Title: Warning to the Believers
Warning to believers
This text is a very important message that every believer should pay attention to. The text gives three warnings to believers.
1, The first warning is that believers should devote themselves to good works (verse 8), and the word “strive” takes priority. Pay attention. It means to be active, zealous, and diligent in doing good. -.Continue doing good deeds.
-.Continue doing good deeds. -.Patience to the end in doing good deeds. -.I am persistent in doing good deeds. No matter the circumstances and difficulties here. In other words, it also means that we continue to do good regardless of circumstances.
It is that good works should be the center of one's life and the number one purpose. The need for good deeds is presented along with another factor. The text teaches that the minister must continue to speak firmly. The minister is to persuade believers to do good to the end.
This means that the minister should: -.You have to push hard. -.You have to keep pushing. -. You must force without shaking. A servant of God must persuade believers to strive for good works. Why so much emphasis on good works?
Matthew Henry says: “An empty, passive faith does not save people. Only active faith in action saves man.” What is saving faith? It is the faith that has produced righteousness and holiness.
This belief plays a significant role in becoming righteous and sanctified and in leading others to live righteous and sanctified lives. Only good works can build the society and world that people desire a world of love, joy, and peace. But you must remember the words of the Bible.
We are saved not because of our righteous works, but because of God's mercy and grace through faith in Christ Jesus.
2, The second warning is that believers should avoid foolish arguments and false beliefs (verse 9), 1) There were those who sat down and spent their time discussing useless and useless matters. Of course, these discussions do nothing for the sake of Christ or for the welfare of man.
2) There were people wasting time about family roots and heritage. They believe they will be acceptable to God because they have good parents and ancestors.
3) There were people who argued over the Law, that is, the Old Testament. The false teachers in Paul's day were like the false teachers of today, and the false teachers that have been passed down from generation to generation.
3, The third warning is that believers must stay away from heresy (verses 10-11), and those who have rejected the truth of Christ and the truth of God's Word must be kept away. Heresy in Greek is a funny word. Take this word yourself. choose yourself means,
Therefore, those who belong to heresy are those who choose what they believe in. He denies any authority. That is, God too. Christ too. God's word too. church too. Humans also reject it. He chooses for himself what he believes. His authority is only himself.
You alone determine the truth, which is true and which is not. There are heretics like this in the church. He associates with believers. This is what most heretics look like. Few people reject Christ and all the teachings of the Bible.
Most heretics remain in the church, holding onto some basic precepts, but rejecting doctrines they don't like. The Bible is clear on this point. This means that we should go to those who have fallen into heresies or false teachings. Such persons should not be rebuked, rejected, or expelled from the church.
There must be an effort to reach him for Christ's sake. Two strong exhortations must be given to bring them back. He too should be loved and cared for and encouraged to repent of his sins and confess the truth of Christ and His Word.
There are obvious limitations. Even after three exhortations, if he does not repent, he must be rejected. That is, they must be excommunicated. Because we must never let him mislead other believers.
On that great and dreadful day of judgment, God will surely answer these wonderful and tragic questions: How many have been derailed by false teachers in our churches?
That is, how many people the Bible calls heretics, who have turned away from the truth of Christ and His Word? “If your brother sins, go and counsel him only with you and that person.
If you listen, you have earned your brother; if you do not, take one or two and let the mouths of two or three witnesses testify for every word. If you do not listen to them, speak to the church, and if you do not listen to the church, treat them as Gentiles and tax collectors” (Matthew 18:15-17).
Dear saints, You and I must obey the Word to win. Revelation 1:3 says, “Blessed is he who reads and hears the words of this prophecy, and keeps what is written in it, and does it, for the time is near.”
In the name of the Lord, I pray in the name of the Lord that you will take the lead in expanding the kingdom of God by making life evangelism by reading and meditating on the Bible, the word of God's revelation.