September 2

Watching For Souls

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. — Col 1:27-28 BSB

Therefore be alert and remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. — Acts 20:31 BSB

The ministry of warning should be a recognized part of the Church’s work and that of each member. The foghorn warns the ship of deadly rocks; the red light warns the train of imminent danger; in the days of the plague, people were warned away from infected areas. How much more should we, who know of God's wrath upon those who reject Christ, raise our voices in warning. We should do it intentionally, earnestly, and patiently, relying on the Spirit of God to make our words—no matter how much they may be resisted—the means of turning the wicked from their ways and keeping those just beginning on the wrong path from continuing (Eze 33:7-9).

How amazing it is that God does not send angels to carry His warnings and appeals. Instead, He entrusts this work to us. It's dangerous to neglect this responsibility. If a signalman at a railroad crossing falls asleep or neglects his duty, he might be charged with manslaughter. Likewise, if we know of people in our circle who are in danger of ruining their physical, moral, and spiritual well-being, we are obligated to warn them. If we saw a boat full of people heading toward rapids, we could be guilty of their destruction if we didn’t try to warn them of the danger.

Along with our words of warning, we should clearly declare God’s love. He doesn’t want anyone to perish but desires that all turn from their sin and live. It’s not enough to try to keep people from the wrong path; we must also encourage them to walk in the ways of righteousness and peace. God’s love includes everyone. Even sin cannot turn away His love, which is like the love in the parable of the Prodigal Son or the love described in 1 Corinthians 13.

Prayer

O God, we have left undone many things that we should have done. Hands have reached out for help, and we have not given it; hearts have turned to us for sympathy, and we have not responded. Forgive us, we pray, and whatever it costs, may we follow Christ in His redemptive purpose. Amen.