Posts: Admonish

Admonish

“Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears.” (Acts 20:31) Paul reminded the elders of Ephesus of their task and warned them of divisiveness and misleading teaching shortly in their future. Admonition is uncomfortable because the subject is always negative, warning about potholes, detours, and bad signage farther down the road. Paul did it patiently, graciously, emotionally, and repeatedly. The church could avoid many pitfalls if everyone cared enough to admonish.

“Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.” (Romans 15:14) How can the faithful admonish one another without causing division or discouragement? Paul was confident that the Christians in Rome, through the work of the Spirit (for example, chapters 8 and 12), would have the goodness and knowledge to correct problems graciously without becoming a stumbling block to the gospel. If they could do it, so can we.

“I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn [admonish] you.” (1 Corinthians 4:14) Why do people respond badly to correction? Of course, sometimes the one doing the admonishing is just rude and insulting. But, what about the other times? At the very least, we should value that the person cared enough to risk mentioning it. Further, whether we think the warning was really just a difference of opinion, or if we were warned away from disaster, we gain fresh insights and new ways of thinking. Admonition is part of love.

“Now these things happened to them as examples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11) A series of events from the Exodus period were characterized as warnings not to abandon trusting God when the going gets tough. We marvel that they could go wrong so quickly who received manna daily, quail twice, water from rocks twice, plus a miraculous night light and pathway pointer. Yet, we do the same with miraculous character development, wisdom, and understanding.

“And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4) Reviewing all the passages that supply the nature of admonition (which would be included in something “of the Lord), patience, grace, emotion, goodness, knowledge, and wisdom are essential. Christian fathers who find themselves short in any or all of these categories may find access to them through the Spirit of God that dwells in them. The Spirit provides the character traits; fathers put them into practice.

“Him we preach, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man consistent in Christ Jesus.” (Colossians 1:28) Everyone wants to be consistent between what they think is the right thing to do, and what circumstances press upon them. The faithful present Jesus not to make people feel guilty, but to illustrate that we need not settle for the best we can do. We can rise above the pressures of life using the Spirit whom God gives to the faithful. Teaching how to access this power is what we do.

“Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:16) The goal of music in church assemblies is to teach and admonish one another. Those messages emerge from the Word which dwells in all the faithful, through the wisdom granted by the Spirit. Lyrics are greatly undervalued as educational tools. Our teaching and admonishing should be clear and simple enough to be reduced to thought-provoking songs.

“And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and were before you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.” (1 Thessalonians 5:12 – 13) Unlike democracy in which a significant minority always is stuck with leaders chosen by the majority, each Christian has true liberty to follow those whom the individual sees as more mature in faith and who takes the time and risk to point out potential problems. Do what is best for those who do the hard stuff.

“Now we exhort you, brethren, admonish those who are unruly, comfort the faithhearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14) The unruly are divisive and full of excuses, spoiling the joy of faith for everyone. The cure is not rules that encroach on the liberty of the faithful; the unruly will find more excuses. Rather, be patience while providing insight into the inevitable potholes ahead. The unruly are just weak in faith; they can’t see how the right way could possibly work. Increase faith and problems disappear.

“Yet do not count him as an enemy but admonish him as a brother.” (2 Thessalonians 3:15) The context refers to lazy church folks who spent their time as “busybodies” and expected the others to feed them; entitlement is not a new phenomenon. Paul used himself and his team as an example; they worked to earn their own living while preaching the gospel. Paul’s recommendation is noteworthy: admonish as a brother. Patiently and graciously illustrate the fallacy of feeding the able-bodied, which diverts resources away from those not so able.

“Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition.” (Titus 3:10) One of the evidences that Jesus was God in the flesh is the miraculous unity of future followers. (John 17:20 – 21) Those who resort to division to get their own way are to be rejected. Even so, the warnings against division and to the divisive are to be administered patiently and graciously. The divisive cannot abide kindness and will excuse disunity as necessary to preserving the truth. Jesus respectfully disagrees.