We all, from a very early age, are told over and over again to “BE CAREFUL” by our loving parents.  They told this not to make our life miserable (although we all thought so at the time), but rather because they loved us and didn’t want any harm or hurt to come to us.  Many times the exhortation to “BE CAREFUL” was in conjunction with a command of some type such as “Look both ways before crossing the street” or “Don’t talk to strangers”.  The command simply designated a potential source of danger.

The commands given before embarking on a walk in the park vs. a walk through a jungle would be quite different.  Before going through the park, exhortations would be given to “Be Careful” about not getting into the poison ivy or to “watch out” for creepy looking adults or joggers with their heads down.  These would all constitute potential dangers for the person going on a casual walk through the park.

The person who has to walk through the jungle has entirely different things to worry about than poison ivy or distracted joggers.  In the jungle attention must be paid to various kinds of wild animals that would gladly devour the person for breakfast.  Attention must be given to vines and other vegetation that could trip or strangle the person walking.  Of course heat and humidity have to watched out for along with insects.  Obviously there are far more things to be careful about in the jungle than in the park.

Warning signs are put up for a reason.  They do not simply appear to aggravate people.  Although many are a nuisance, they are there because there is a very real and present danger.  Various road signs are put up to give the driver plenty of advance notice as to a situation that COULD cause potential problems.  The sign doesn’t say there IS a problem, just the potential of one. 

There are many places where a sign states that there could be rock slides ahead.  It simply is alerting the driver to the potential of rocks on the highway.  Of course the most common sign deals with those mysterious places where somehow deer know to cross.  Other signs warn of the potential of slow moving traffic, of high water on the road and other scenarios that COULD be present if the conditions were just right.  “Slippery when wet” certainly doesn’t pertain to a bright sunny day.

God’s Word is full of various “WARNINGS”.  Whenever you see the word “warn” or “warning” in the Bible, there should be an immediate flashing light go off in your mind.  If you were driving down a country road and saw a blinking yellow traffic signal, what does it mean?  For most drivers it means absolutely nothing and they barrel through the intersection as if there were no light at all.  But, for those who are trying to obey the laws, the blinking yellow light means to slow down for there is a dangerous intersection ahead.  The signal designates the spot to be where caution must be used.

When Paul stopped by Miletus to meet with the elders of the church at Ephesus in Acts 20; he had these very important words to say to them in Acts 20:27-31:

“For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.

Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with His own blood.

For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock,

Also, from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.

Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.”

For THREE years Paul did not cease to WARN everyone NIGHT and DAY with tears.  Does this not tell us very clearly that it is vitally important to be WARNED of various things as believers?  Of course Paul taught the believers and prayed for them and tenderly bound up their wounds.  But, of all the things Paul did for 3 years, the greatest was that he ceased not to WARN them every time he saw them of things that could distract, seduce or destroy them.

Paul writes to the Roman believers the following in Romans 15:14:

“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.”

The word ADMONISH is the same as WARN in Acts 20.  We are to WARN one another.  We are not to sit back and wait for some spiritual leader to do all the warning.  No, we are to grow up in our knowledge and be filled with goodness so we are able to WARN each other.  This is a huge part of what it means to love one another.  Love does all it can to warn and help another from hurting himself or others.

In Colossians Paul says in chapter 1 in verse 28:

“Him (Christ) we preach, WARNING every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.”

Three times “every man” is used in this verse.  First we PREACH Christ, then we WARN every man, then we TEACH every man with the goal of PRESENTING every man perfect in Christ Jesus.  There you have the very reason for our reaching out with the gospel and love of Christ.

A very important verse to understanding this subject is Colossians 3:16:

“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 hearts to the Lord.”

We strive to so allow the Word of Christ to live in us richly that with great wisdom we teach and WARN each other through yelling at each other?  NO.  Through “getting in each other’s face”?  No.  Through, of all things;

1.       Psalms

2.       Hymns

3.       Spiritual songs

4.       Singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord

I don’t know if this means we are to sing to each other, but if you can sing—go for it.  This verse always reminds me of the great musicals where instead of talking to each other, they sing to each other.  Whether Fiddler on the Roof, The Sound of Music, Oliver or Grease; they spent much of the show singing to each other and singing about their thoughts and plans.  We need a good and accurate Jesus Christ musical instead of JC Superstar.

Paul, in his closing remarks to the Thessalonians says in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-14:

“And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over 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.

Now we exhort you, brethren, WARN those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.”

Part of being an overseer is to WARN the flock of impending danger.  But, every believer has the responsibility of WARNING those who are unruly and who disrupt the peaceful fellowship of the saints.  In fact, the entire section of instructions found in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 are directed towards EACH individual believer and not just the elders. 

Finally in 2 Thessalonians 3, Paul tells the believers in verses 13 through 15:

“But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.

And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed.

Yet do not count him as an enemy, but ADMONISH him as a brother.”

Those who chose to not obey the Word’s commands should be “noted” and more or less “avoided”.  They are not to be considered an enemy, for that is not loving.  But, they should be WARNED as a brother would warn another brother.   Love involves far more than gently patting a wounded person on the back while telling them all will be well.  Yes, the comfort side of love does this.  But, the exhortation side of love many times must WARN a person where their attitude or behavior is leading them.

Love demands we get involved and at least TRY to stop someone from destroying their life.  We may not succeed, for each person has the free will to do as they please; but at least we tried to WARN them first.  The watchman on the wall in Ezekiel was to sound the WARNING when he saw the enemy approach.  A huge part of the love we have for each other is to do be the watchman on the wall and sound the alarm when someone we love is about to fall off the cliff or get run over by the devil’s tank.  Warning is being loving when it is needed.