church thought that being a Christian was coming to church. There was little teaching about “being” the church in relationships. Second, fewer and fewer people wanted to be around him because he treated his family so poorly at church events.
You can hopefully see why it is so important for church leaders in our churches to teach the responsibility of obeying the Togethers. This is taking biblical obedience seriously and not letting people just attend church and get smarter about the Bible. With regard to this Together of warning and admonishing, deeper relationships are absolutely necessary. Church leadership teams need to make certain that every church member has a few close friends and is improving Christian obedience to the Togethers in their family and friendships.
But, there is a way to warn and admonish a resistant person in danger of God’s withdrawal and anger or even of harm to self. This method of admonition and warning is what I call “hit and run counseling”. It is crafting a well-thought-out statement and then making a seemingly off-handed comment without allowing conversation about it. The point can be presented without persuasion or powerful language or parental tone. This method of simple comments without conversation will often cause the other person to consider what was warned or admonished.
I usually give this example. A teenage daughter’s date last night did not treat her very nicely. So, as you walk through the living room where she is sitting and texting, you say, “That date of yours did not treat you very special last night.” and you disappear into the next room. If the daughter argues, you say nothing. This makes her remember the last thing you said and hopefully she will think about it. If, however, she can disagree and drag you into a conversation, she will be able to “lose” the thought you meant to plant in her mind.
So, let’s imagine that you see a Christian friend at work who is married but flirting more than once with another woman at work. This friend is not one to easily consider that he does anything wrong. Still, you off-handedly say as you pass by him when no one else is around, “You keep flirting with Sue and you might end up having feelings for her that would hurt your family.” The goal is to not get drawn into conversation so that he will at least think a little about what you have said. And you will have warned and admonished him as taught in Scripture. Yet, keep in mind that the less often you do something like this, the more powerful it will be when you do.
Very close relationship in a Christian friendship or a Christian family or a Christian marriage allows something possibly more powerful than any other way of warning and admonishing. Expression of genuine fear for the other person cannot be easily discounted. An example of this would be saying, “I am really afraid that if you buy that expensive car you will put your family in jeopardy if any kind of emergency comes up.” Note that in these close, valued relationships consequences can be spelled out in detail.
There are innumerable things that require warning and admonition.
For Christians new in the faith or inadequately discipled, what might be taught by unbelieving friends and acquaintances is dangerous. Christians need to watch one another’s backs regarding relationships with non-Christians. We want those in our Christian Inner Circles to relate with and witness to unbelievers, but we do not want them to take on ungodly thoughts or behaviors.
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners, . . .
Ps 1:1 (ESV)
nor stands in the way of sinners, . . .
Ps 1:1 (ESV)
For all Christians there are hundreds of sins promising some ungodly but desired gain. A tiny sample of sins that can derail faith and relationship with God and other Christians includes greed, envy, all forms of selfishness, and overdosing on recreation, especially those involving screens. Sermons and Bible study cannot cover them all, but in Christian Inner Circle relationships ungodly things will be noticed and warnings and admonitions given.
We are preaching Him – spreading the Word to all
with equal amounts of wise warning and instruction – so that,
at the final judgment, we will be able to present everyone to the Creator
fully mature because of what Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King, has done.
Col 1:28 (the Voice Bible)
with equal amounts of wise warning and instruction – so that,
at the final judgment, we will be able to present everyone to the Creator
fully mature because of what Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King, has done.
Col 1:28 (the Voice Bible)
In our day it is popular to teach but unpopular to warn. Perhaps in the past we overdid the “hell and damnation” threat, but almost eliminating warning from our sermons and our conversations is a mistake. Note that the Apostle Paul explained to the Colossians that he used both teaching and admonition. We can begin to balance teaching with warning in our conversations with friends, families, and spouses.
In our closer Christian Inner Circle relationships there should be the kind of honesty that exposes the fact that most all of us fall into temptation and make wrong choices. As we honestly discuss things with one another, we open ourselves to the critical warnings and admonishments of those Christians who love us the most. Their warnings will likely be done carefully, with love and humility.
How in the Sinful Environment this Together Prepares Us for Heaven
In our closer Christian Inner Circle relationships there should be the kind of honesty that exposes the fact that most all of us fall into temptation and make wrong choices. As we honestly discuss things with one another, we open ourselves to the critical warnings and admonishments of those Christians who love us the most. Their warnings will likely be done carefully, with love and humility.
How in the Sinful Environment this Together Prepares Us for Heaven
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Mom and Dad in the Norris Family are constantly warning and admonishing their children because this is what parents do. Their kids are learning how to be good family members and control behavior that harms others. They try to stay ahead of the game by teaching their kids how to interact helpfully and to explain the bad things that will happen by selfish behavior. They sometimes have to follow this up with warnings about consequences. And, then once in a while they have to scold. This warning and admonishing has paid big dividends. It prepared the kids to create a happy family and enjoy it.
In time, the kids began to urge better behavior from Mom and Dad, a growth phenomenon that created a family much stronger than most other families in their church and neighborhood. Then, one of the kids went off to college and realized that the warning and admonition that prepared everyone for family is exactly what all Christians are to do to prepare for heaven. This truth was presented when she came home for Thanksgiving. |
By warning and admonishing, we sharpen our skills at noticing evil in its very many forms. Although this skill will not be needed in heaven where there is no evil, it will yield a higher quality of life there for those able to notice the absence of many evils.
To understand this concept, contrast a poor person and an auto insurance adjuster, both of whom purchase a 2010 Ford in excellent condition. The poor person is delighted with the car. It looks good to him and he feels fortunate to have it. But, the insurance adjuster, having seen so many different 2010 Fords damaged in one way or another, appreciates the good condition of his new purchase more. He senses an undented fender, the high polish of the hood, the lack of scratches on the bumper, as well as the absence of other bad things.
Both guys will appreciate their 2010 Ford, both will be happy with it, but the insurance adjuster will have a higher quality of life with the car. He will have the skill to appreciate the absence of specific evils in the car.
During a ten-year close friendship, how much evil lurking to harm a friend could be noticed? Even if a suspected evil threat does not rear its ugly head and we do not need to admonish or warn, just being on the lookout will make us more aware of those evil things. If during just one year we suspect slander, the teachings of atheism, greed, drug addiction in a relative, discouragement from an unexpected emergency expense, a serious medical issue, and loss of a job, multiply those issues by ten years. Then imagine a keener awareness of each of their absences in heaven once we get there.
That awareness is something to be desired. Throughout heaven, the quality of life can be higher the more we can notice evil now.
Furthermore, there will be additional joy for the person who warned and admonished before death. Just as a parent is extremely happy when a child is living a great life, each of us will be thrilled to see those we warned away from danger living a higher quality of life in heaven. Therefore, we want to be active in watching the backs of everyone in our Christian Inner Circles so that in heaven we can be more aware of their victories over sin due to God’s power through His way of living which included warning and admonishing.
If we were asked today to list all those evils God has watched our backs about through warning and admonishing us through the Bible and other Christians, the list might be pretty limited. We probably haven’t been paying much attention to the evils we have avoided. And, we most likely have been paying little attention to the evils that might attack those with whom we are close. We really don’t want such a short list when we get to heaven.
The list of evils we are quite aware of at the end of our life will translate into the list of evils we will notice absent in heaven. We want to prepare to sense the absence of evil in heaven as acutely as we can. So, let’s get down to the business of watching one another’s backs more diligently.
How this Together Can Make It Really Good in Heaven
To understand this concept, contrast a poor person and an auto insurance adjuster, both of whom purchase a 2010 Ford in excellent condition. The poor person is delighted with the car. It looks good to him and he feels fortunate to have it. But, the insurance adjuster, having seen so many different 2010 Fords damaged in one way or another, appreciates the good condition of his new purchase more. He senses an undented fender, the high polish of the hood, the lack of scratches on the bumper, as well as the absence of other bad things.
Both guys will appreciate their 2010 Ford, both will be happy with it, but the insurance adjuster will have a higher quality of life with the car. He will have the skill to appreciate the absence of specific evils in the car.
During a ten-year close friendship, how much evil lurking to harm a friend could be noticed? Even if a suspected evil threat does not rear its ugly head and we do not need to admonish or warn, just being on the lookout will make us more aware of those evil things. If during just one year we suspect slander, the teachings of atheism, greed, drug addiction in a relative, discouragement from an unexpected emergency expense, a serious medical issue, and loss of a job, multiply those issues by ten years. Then imagine a keener awareness of each of their absences in heaven once we get there.
That awareness is something to be desired. Throughout heaven, the quality of life can be higher the more we can notice evil now.
Furthermore, there will be additional joy for the person who warned and admonished before death. Just as a parent is extremely happy when a child is living a great life, each of us will be thrilled to see those we warned away from danger living a higher quality of life in heaven. Therefore, we want to be active in watching the backs of everyone in our Christian Inner Circles so that in heaven we can be more aware of their victories over sin due to God’s power through His way of living which included warning and admonishing.
If we were asked today to list all those evils God has watched our backs about through warning and admonishing us through the Bible and other Christians, the list might be pretty limited. We probably haven’t been paying much attention to the evils we have avoided. And, we most likely have been paying little attention to the evils that might attack those with whom we are close. We really don’t want such a short list when we get to heaven.
The list of evils we are quite aware of at the end of our life will translate into the list of evils we will notice absent in heaven. We want to prepare to sense the absence of evil in heaven as acutely as we can. So, let’s get down to the business of watching one another’s backs more diligently.
How this Together Can Make It Really Good in Heaven
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I’m really happy that I paid so much attention to evil before I got here. It came about as I was concerned about hurtful things. Hunger and poverty concerned me. Human trafficking concerned me. Family violence concerned me. The high divorce rate among Christians and non-Christians bothered me. Then I began to be concerned about all the many things that stunted the faith and obedience of my Christian friends.
Unfortunately, it did not do much good to tell those in my Christian Inner Circle or even my pastors that we Christians must reach out to our communities. There was so little concern for those outside of the faith, except for foreign missions, that a simple outreach to strengthen families through building more conversations was not even considered. All we would have had to do was pass out a simple game on one sheet of paper once a month to our friends and acquaintances. I had little more success in warning the pastors and church leaders that we should be loving those in our communities by more than just intentions. What church researchers warned eventually began to happen. Hostility toward Christianity grew. Church membership and finances shrunk. I tried to warn and admonish those in my Christian Inner Circle about the treasures in heaven they were forfeiting. They responded by telling me that they would be happy in heaven. I couldn’t convince them that what was important was God Himself, and He deserved us to follow His commandments and wishes. They came into the faith for what was in it for them. They wanted salvation and only the minimum relationship they could have with the God who loved and saved them. But, at least now in heaven I enjoy experiencing the absence of all those sins that I paid attention to so that I could warn and admonish others, regardless of their response. |
What a relief it will be in heaven to not have to look over our shoulders for danger of any kind. It will also be nice to not have to watch our friends’ and love ones’ backs. Retired from warning and admonishing or being warned or admonished will be quite welcome.
But, the more evil we are conscious of that we ourselves do not have to worry about, the greater will be our appreciation of heaven. We prepare for this greater joy in heaven by warning and admonishing now.
We have to have come face-to-face with evil before death to be acutely aware of its absence in heaven when we get there. Fortunately, we will not have had to deal with most kinds of evil in our own lives. So, how do we prepare to experience relief and joy at the absence of a wide variety of evils in heaven which will bring more appreciation of God’s deliverance and goodness?
Not having been betrayed ourselves before death, but having warned a friend about betrayal will allow us to note that we don’t have to worry about betrayal in heaven. If we have not experienced betrayal either actually or vicariously in the sinful culture of pre-death, then we cannot be very aware of its absence in heaven. We will have one less thing to be thankful for in heaven and one less thing for which to praise God.
Recognizing our safety from evil will make it very good in heaven. Our joy, thanksgiving and praise will be multiplied. Those of us who got down to the business of watching out for others and warning and admonishing them as necessary will have more than just a general feeling of joy
and thanksgiving. We will have many specific moments of joy every time something catches our attention and we realize that some certain evil is absent.
Imagine you are away from home hiking in the woods. A local who lives on a hilltop looks down and sees a bear headed your way on the very trail you are hiking. He gets out his shotgun and shoots it up in the air to scare the bear off the path. You hear the gunshot and have no idea what it means. You were not aware of the bear, and you were therefore not aware that someone saved you a world of fear and possible hurt. Therefore, at the end of the day you would not be thankful that you were rescued.
But, if you spotted the bear, heard the gunshot, and saw the bear veer off the trail, leaving you safe and sound, later you would appreciate having been saved from harm. In fact, you would have a story to tell for many years, each time feeling great that you were not harmed and very aware that being out of the woods, you are safe from the danger of bears. You needed to be aware of the bear’s danger before to be able to appreciate the absence of the bear later.
Hopefully, this illustrates that in heaven we will be thankful and find joy in the absence of every specific evil that comes to mind because we were aware of it in our pre-heaven existence.
Opportunity for a Closer Relationship with God through Empathy
But, the more evil we are conscious of that we ourselves do not have to worry about, the greater will be our appreciation of heaven. We prepare for this greater joy in heaven by warning and admonishing now.
We have to have come face-to-face with evil before death to be acutely aware of its absence in heaven when we get there. Fortunately, we will not have had to deal with most kinds of evil in our own lives. So, how do we prepare to experience relief and joy at the absence of a wide variety of evils in heaven which will bring more appreciation of God’s deliverance and goodness?
Not having been betrayed ourselves before death, but having warned a friend about betrayal will allow us to note that we don’t have to worry about betrayal in heaven. If we have not experienced betrayal either actually or vicariously in the sinful culture of pre-death, then we cannot be very aware of its absence in heaven. We will have one less thing to be thankful for in heaven and one less thing for which to praise God.
Recognizing our safety from evil will make it very good in heaven. Our joy, thanksgiving and praise will be multiplied. Those of us who got down to the business of watching out for others and warning and admonishing them as necessary will have more than just a general feeling of joy
and thanksgiving. We will have many specific moments of joy every time something catches our attention and we realize that some certain evil is absent.
Imagine you are away from home hiking in the woods. A local who lives on a hilltop looks down and sees a bear headed your way on the very trail you are hiking. He gets out his shotgun and shoots it up in the air to scare the bear off the path. You hear the gunshot and have no idea what it means. You were not aware of the bear, and you were therefore not aware that someone saved you a world of fear and possible hurt. Therefore, at the end of the day you would not be thankful that you were rescued.
But, if you spotted the bear, heard the gunshot, and saw the bear veer off the trail, leaving you safe and sound, later you would appreciate having been saved from harm. In fact, you would have a story to tell for many years, each time feeling great that you were not harmed and very aware that being out of the woods, you are safe from the danger of bears. You needed to be aware of the bear’s danger before to be able to appreciate the absence of the bear later.
Hopefully, this illustrates that in heaven we will be thankful and find joy in the absence of every specific evil that comes to mind because we were aware of it in our pre-heaven existence.
Opportunity for a Closer Relationship with God through Empathy
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Every time I notice that wonderful absence of some evil here in heaven, my spirit senses a greater closeness with God. Although He is on His throne, He is also everywhere. It seems that the relationship with God can increase without His personal presence. He is inside us. He is all around us. I now realize that He was just as available back before death, but the presence of sin clouded His closeness.
Everyone here feels God inside of them and around them, but there are those bursts of closeness felt when we experience excitement that some evil is absent. Not everyone has many of these exciting moments of heightened closeness with God. I wish they did, but the only chance to develop this sensitivity was back in the environment of sin and evil. |
How good do we feel in the presence of people who do not care? Do we want to be around them as much as being with those who have cared for us in some meaningful way?
How about people who might care for you, but not for those you hold special? Do you like to be around people who would not watch out for your loved ones if such a need arose?
Might it be that God will not want to be so often with people who did not care enough about His people back on earth to warn and admonish them? That’s a risk I don’t want to take, and I hope you do not either.
Praise and Prayer Regarding this Together
Thank You, Protecting God, for loving me so much that You warn me of evil. You help me avoid pain that I might bring on myself and fight dangers that come from outside.
Please help me and those in my Christian Inner Circle to grow our spirits to care more about keeping others safe from evil. Help us to have special love and concern for one another and to develop perception that anticipates dangers lurking to hurt us. Then, may the Holy Spirit give us the words we need to warn and admonish.
Please help us all to become more like Jesus and warn and admonish one another when needed. As Jesus did not wait for an invitation to warn and admonish, empower all of us in our Christian Inner Circles to speak up and protect one another’s lives in Jesus.
May our lives worship You more because we warn and admonish one another as You do us. Help us to care for the spiritual life and well-being of all those Christians You lead into our lives in significant ways, and to do so to honor You and what You want for Your people.
Make us strong in Your power to defeat the devil who wants to attack us, often in ways that we do not recognize. Alert us of dangers that those in our Christian Inner Circles might face and give us the words to warn and admonish. Convict us if we warn and admonish with a judgmental attitude as Satan would hope we would take up his method as the Accuser. Instead, fill us with love as we attempt to keep one another from harm.
Help us all to prepare for heaven by becoming more sensitive to evil for the purpose of warning and admonishing one another. Then, how happy we will be when there is no evil in heaven and the need to warn and admonish is joyously over.
How about people who might care for you, but not for those you hold special? Do you like to be around people who would not watch out for your loved ones if such a need arose?
Might it be that God will not want to be so often with people who did not care enough about His people back on earth to warn and admonish them? That’s a risk I don’t want to take, and I hope you do not either.
Praise and Prayer Regarding this Together
Thank You, Protecting God, for loving me so much that You warn me of evil. You help me avoid pain that I might bring on myself and fight dangers that come from outside.
Please help me and those in my Christian Inner Circle to grow our spirits to care more about keeping others safe from evil. Help us to have special love and concern for one another and to develop perception that anticipates dangers lurking to hurt us. Then, may the Holy Spirit give us the words we need to warn and admonish.
Please help us all to become more like Jesus and warn and admonish one another when needed. As Jesus did not wait for an invitation to warn and admonish, empower all of us in our Christian Inner Circles to speak up and protect one another’s lives in Jesus.
May our lives worship You more because we warn and admonish one another as You do us. Help us to care for the spiritual life and well-being of all those Christians You lead into our lives in significant ways, and to do so to honor You and what You want for Your people.
Make us strong in Your power to defeat the devil who wants to attack us, often in ways that we do not recognize. Alert us of dangers that those in our Christian Inner Circles might face and give us the words to warn and admonish. Convict us if we warn and admonish with a judgmental attitude as Satan would hope we would take up his method as the Accuser. Instead, fill us with love as we attempt to keep one another from harm.
Help us all to prepare for heaven by becoming more sensitive to evil for the purpose of warning and admonishing one another. Then, how happy we will be when there is no evil in heaven and the need to warn and admonish is joyously over.
Ever increasing practice of the Togethers of Scripture will (1) create in you the loving essence of Jesus, (2) give Jesus the kind of love He requested, (3) provide you with the most significant spiritual lifestyle which is attainable only through Christian community, (4) offer significant worship to God by reflecting his own character back to him through your behavior, and (5) bring God’s kingdom to earth as asked for in the Lord’s Prayer. And for heaven, such growing obedience to Scripture now will later (6) qualify you for a more responsible place of service as reward in heaven, and, (7) most important of all, give you greater empathy with God for a closer relationship with Him for all of eternity.