The derivation of this word, as given by Strong, is somewhat interesting, as one tries to find the final meaning in the words from which this one springs. Para: near, beside, in the vicinity. We understand that from words that have come into English, like 'paranormal,' not quite normal, beyond the norm; 'paramedic,' not quite a doctor. Aineo: to praise God. These are the words at the root of paraineo. Thus, we have something which is not quite praise, and in this, we find the beginning of a corrective. Strong steps the word up to 'mispraise,' which is a bit of an odd word for me. Indeed, I'm not at all certain that this is an actual word. The first thought I have when I look at it is to praise incorrectly, but I don't think that's the idea, and it certainly doesn't make sense, given the final definition we are given for the word. It seems to come closer to being 'antiaineo,' or against praise, praising the opposite. In such a sense, I can see how we arrive at recommending a different course, which is the final meaning we are given by Strong.
A look at the two occurrences we have of this word in Scripture gives us a sense of the passion behind such exhortation. Where the `uwd of Hebrew bore the sense of repetition, paraineo brings in a sense of urgency. This is seen in the setting in which we find our word. In Acts 27, we read an account of Paul's voyage to Rome, not the journey, perhaps, that he had envisioned in his hopes of a visit, but certainly the journey God had ordained in His Providence! Paul, the man of God, and a man experienced in travels around the Mediterranean, has done his best to advise the captain of the ship which bore him to Rome to consider his own and his passengers' safety. The season for safe sailing was long past, and better to find safe harbor, now, than to try and bull their way through to the capitol.
Why was it that the captain would not listen? Many factors may have come into play. First, and perhaps foremost, there was the fact that he was carrying prisoners of the state, and as such, was responsible for them until the moment they were delivered to the authorities in Rome. If they were lost, it was his skin on the line. Secondly, as erudite and experienced as Paul was, he was still a Jew. The fear that people had for the sea is quite evident in the Scriptural record. Look at the Old Testament. The Mediterranean is, more often than not, a symbol of great danger, a place of death and loss. Perhaps, the captain felt it was only Paul's fear being voiced. Then, also, this was a prisoner who was giving such advice. Perhaps he was hoping to make his escape by such delays, and as I noted, such an escape would be cause for punishment to the captain. Finally, there were probably factors of pride and greed in play. It was not only prisoners the ship bore, but merchandise as well. The sooner the goods were delivered, the sooner the captain could realize his profits, and put them to work elsewhere. And, to successfully deliver in such conditions would surely enhance his reputation, bringing him further opportunities!
Whatever may have been the case, this is the setting for our first encounter with paraineo. In Ac 27:9 - the narrator tells us that a great deal of time had already passed, since the ship left port, and now the voyage was becoming increasingly dangerous. The sailing season was not only coming to an end, it was long past closing. "Even the first fast had been completed," he writes. What event that refers to, and whether it is in reference to a Jewish event, a Roman event, or some other, is a study for another time, but the point is clear: to continue the journey at this time would be folly. It is at this point, we are told, that Paul began to admonish the crew. Paul knew the region. He had traveled it often, both by land and by sea. He had grown up in this region, and knew what the weather could bring at this season. Knowing Paul, it was more than concern for his own skin that filled his words with urgency. His concern was far greater than that! It was large enough to encompass both the crew, and his fellow prisoners. It was large enough to encompass the churches he had planted, which were ever in his thoughts. It was large enough to encompass the kingdom of God, which he served so faithfully, and whose purposes were his purposes. Concern for all these things doubtless filled his passionate arguments with the crew. Paul was passionate by nature. We see that throughout his story and his own words. Having seen the power of his writing, knowing that he was trained in the art of argument, or rhetoric as it is more politely called, it's actually rather amazing that the captain didn't wind up heeding Paul's words in the end. But he didn't. This, too, we must see as God's Providence in action, part of His eternal purpose.
Later in the same chapter, Paul's concerns are shown to be well-founded. The ship is overwhelmed by a storm, driven off course, and now is approaching a rock shoreline. The end is, to all appearances, inevitable. "Even so," Paul tells his ship mates (Ac 27:22), "even though we are doubtless headed for a wreck, yet I urge you to remain courageous, and I tell you certainly that not one of you will die. Though the ship will be lost, all upon it will survive." Bear in mind that the word we are considering speaks of calling for a change of course. The urging of Paul in this case is in the face of a crew clearly displaying a lack of courage, losing themselves to abject fear. In urging courage, then, Paul is once more insisting on a different course. Again, there was doubtless a high passion behind his words. I'd like to think that Paul was beyond playing the "I told you so" game, but the thought was surely in his mind! He had tried to warn them that they ought not to proceed, yet they did. Well, now that they had come this far, it was utterly senseless of them to give up in fear. One could imagine that Paul felt that in some ways his own wellbeing depended on these men doing their best. Assuredly, all was in God's hands, yet even with that are we not to do our utmost in all that is morally acceptable when it comes to our own preservation, and that of those we are in position to help?
With this thought of impassioned urging of a course change, let's consider the Greek most often underlying the translation 'admonish.' Again, we have a compound word in the Greek, this time originating from nous: the mind, and tithemi: to put. So, the thought is to put in mind, in other words to instruct. Again, the word has somewhat of a negative, or corrective connotation. After all, instruction is not needed except where one is not yet doing the task correctly. So, there are shades of cautioning, warning, or reproof in the usage of this word.
Amongst the verses in which we find this word, there are two I will save for the end; one because it is particularly applicable to the closing thoughts of Titus, and the other because it is applicable to worship, which is ever dear to my heart. Before we arrive at those, however, I want to look at these other examples, so that a good sense of the meaning can be seen. Perhaps the clearest view of this particular variant of admonition is found in 1Corinthians 4:14. There, Paul is trying to make his purpose clear. "I am not trying to shame you," he writes, "only to admonish you as beloved children." It is not condemnation he brings, but warnings and cautions. See where you are, so that you can correct yourself before it's too late! It's reminiscent of the paraineo admonition, the recommending of a course change, isn't it? But, notice a bit of subtle change, here. This is not so much the impassioned rhetoric of that word, this is the more simple, and more authoritative correction of a parent for his child. It is not delivered in harshness, but in loving concern. Indeed, it is perhaps the highest expression of the loving concern a parent ought to have, and thus, may be the best reflection of God's own love for us, His children. After all, we are, like any children, as often in need of correction as we are of praise. In the face of our fairly constant errors, it would be an irresponsible parent who did not bring correction. It would be a hard hearted parent who brought correction by rod alone.
Correction must be given, yet it ought to bring us to tears when correction is made necessary. Again we can look to Paul's example. In Acts 20:31, we find him addressing the elders of the church in Ephesus, as he himself makes his way towards Jerusalem. These are to be, perhaps, his final instructions to that church, recalling that Paul was quite aware that what awaited him in Jerusalem was not likely to be pleasant. So, he tells the elders to remain alert. He brings to mind his own example as the model they are to follow. Remember, he tells them, how I was when I was with you. Throughout that three year period, there was no time when I was not warning you, correcting you, brought to tears by my concern over you. Night and day, wherever and whenever a word of instruction was needed, I made it a point to deliver that word. Now, you who have charge of the church must do likewise. You have accepted the high calling of elder in the church, and with that have accepted the duties of that calling. Remain alert, then. Don't allow any sin or error to go unnoticed in the body, but bring immediate correction, lest it fester.
Correct, then, but correct in hope! This, too, is part of Paul's example and instruction. We proclaim Christ (Col 1:28). That is our mission. We proclaim Him by 'admonishing and teaching.' Now, as much as the Hebrew is inclined to parallelisms in their writing, Paul is not writing to Hebrews here. He is writing to Greeks, in Greek. The admonishing, then, is something different than teaching, than mere instruction. Teaching, in this verse, and in most cases, is didaskoo, from which we get the idea of the didactic: something designed to teach and instruct - the delivering of information. The doctrinal portions of Titus might be viewed as didaskoo. Yes, there are issues Paul addresses in corrective fashion, but for the most part, even in addressing these issues, he is instructing his co laborer, not admonishing him. So, when Paul speaks of admonishing and teaching, he is talking about not only delivering the sound doctrine of the Gospel (teaching), but also bringing correction wherever error creeps in (admonishing). In both cases, he is free of partiality, doing both to 'every man.' In both cases, he is leaning heavily upon God, doing his job 'with all wisdom.' There is only one way to do the work of ministry in all wisdom, and that is by doing it wholly submitted to God and to His Holy Spirit dwelling in us. Finally, Paul pursues both tasks - instruction and correction - in hope. The hope that fills him with the wisdom and the perseverance is the hope that all whom he addresses will be presented to Christ as a completed work in Christ.
If, then, we are called to teach, let this be our goal as well: that those we teach may be brought closer to the perfect work of Christ. If, then, we are called to correct, let this remain our goal: that those we correct will be saved from their ways, that we will have won a brother, recalling always that the one we have won was won by One, and not by our own cleverness. Never are we to declare another's errors with that attitude of 'I told you so.' Never are we to allow ourselves the foolish misconception that we are somehow above such folly. When we correct, let it be in the full realization that it could just as easily have been us that needed the correction, just as easily been us that made such a mistake. If we have not done so, it is only by the grace of God, and may He shed that same grace upon those we seek to restore to the paths of righteousness! May His grace indeed abound in us, as we seek to bring our brother to restoration!
What of our behavior when we are on the receiving end? No discipline is pleasant at the time, and let's face it, even such a verbal correction or rebuke is a discipline of sorts. The flesh is going to want to rise up in the face of somebody telling us our wrongs, but we who have been given new life in Christ are called to react differently. Be appreciative of those who give you such instruction, even when the instruction hurts a bit (1Th 5:12-13). It is a hard work they do among you and for you, and they do it at God's command. Indeed, He has delegated His own authority over you to them. Many would be angry with them for words of reproof and warning they bring. Wasn't that the way the prophets were treated more often than not? But, you should not be thus. In spite of their hard words - indeed, because of their willingness to speak the hard words - love them most highly. Express your love thus: live at peace with one another. This will show that you are hearing what your shepherds are saying.
That passage continues, in v14, to tell us we ought also to willingly take up the task of admonition. We also should be about the work of ministry. After all, we are a nation of priests to God Most High. That verse tells us we should warn, reprove, correct the unruly (but in gentleness, not anger to match anger). We should encourage the fainting. The trials on the road to sanctification are many and strenuous. There is not one among us who will not know times of fainting along the way. There is not one of us who will not experience exhaustion as we seek to walk worthy of Him who has called us. When we see another in that state, it is our duty to encourage them before they fail, before they become overwhelmed and unruly, thereby requiring admonitions. Help the weak, Paul continues. If we see any signs of a faltering resolve to righteousness, we are to be quick to bolster our fellow. Again, it's a call to act before things can get worse. Indeed, the final instruction is the starting place for this: Be patient. Nothing so weakens a man as impatient companions. The greatest means to patience is to recognize that our turn may yet come. As our pastor puts it: If you're not in the time of trial now, you probably just left such a time, and if that is not the case, then your time is coming soon! While you're between such times, be a strength to those presently in them, that they may be a strength to you in your time.
There are, then, two things we need to take from the admonition of this passage. Firstly, don't be angry at your pastor when he does his job, but love him most highly because he has been willing to do it. Love actively by living out the fruits of his work on your behalf. The other thing is this: Don't leave him to labor alone. Become his coworker in the work of shepherding. This is not to say we should all be seeking to become leaders or elders in the church. It is to say we should all desire to be pillars in the church. The call is not to seek the honors, but to seek to do the work of the church, to be Onesimus - useful - in the kingdom of God.
It is not as though you are asked to do this labor unprepared. It is the purpose and the nature of the Church to prepare you to join in the work of the Church! That's what it's supposed to be about: training for service, not treating of wounds and social satisfaction! You have been given the Holy Spirit to instruct and guide (to admonish in His own right). Therefore, Paul could say with confidence that the body of Christ in Rome was filled with goodness, possessing full knowledge, and fully capable of admonishing each other (Ro 15:14). They were not somehow lacking, that he felt the need to fill in their deficiencies. Not at all. Yet, even the richest of us in spiritual growth can stand to have reminders of the fundamentals. Even the most mature of Christians remains in need of instruction and fellowship, the comfort of knowing others are on the road with us. Every one of us, as I said, as Paul said, will know times of needing the strengthening, the encouraging, and the reproofs of our fellow believers. Every one of us must stand ready to provide that same assistance to those we walk with.
So now we come to a passage which speaks to much the same situation as Paul addresses with Titus. Paul's letters, at least as preserved in Scripture, were not simple greetings, nor were they merely family news. When he wrote, it was to address serious issues. The churches he had established were, of course, new to faith. They were fledglings, and susceptible to the corrupting influences around them. Paul could not remain present in every church he started, that's why we find Titus where he is. As God delegated authority to the apostles, so the apostles had to, of necessity, delegate authority to those they could trust to continue the work faithfully. So, these delegated leaders must also delegate in turn, until, in the end, every believer has, in one degree or another, the responsibilities of authority. With this in mind, Paul writes more often than not because he has heard of a problem creeping in to the churches in his care. Whether he heard of these matters from those in the church or those outside, he heard. All things hidden will be revealed. But, how does he react? He doesn't give up on them. He doesn't lash out at them in indignation. He calmly and carefully lays before them the truth of the situation. "Here's where you've gone wrong, and here's how to straighten it out." This is what most of the letters to Corinth are about. This is what the letter to the Colossians is about. This is what the letter to the Galatians is about. You're off track, folks, and it's evident to all who see you. Turn back now, while the damage is yet small. Let me show you the way.
In the Old Testament we found Moses and Joshua in turn, laying out the whole of the situation before the people of God. Here's what God has told us to do. There's what the rest of the world tells us to do. Here is life. There is death. Both possibilities have been illustrated to you in great detail. Now, compare your own ways to these two examples. Which way are you headed? Which way would you prefer to head? We have laid out life and death before you today, so choose life that you might live!
Paul's letters are much the same. Here's what you have been doing. Here's what the path of righteousness looks like. Do you see the difference? Do you want to return to the path of life? Here are the steps that you need to be taking, then. In 2Thessalonians 3:14-15, as here in Titus 3:10, Paul is dealing with those who insist on teaching error in the church, who insist on pursuing the road to death. If they will not take instruction - if they will not pay heed to the reproofs and corrections - of this letter, then cease to associate with them. Break off contact! Paul, that sounds so harsh! Where's the love, where's the compassion? It's the same message in Titus. If they aren't listening to you as you seek to correct them in the fashion that Christ laid out for us, then there's no point in pursuing it further with them. Turn them out! Have nothing further to do with them!
Again, we look at it, and it just seems like Paul is being so 'un-Christian.' God is love, and all that. In truth, Paul's love for God and for His people is being displayed here, and displayed in the fashion of God's own love - a love willing to do what is needful for another, even when that other doesn't particularly want it done. In breaking off contact, his love is twofold. First, his love for the church is displayed in action. He moves to guard against any damage to the faithful by those who insist on their own vain imaginations. If they are allowed to remain in the fold, then others yet immature in their understanding of things spiritual may be led astray, as well, and the damage will be that much greater. Secondly, as is made clear in the Thessalonians passage, his love for the one being sent away is also great. They are not to be turned out in anger, but in hope. They are to be turned out of the church so that they may become ashamed of themselves, so that they can come to an appreciation of the folly of their pursuit of death. To this end, he further cautions the church: Don't think them enemies, because you have turned them out. No! Administer reproof to them as brothers. Your breaking off of contact is as much a reproof and correction to them as any further words you might speak, indeed, moreso! Continue, then, in hope that they might be restored. This is ever the proper motivation of admonition - to seek restoration, and the healing of the body of Christ.
Finally, I want to look at Colossians 3:16, as this applies to the particular ministry I am perhaps most active in. Let Christ's word dwell in you richly, Paul writes. Let His word fill your teaching, thus (and thus alone) will your teaching be filled with useful knowledge for the Church, and thus (and only thus) will you be empowered to use the best means to deliver that lesson to those who hear you. OK, so far, Paul's addressing the teacher, which is also a word for me. But, he continues with what seems a most odd instruction: admonish each other with psalms, hymns, and spirituals, singing all from a heart thankful to God.
Admonish by song? Correct, rebuke, instruct by song? How, Lord? How can the notes of my instrument bring correction or instruction? At best, our songs might manage to convey some bit of Scripture, and thereby help people to remember a bit of Your Word. But, beyond that, how? Can it be that that last bit of instruction is the key? It's not so much what you are singing, as the motivation of your singing! If you're just up there to perform, if you're just up there because somebody has to lead, if you're just mouthing the words, then you are accomplishing nothing. You're wasting time. But, when your songs spring from your heart, when your songs are the overflow of your thankfulness to God, that motivation is going to show! It's like any other service we do in the house of the Lord! It's not what, it's why! When we give, give cheerfully, because if we're just giving because we're supposed to, we're giving in vain. There is no spiritual benefit in standing on ceremony and tradition. It's a heart thing.
That is how our songs can have a corrective impact! There will always be those in the church who are there only because it's expected of them. Whether it's to keep peace in the home, or because it's the socially right thing to do, or perhaps they're simply in one of those dry times, spiritually weak but still going through the motions: whatever the reason, they're there, and they may well even be the majority. In your songs, admonish such people (following that same formula we found in 1Thessalonians!) With the earnest passion of your heart filling the songs, you will give strength to those weakening. They will hear your passion and remember their own. With the earnest passion of your heart filling the songs, those near to giving up will find hope to continue. With the earnest passion of your heart filling the songs, you will bring those pursuing their own folly face to face with the reality of godly worship. They will be forced to compare and contrast their own foolishness with the real thing! If there remains hope for them, they will understand the difference and be restored.
Indeed, this whole thing just brings a new sense of responsibility to me. It's so much more than getting the notes right, although that is important. It's so much more than sounding good, although that's important. Yes, by all means I want always to be giving God my best, to keep my own abilities sharp so as not to impede the work of the Spirit in times of corporate worship. But this is something so much bigger! I understood the ministering unto God, but this is also a ministering to His people, and it can only be done when it's done from the heart!
Father God, may this passion fill the team You have made me part of! May it fill my own heart first and foremost, my Lord, that whatever else may be involved in the process of worship, it will always be the outpouring of heartfelt thankfulness! Nothing less will do! Nothing less will truly bring glory to You, and nothing less will be of any use to Your children. Lord, I pray that our passionate thankfulness for all You have done and continue to do, for all You are, now and forevermore, all the joy of being yours will pour through whatever songs we may sing this Sunday, and every time we gather to sing your praise! Never, Holy Spirit, never let it become empty words in our mouths! Let every beat of the drum be the beating of our own heart of thanks. Let every vibration of a string be but the flowing out of the vibrations of our own heart. Let every note sung or played be a note of thanks to You. And may our earnest worship of You become strength and hope to one in need. May the Truth of our worship bring the wanderer back to You!
Now, we come to nouthesia, the term found in Titus. Clearly, this word is closely related to the last. It comes from the same roots of nous, and tithemi. But, there is a slight change in the emphasis here. In essence, this is the subject which the action of noutheteo seeks to accomplish. Where noutheteo is the verb, nouthesia is the noun. So rather than the act of admonishing, were are now looking at the admonition itself. When one admonishes, he seeks to put instruction in the mind of the one he admonishes, he seeks to convince that person of the need to pursue a different course, to correct their ways. The admonition, then, is an appeal to reason. It really is an outgrowth of rhetoric in the classical sense of that term.
What one presents in admonishing is a sensible, earnest presentation of the facts of the situation: Here's what you have been doing. Here's what God has said we ought to do. Here's what you are living like. Here's what Christ lived like. But, it's more than that. We see it with Moses. Not only did he present the contrast, but he also laid out what the two possibilities would lead to. Here's what you have been doing, and here's where that's going to take you. Here's what God seeks from you, and what He has promised as a result.
Paul, trained in rhetoric as he was, would even extend it further. He would lay out examples to show clearly that what he said would be the consequences of your current behavior was more than just opinion. He would give you historical example after historical example, showing you any number of cases where people had done as you are doing, and where the record of the results was known to all. He would point you to these cases, and continue bringing up further cases until you reached the same conclusion he had: your present ways must certainly lead to death.
Neither would he rest with simply telling you that God had promised certain benefits when we obey His commands, for such an argument is not terribly useful if you don't trust God's word; and your actions appear to indicate that you don't really. So, Paul would build the case for you, showing the record of God's actions in the lives of men. And again, he would not likely stop until he had presented sufficient evidence to convince you of God's faithfulness to His word.
The appeal to reason will not necessarily always have the same sense of repetition that the Old Testament term did, but I suspect that would remain very common. Reason is clouded in the sinner. Were it not so, he would not be sinning. If we are to appeal to his reason, we must first remove the clouds. It's going to take far more than a simple accusation and presenting of the solution. A move like that will only result in at best a nod of acknowledgement, but will not yield any actual repentance.
Still, the appeal is a matter of gentleness and compassion. It is not a harangue, it is an appeal. When once you have irritated the one you seek to reprove, you've already lost. He's no longer listening to you, he's listening to his own anger. The path to reason has been blockaded against you. Thus, it's a mild rebuke, a gentle warning, preferably even a word of encouragement to persevere before such warnings are required. If we will train by our encouragement, we will as often as not eliminate the need to pursue the harder course of correction. If we call attention to the earliest signs of deviation from the course, the one we have warned will likely make the needed correction with no further ado. The further we allow them to stray before we call sin sin, the harder we will have to labor to first convince them of the truth of our words, and second to recover them to righteousness.
Hardening of the heart is not an instantaneous event, it's a process every bit as much as our sanctification is a process. The further we allow the hardening to progress, the greater the labor of chiseling that stony heart away to release the heart of flesh within. Therefore we all, as loving members of the family, are called to be on the alert, to be watchful over one another, that we may deliver the warning early, when it is easiest to turn back, lest the loss of our brother be laid to our own account for our lack of diligence.
So, to Scripture. Bring this back to the passage we have been studying in Titus (Ti 3:10). If this one who is promoting dissent in the church has rejected multiple appeals to reason, if you have laid out the case for Truth before him, with others to verify your words, and still he insists on error, then and only then, break off all communion with him. It's too late! If he is to be recovered, it is beyond your means to accomplish it. You have done that which God's instruction requires of you, and you must continue as He instructs. The issue is now in His capable hands, and unless He chooses to repair this one's heart, it is better that he be removed from the body. He is as a cancer, a foreign element in the body of Christ, and the body, if allowed to remain in contact with that cancerous element, will fester and the disease spread. See, even in this instruction to Titus, in this reiterating of the godly course of correction, the appeal is to reason! You know how to deal with such issues in your own body, you've seen what the physicians do. It is no different for the body of Christ. If the disease will not respond to medication, it must be surgically removed.
In 1Corinthians 10, Paul is delivering just such an appeal to reason to the church. The immorality of the culture from which that church had been taken, the culture which still surrounded them, was creeping into the church itself. This letter from Paul, as so many of his letters, is in essence one long admonition. Here, he is laying before the church a record of the church of old, the nation of Israel. All of them had experienced incredible, miraculous actions from God. They had seen the sea split, they had seen the pillar of cloud and fire. They had all been fed on heavenly manna, and were all there when water came from a rock to slake their thirst.
What an image here! They all drank 'from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ'! What blessedness they had walked in! Here with them was the Rock of Salvation, the Font of Living Water! But, now comes the crash. In spite of all that they had experienced, even with such daily experience of God's power and His faithfulness, still God was angered at them, and they were, almost to a man, destroyed in the wilderness. Even in the midst of such blessing! Why? How cruel and unusual is that! Bless them one moment and wipe them out the next? Well imagine this: Paul tells us it all happened for our benefit! It happened that we might learn from their mistakes! What were we to learn? Not to long for evil things, as they had done (v6), not to be idolaters, as they became (v7). God was not being frivolous, He was upholding His own word. He was remaining faithful to the terms of the covenant His people had made with Him!
But again, remain clear that Paul is presenting an appeal to reason. He's just lain out a pointer to clear and easily accessed records of past occasions to parallel the Corinthian present. Now, he proceeds to push the argument further. He lays out a series of acts and consequences, forcing his readers to grasp that there is an inevitable connection between the two, a consistent connection. Three examples from the history of the Exodus are provided. The people chose to act immorally: In one day, twenty-three thousand of them met their death! The people chose to 'try the Lord.' Might I suggest that by this we are talking about those attempts we make to push the limits with Him? OK, God, I know that this is a sin, but what if I only do this much? How about This much? Still, no punishment? OK, how about THIS much? Look to Scripture! Those who played such games with the LORD were destroyed by serpents. The people (dwelling amidst such abundant daily blessings from their God), chose to grumble against Him and against His chosen authority Moses: They were destroyed by the destroyer.
Paul again makes his point. All of this happened as an example (v11), not so much for them, but for us! It was written down so that we could find instruction in it. Let's face it. Writing it down did nothing for the folks in the desert. They were already dead! Yet, consider the record of God's people. When things seemed over, when the heart of the people was far removed from God, somebody somewhere would stumble across this book of the Law, this record of God moving that we find in the Pentateuch, and what would occur? The blinders would come off! People would look upon these very examples and wake up to the fact that they were doing the very same things! What would come of this, what could come of this, except that God would be moved to the very same reactions! He is not a man that He should change! His holiness didn't cease with the arrival in the Promised Land, and it didn't cease with the Ascension of Christ to the Throne. He is still Holy!
Knowing how powerfully this record has spoken to people in the past, Paul has wisely chosen it to show the Corinthians what is happening in their own midst! You, too, he says, have been dwelling amidst rich blessings from God. You are experiencing the gifts of the Spirit in abundance. You are blessed with Apostolic teachers, and not just one, but many. You have been saved from the certain death of your old ways, saved from the futility of Greek gods and Greek philosophies, and brought into a rich, real life! What the philosophers have sought in vain has been granted to you. And yet, just as Israel in the desert, you are allowing immorality - immorality unspeakable even amongst the surrounding pagans! And yet, just as Israel in the desert, you are worshiping idols! The gifts and the messengers are more to you than God who gave you both! See the connection! Recognize what your actions must provoke in a holy God! Learn from Israel, and change now! Israel became so proud of their position as the chosen people that they thought they could do no wrong. Beware, then, of allowing pride to so cloud your own judgment. When you think yourself absolutely secure in your righteousness, then is the time to be most on your guard, lest you fall as Israel fell (v12).
Do you see the approach of admonition here? In v11, we see that word translated as 'instruction,' but it's the same word. God recorded these things so that we would understand the connection between our choices and His necessary responses. Paul, the trained lawyer or debater, has built the case before his readers so that, if they missed it in reading Scripture, they could not possibly miss it in his letter. Notice, though, that in all this presentation, Paul never comes to the point of saying, "As they did, so have you done!" That would be a crushing blow! That would be a stirring up of anger, and a shutting of their ears to his message. No, he leaves that conclusion to their own thoughts. He simply lays out the case, and encourages them to pursue a course that steers clear of those mistakes. Take heed to the examples! If you are tempted, recall that God, the Provider, will provide for you in your temptation, He will provide the way of escape. God, the Shepherd, will not allow such things to come upon you as must overwhelm you. If you see idolatry approaching, run from it with all speed! Don't even go near it!
Here, then, in Corinthians, we find a good example of how to go about pursuing the instructions Paul gives to fathers in Ephesians. Fathers, don't provoke your children to anger (Eph 6:4). As one trained in presenting arguments, let me tell you something, guys (we might imagine him saying): If you push them to anger, they won't hear a word you say, and they will disregard everything you've already said. That's the way we are, and they aren't any different. Understand that that approach has failed before it started. Try this instead: Raise them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. See how I bring issues to your attention? You should try the same methods with your children. Don't bring accusations and charges against them. They already know, deep down, that they have done wrong. At least they should, if you have been doing your job. They will do fine at accusing themselves. Your job is to help them see what they're doing, not by pointing at them, but by teaching them from the examples of others. God has been gracious to provide you with this whole book of examples. Point them to the record. Point out the stories that tell of similar behaviors in God's people, and point out how those stories turned out. They're not stupid. They can make the connection to themselves, and this will go much farther than your berating them.
Indeed, if you will be consistent in pursuing this course, instructing them from the undeniable truths of Scripture, you will find the need for disciplining them becomes more infrequent. All fathers discipline those they love, it's true, but not as a first means of correction. No, it's the method of last resort, the final tool in your parental toolbox. The first is instruction, and if you have used that tool wisely, you can leave the rod of discipline in its place. It won't be needed. If you start with the rod, though, there will never be an opportunity for instruction, and you will, in the end, lose that which you are trying to save. This verse gives us a fine segue into the final underlying word for admonition.
What are we to do when our appeals to reason fail? As we have seen, in the life of the church our only recourse is to remove such an unresponsive one from our midst. But in the family, this is not an option. It would be an extreme case which could cause us to turn our own child out onto the street with instructions not to seek return. There has to be a follow on for the parent, and this follow on is also provided for us in Scripture. That same passage in Ephesians speaks not only of instruction (the appeal to reason), but also discipline. Raise your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph 6:4).
What differentiates these two: instruction and discipline? Instruction is purely verbal in nature. It may be either corrective or supportive, as the situation requires, but it is an appeal to reason. It seeks to explain why a particular course of action is a better choice, and to lead the hearer into a like understanding of his options. In contrast to this, discipline - paideia - is the necessarily stronger instruction required by children. It is instruction by deed, by act, where nouthesia encompassed only the thought process. It is disciplinary correction, chastening.
If we look at that last word, chastening, we get a good picture of what we're talking about. To chasten is, according to Webster's dictionary, 'to correct by punishment or suffering.' It is 'to prune of excess.' It is 'to cause to be more humble or restrained.' It should be clear to pretty much every parent that these are issues that are of necessity in the raising of children. Appeals to reason will rarely be enough, for reason is not yet fully formed. It will take sterner stuff to train the child, and to bring him to a point where reason can be his guide. Punishment, contrary to current trends in law, is not only an allowable tool for the parent, it is just about mandatory!
Yet, see the wisdom of the Lord in this instruction Paul has delivered. He doesn't give fathers a free hand in how they shall discipline their child. It is to be the discipline of the Lord. There are distinct moral bounds on what is an acceptable form of discipline and what constitutes abuse. Society has lost this distinction because they have refused to acknowledge Him who sets the bounds. It is for this reason that all physical discipline tends to be viewed as abuse today. There was a time when we knew better, but we have allowed psychology, philosophy, and the 'social scientists' to take the place of God in our counsel, and the result has been an elimination of the ability to raise sound children. It has, in large part, been left to chance - that same force which is no force that we are taught by these geniuses to see as the creator of the universe. Indeed, God turns their wisdom into foolishness!
So, how are we to learn what is legitimate in the efforts of discipline? In 2Timothy 3:16, Paul gives answer to that. All Scripture is inspired by God. Since, then, it is God's own message to us, all that it contains is useful to us for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. Four words are here for us to consider. Start with teaching: didaskalian, both the act of instruction and that which is taught, or doctrine. So, all Scripture is useful doctrine, it is all good source material for instructing ourselves and others. Thus, we seek preachers who teach from Scripture, rather than their own imaginations. Show it to me in the Word!
Next we have reproof: elegmos, conviction of sin, refuting of error, or possibly elegchos, which is of similar meaning. If we would know our own sinfulness, we have but to read the pages of Scripture to come face to face with it. Not only the Ten Commandments, nor even the book of Deuteronomy which lays out all manner of application of those commandments, are useful to understand our sins. The whole of the Book shows us, by exemplary lives as well as by the lives of godless men, what we ourselves are like. It must be said, that in its honest depiction of these lives, God is merciful to give us hope! Even the best of men are shown in the record to have had their issues. Even the best of men have fallen short of God's perfect measure, even as He has said. We are not, then, any worse than they for our failures. Nor are we any better. We are, as Luther said, "Simul Justus et Pecator," saint and sinner in the same moment, just as every man who ever walked the earth has been. Scripture convicts us of this fact. Scripture also teaches us what the way of righteousness looks like.
On to correction: epanorthosis, to set straight, to restore to uprightness, reformation. Having shown us sin, and having shown us righteousness, Scripture is also faithful to show us how to get from the former to the latter! Now, the obvious turn of our thoughts is to Christ, who is all our righteousness. But at the time Paul was penning these words, the record of Christ's ministry was not yet Scripture, it was only Gospel. His ministry is not in the record of Hebrew Scripture, but He is most assuredly there! This is largely what Matthew is after showing as he relates the story of Jesus' earthly life. He is constantly returning to the record of the prophets to show Who it was that had been walking among us. He is appealing to reason! He is trying to show, as Jesus Himself showed the disciples on the Emmaus road, that the whole of Scripture - the Scripture of that time, the Jewish Scripture - pointed constantly to Him. From the curse delivered in Eden, through all that was established in the worship of Israel, and on through all that the prophets had declared; everything pointed to the One who would come and save Israel from its sins, indeed save the world from its sins. It was not just for Israel, never! They were chosen, special, unique in God's sight, but they were not the only ones to whom He desired to show Himself. They were to be His spokesmen to the world at large, not guardians of His sanctity.
Is this, then, what Paul is thinking upon as he considers how Scripture restores us to righteousness? Perhaps, but I think there's still more to it. Paul is writing to believers, and not only that, but to the leadership of those believers. These are not people that need convincing that Jesus is the Christ, nor do they need to be taught any further that He is all our righteousness. These things are established. What needs to be dealt with is that situation we all find ourselves in. We need to know what to do when we sin, all the more now that we understand what God has done for us in Christ. If there is no further sacrifice for sin, what are we to do when we fall? How shall we be restored?
This, too, is covered in the pages of God's Holy Word, and repentance is the key. What we need to understand is the distinction between a mere guilty conscience - the sorrow of getting caught, and true repentance, a turning from our wickedness, a godly sorrow over having done that which offends our God. We need not look much further than Saul and David to see the contrast. Saul was sorry for what he did, but sorry more that his own reputation had been damaged than that God had been offended in his actions. Because of this, he remained unchanged by his sorrow. He repeated the error, repeated the words of remorse, and continued doing exactly the same things. David, though perhaps his sins were even worse than those of Saul, if such comparisons can be made, was truly sorrowful when he came to see what he had done. He didn't simply mouth empty words and continue on, nor was his own reputation on his mind. "Against You only have I sinned!" he cried out. David was not denying the great wrong he had done to Uriah, and to Bathsheba for that matter. Not at all. He was just acutely aware of a far greater issue. He was acutely aware that in wronging any man, it was God with whom he had to deal. The Creator of all has the welfare of all in mind. The Father of all watches over all His children, however they may have turned from Him. We cannot wrong another, be he believer or not, and not wrong the God who made him.
Finally, we come to instruction: paideia, disciplinary correction, chastisement, corrective punishment, suffering with purpose. In the Scriptural application, this punishment serves but one purpose: to bring us to righteousness once more. Do you see the sequence of events in this? God has taught us what is right (doctrine), and he has, in doing so, convicted us of our own failures (reproof). But, He is merciful, and does not stop there. The accuser of the brethren will stop at that point, but our God and Savior continues onward towards a better goal. He brings correction, reformation, points out to us the path that leads back to righteousness, points to Himself, and says "I am the way." Nor will He let it rest with that. If we follow where He has pointed, if we accept reformation, and pursue Him wholeheartedly, well and good. But, He will not lose one who has been entrusted to Him. If sterner measures are called for, He is faithful to deliver. If we will not respond to loving words, He will do what is necessary to see us restored. He will discipline. He is just, and will punish us if we insist on trying to pursue our own course, but ever, it is a punishment in hopes of restoration.
Note once more that this final step is not allowed to the elders of the church. In the life of the church, we must stop at the point of having shown the way back. We must stop with the word of correction. If sterner measures are required, it must be left to the hands of the Father whose child is in need of that discipline. It is not for us to inflict the punishment, for our hands are as fallen as those of the one we would punish, and our sense of justice is imperfect at best. Like Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar, we will go too far in our punishment, trending towards the destruction of this child, rather than his restoration. Better by far to leave such matters in the hands of a perfect and loving God. He knows what is needful, and He will do it.
In this, we have the model for our own parental duties. Discipline will be necessary, but we must learn from our own Father what is proper in fatherly discipline. When we discipline our own, it must be with the discipline of the Lord; painful perhaps, causing suffering perhaps, but ever and always with an eye to restoration to our love and blessings. If we do not place such boundaries on our own disciplinary measures, we can surely expect to be feeling His disciplinary measures ourselves, and soon. God's concern for His little ones is a most jealous concern.
The author of Hebrews dwells long on the subject of God's discipline, the physical admonition of the Lord. Unlike those who sought to counsel Job in his time of testing, this man offers understanding. Once more, we see in the message an example of the appeal to reason. The case is laid out for us, and it begins, as every appeal ought to, with the word of the Lord. Remember what has been written (Heb 12:5-6), 'Don't treat lightly God's discipline, don't faint when He reproves you.' There's those two thoughts again, conviction of our fault, and action taken to correct it. Remember that the Lord disciplines all whom He loves. This is the act of which discipline is the action - same word, but in verbal form, now.
The NASB continues this message as "it is for discipline that you endure" (v7). This doesn't make a great deal of sense to me though. The NIV makes more of a command, "if you are undergoing hardship, endure it, knowing that it is God's discipline." I think, however, that the idea is probably that it is discipline that enables us to endure. Now, then, continuing the appeal to reason, the author points out that God, who has called us His children, deals with us as His children. The comparison is made to what is familiar to the human condition. What son is there among you who has not known his father's discipline? All true sons are disciplined. It is only the illegitimate child whom the father will neglect to correct. So, then, the discipline of the Father should be a comfort to us, as it is proof that He considers us true sons, not bastard children.
The appeal to reason and experience continues. We grew up. We doubtless disliked the disciplinary actions when they came, yet we grew to respect our fathers in time, largely because they had loved us enough to discipline us. We knew we had them to thank for the shaping of godly character in us. Now, we are invited to make the comparison to our Father in heaven. If the discipline of our parents turned out for our good, how much more that of our perfect Father God? Parents, hard as they try, remain fallible. They do as best they can, but they will make mistakes. Even so, the overall trend of their discipline has been for our good. How much more will the discipline of God be for our good, leading as it does to holiness!
As he makes this appeal to our reason, he doesn't deny the reality of our experience (v11). No one enjoys times of discipline. It's not natural! At the time, punishment and suffering are going to cause sorrow in us. Face it, that's the point! It wouldn't be punishment if we enjoyed it. We wouldn't be compelled to change if suffering didn't hurt. We'd just go on doing what we pleased. No, we can be very clear on this: discipline, God's discipline, Holy discipline, is going to hurt. We will not rejoice in it. We probably won't be thankful in the midst of it. If we could manage that, we wouldn't be in need of discipline! But, we can endure it in hope - well founded and fully assured hope that when discipline has done its job in us, training us, we will see the results - peace and righteousness.
Interesting word, this 'training.' The author has brought in a very Greek image to this message written to Jews! The word is gumnazo. We might recognize the English 'gymnasium,' or 'gymnastics' in this, and rightfully so. This word describes the exercises done before the Greek games, exercises normally done naked. That is the literal meaning: to exercise naked! What an interesting thing to say of God's disciplinary work upon us! So much one could say about this. What, for instance, was the point of being naked in exercise? For one thing, it leaves one free of any encumbrance, there's nothing to restrict the movement of our limbs, nothing to catch or snag, nothing to cause wind resistance to slow our race. God's discipline is not unlike that, as it seeks to strip away anything that would impede our progress towards holiness. There is also this in the using of this word: We are, however we may clothe ourselves by exterior actions, however we may seek to hide ourselves in our wrong-doing, naked before God. He sees through it all. Nothing is hidden from His sight, and no attempt to mask our true nature will keep Him from knowing the reality. God sees the heart. He knows the truth, even if we have succeeded in hiding it from ourselves. He, then, knows exactly what needs to be addressed, as we stand naked before Him, and He will tailor the exercises of our discipline to best suit the need.
God's discipline strengthens. God's admonitions improve us. They are not crushing convictions, assurances of inevitable doom. They are necessary acts designed to turn us around from the course of destruction to the pathways of life. This is admonition at its heart. It is the love of God in action, doing what is needful for the one He loves, even when the one He loves is blind to the need, and desires something completely opposite. This is to be the discipline within the family, whatever it takes to bring correction, but no more, and never delivered in a fashion which would crush the recipient. Exercise is not done beyond the capacity of the one exercising. That would not be exercise, but torture designed to kill, however slowly. Exercise builds strength. Torture reduces it. In the same way, discipline builds character and righteousness. Abuse destroys character, and drives the abused further from righteousness.
Admonition, then, in all its forms, must always have this goal in mind: to restore to righteousness, to maintain in righteousness, to display God's love and compassion in action. Whether it is a cautionary word, an appeal to reason, or inflicting of painful punishment, the goal remains the same. Let us, then, be alert to the need for admonition, that we may use the least painful means most often! Let us seek to catch the error early, when a mere warning, a mere call for course correction, can suffice. Let us labor to instruct at every chance, for this is a far more pleasant work than that of dealing with established error. If we will work to establish truth, then it is error that must labor harder to make headway, and so it ought to be! If we are lax in our efforts of instruction, we can expect to be the ones laboring hard to correct errors in those we have failed by our laxness. And, it ought to be said, that it is not just the one we must discipline who will know sorrow at our act. It may be debatable whether it 'hurts me more than it will hurt you,' but it most assuredly does hurt. No father wants to find it necessary to punish his child. God does not take any pleasure in bringing pain to His children. But children will be children, and they will make such labors necessary. Far better if we have done our job right, and trained them, so that the occasions when we must resort to painful enforcement are minimal!
