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NO. 8 - STATED EXHORTATIONS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
In the New King James translation of the Bible, the Greek word "PARAKALEO" is generally translated "exhort;" a few times with other words, such as beseech, plead, implore or encourage. According to Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, this word means "to admonish, exhort, to urge one to pursue some course of conduct, always prospective, looking to the future." Exhorting is one of the gifts of God's grace (Rom. 12:6,8). Peter, Paul, Barnabas, Judas and Silas are all mentioned as exhorting others to a particular course of action. Exhortations do not have the same force as commands, charges, orders, mandates or exclusions but are vital to growth and maturity in Christ and are not to be neglected. Continual neglect will result in spiritual degeneration. Following are examples of exhorting by early Christian leaders and exhortations that were given to the Christians in letters of instruction to the churches and evangelists. A. EXAMPLES OF EXHORTATIONS IN THE BOOK OF ACTS (34…..63 A.D.). 1. Peter, in the first gospel sermon, exhorted those who asked, "What shall we do?" (Ac. 2:37) to "Be saved from this perverse generation" (Ac. 2:40). Those who gladly received his word (about 3,000) were baptized…added to them (Ac. 2:41). 2. Barnabas exhorted the disciples in Antioch that, "they should with purpose of heart continue with the Lord" (Ac.11:23). 3. Paul and Barnabas exhorted the disciples in Lystra, Iconium and Antioch to "...continue in the faith..." (Ac. 14:21,22). 4. Judas and Silas, "...exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words" (Ac. 15:32). 5. Paul departed to Macedonia, went over the region and encouraged them with many words (Ac. 20:2). B. EXHORTATIONS IN THE LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES (52…..95 A.D.). 6. Paul to the Romans, "I beseech you...present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God..." (Rom. 12:1). 7. Paul writes to the Romans, "Having gifts given to us, let us use them...he who exhorts, in exhortation..." (Rom. 12:6,8). 8. "I plead with you brethren, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you" (1 Cor. 1:10). 9. Paul to the Corinthians, "We implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5:20). 10. Paul pleaded three times that his "thorn in the flesh" might depart from him (2 Cor. 12:8) 11. "I…beseech you…walk worthy of the calling…endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace…till we all come to the unity of the faith…to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:1,3,13). 12. Paul implored Euodia and Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord (Phil. 4:2). 13. "…we urge and exhort…abound more and more…how you ought to walk and to please God" (1 Thess. 4:1). 14. "We exhort you brethren, warn the unruly, comfort the faint hearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all" (1Th. 5:14). 15. To those who were not working, but busybodies (2 Thess. 3:11). "Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread" (2 Thess. 3:12). 16. "Exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today," lest any...be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin" (Heb.3:13). 17. "Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together...but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching...for if we sin willfully...there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins" (Heb. 10:25,26). 18. "The elders who are among you, I exhort…shepherd the flock of God…not by compulsion but willingly…" (1 Pet. 5:1). 19. "I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand" (1 Pet.5:12). 20. "...I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith…" (Jude 3). C. EXHORTATIONS TO TIMOTHY AND TITUS (New Testament evangelists) (64…..68 A.D.). 21. "Therefore I exhort...that supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence" (1 Tim.2:1,2). 22. Timothy was instructed to "…not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity" (1 Tim. 5:1,2). 23. Timothy was charged to "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine..." (2 Tim. 4:2,3). 24. An elder is to hold fast the faithful word and with sound doctrine exhort and convict those who contradict" (Tit. 1:5,7,9). 25. Titus, an evangelist was to "exhort the young men to be sober-minded" (Tit. 2:6). 26. Titus was instructed to, "Speak these things, exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you" (Tit. 2:15). Preaching, teaching and exhorting are all words that describe the effort that is to be put forth in communicating God's message of salvation and the manner of life that Christians are to live. God's word is important for people to believe and follow. Jesus spoke of some going away into everlasting punishment and some into eternal life (Matt. 25:46). Our actions will determine whether we inherit all things God has prepared for His people (Rev. 21:1-7) or are cast into the lake of fire and brimstone with the devil and his angels and tormented day and night forever and ever (Rev. 20:7-10; 21:8). Most people are just not serious enough about learning what is expected of them as Christians. Then there are those who know what their responsibilities are but they lack the motivation to practice what they know they should or should not be doing. This is why the gift of exhortation is desperately needed in the church today. Exhorting is a responsibility of preachers, elders, teachers and all Christians. We should not become angry at preachers of the gospel who preach the word, convince, rebuke and exhort the church to faithfulness. This is part of their charge. Neither should we be offended if others love us enough to exhort us to faithfulness. When we exhort others to contend for the "essential" doctrine of Christ, stand fast for "liberty" in Christ and work for "unity" in Christ we are doing what we are exhorted to do!!
Arranged by Eugene Lockling |
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