Exhortation and Rebuke

When a person exhorts his friends, it is easy for some criti­cism, blame, scolding or accusation to cling to the exhorta­tion. Many people have been accused and blamed right from their childhood. If some irritation or accusation clings to an exhortation, these people will sense it immediately and very quickly close their heart. Therefore exhortations should be completely free of all accusation and criticism. To exhort is to run alongside someone and shout words of encouragement enthusiastically to him. People who exhort like this desire with all their hearts to help others forward on the way.

Rebuke is necessary now and then, and there is a need for it so that no one gets sidetracked. We need to watch over our nature! We are easily taken captive by the other law in our members. The Spirit comes as a judge—listen. Hate and put to death the things the Spirit reveals about you. Then you have a future. Those who live according to the flesh will die! We need the knowledge of Christ to come to life and develop­ment. To find our life and lose it, we must be humble. If the body of sin is not destroyed, it will continue to come up and influence us. We must have an ear so that the Spirit can speak to us and work with us so we get more light over our own nature.

A prophet must tell the people about their sins. None of these sins can be allowed to come into the church. That is why we need powerful preaching.

The outer court is a huge mission field. We must not con­sider those who are in the outer court as being outside. They stand there like the ears of wheat that have not yet matured. With rain and sun, they ripen in the warmth and goodness of the church. We see how our youth groups are growing up. We have to rejoice over them, even if they occasionally make mis­takes.

Without direction, people cast off restraint. The friends need to feel that there is a good hand watching over them. Some people need to be lifted up, and others need to be brought down a bit. It must be done quietly and peacefully so that the way remains level. Never defend things that are wrong, even if you want to defend the brotherhood. Help them find the right way so that everything is peaceful and blessed.

Usually salvation goes slowly. Actually, it takes our whole lifetime. You can feel like everything is going just fine, but just wait until you come home to your own daily circumstances. There you discover that you have sin that tries to assert itself when you try to do what is good. Don’t just see yourself as one who is only spirit. You have a soul and a human nature too. In the circumstances of life we must be awake because there are things that need to be separated from us, so that sanctification is the fruit of our works.