"Promises and Warnings"

"Promises and Warnings"

     The message of Christ we share will sometimes hurt, offend, and even enrage people.  The manner in which we share it, however, must not.

     "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves.  Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" (Matthew 10:16).

    Born again believers in the Lord Jesus must be both forthright in content and kindly respectful in demeanor.  We have hopeful and hard things to say to our spheres of influence.  God's Biblical truth blesses and buffets, offering the loving and involved presence of God to the receptive heart, and dire prospects regarding both time and eternity to those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ.  We do people no favors by attempting to bludgeon them to faith.  Nor are we helpful if our compassion leads to compromising the message of the Bible.  Scripture flows in streams of both promises and warnings, based upon whether we swim with or against the current of Truth.  As the Lord spoke to Israel…

   "Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse, a blessing if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day, and a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known" (Deuteronomy 11:26-28).

    We must share grace in terms of truth.  We must share truth with a heart of grace.  "Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17).  If we share grace, but exclude truth, we mislead hearts into perceiving a God without standards.  If we communicate truth, but exclude grace, we discourage hope by falsely portraying a God who demands more than human hearts can give.  Thus, we state the truth as plainly as possible, both in terms of hope and alarm.  We do so honestly, forthrightly, and with the tender heart of compassion that reflects the One who sends us to declare His promises of grace and His warnings of truth.

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear."

(I Peter 3:15)

Weekly Memory Verse

    But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom.

(Hebrews 1:8)   

Frances's Blog: http://www.cafepowderroom.com