A Sobering Warning
by Certified Church Consultant, Dan Abbatiello
“From the prophet even to the priest. Everyone practices deceit. They heal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially, Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ But there is no peace. Were they ashamed because of the abomination they had done? They certainly were not ashamed, and they did not know how to blush; Therefore, they shall fall among those who fall; At the time of their punishment they shall be brought down,” Says the Lord (Jeremiah 6:13b-15a NASB 1995).
What a startling and tragic text. The religious leadership in Jeremiah’s day had fallen deeply into syncretism, and God had some very harsh things to say through His prophet. It would be helpful for us to examine ourselves in order to avoid falling into the same trap.
The Apostle Paul gave a similar warning to young Timothy and offers him sound valuable advice that we also should heed today. He wrote, “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction (2 Timothy 4:1-4).
First, he said, “Preach the word.” As ministers of the Gospel, we have no business preaching anything else but the word. The word is the sharp two-edged sword that digs down deep and divides where needed and cuts out what needs to be removed. We must not heal wounds superficially by verbally putting a band-aid on something that needs a tourniquet or by putting a salve on a cancer. Only the word will bring true healing. The word “removes of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain” (Hebrews 12:27).
Secondly, he said, “be ready in season and out of season.” Peter said it in another way, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 4:8). We cannot afford to let our guard down. As ministers of the Gospel we are watchmen on the wall ever vigilant. We must not be lulled to sleep or let our people be lulled to sleep by telling them there is peace when there is no peace.
Thirdly Paul said, “reprove, rebuke, exhort…” We must have the courage to speak truth even if the truth imposes itself on our comfort or the comfort of those to whom we speak. We must be courageous enough to tell the truth even if it is contrary to the narrative of the day. We must be courageous enough to endure misunderstanding, criticism, judgment and even rejection if need be.
Lastly, Paul adds, “with great patience and instruction.” Too often people don’t know what they don’t know. Many are often bold and even brazen in their ignorance. Toward the end of the book of Job, God breaks in on the scene saying, “Who is this that darkens counsel with words without knowledge?” Then God proceeded to give Job an exam asking him more than 70 questions. Job failed miserably. The exam however, did arrest Job’s attention; he learned “how to blush.” His reply is insightful, “Behold I am insignificant; what can I reply to you? I lay my hand over my mouth.” In the end Job declared, “I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know… I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You; therefore, I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42 :3-6).
I wonder how well we would do should God break in and give us a pop quiz? It is certainly a sobering thought. Let’s do what James’s exhorts us to do, “But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak… prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless (James 1:19-26)
