• “Let the word of Christ live in you richly, flooding you with all wisdom. Apply the Scriptures as you teach and instruct one another with the psalms, and with festive praises, and with prophetic songs given to you spontaneously by the Spirit, so sing to God with all your hearts! Let every activity of your lives and every word that comes from your lips be drenched with the beauty of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. And bring your constant praise to God the Father because of what Christ has done for you!” Colossians 3:16-17 (TPT)

Relative to Scripture, the word admonish can prove complicated because it’s a verb with two transitive verbs. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines these two as: 1. reprimand – a rebuke; a severe or formal reproof; to reprove sharply or censure formally usually from a position of authority; 2. advise – to counsel and/or advocate; to give (someone) a recommendation about what should be done; caution, warn, consult.

For example, the Apostle Paul warned those in charge about the danger to both the cargo and the people aboard if they continued to set sail at that time of season, but his advice was ignored. Yet, during the most perilous sailing, Paul relayed the advice received from God’s Angel to avoid the death of 200+ people: all cargo had to be dumped, sailors were prevented from escaping the ship, and soldiers were prevented from killing the prisoners onboard; Paul’s counsel was heeded (Acts 27:9-44).

The primary assignment of a Christian is to introduce the lost to LOVE Who is GOD, through the only begotten son of LOVE Who is JESUS. After salvation, GOD does the cleaning of those rendered His sons & daughters by the blood of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit – Comforter and Counselor and Teacher. That which a Christian who spends quality time with God the Father through Christ Jesus and in God’s Word for revelation knowledge through the Teaching of the Holy Spirit are thereby equipped to advise other Christians. On the other hand, the Ministry-of-Authority bestowed every Christian – sons & daughters of the LORD God by the redemptive work of Christ Jesus is to be used in rebuking the adversary. For everything of the adversary is illegal in the life of a son or daughter of God. Therefore it’s imperative to read, study, mutter, and meditate the Word of God to familiarize oneself with the promises of God, enabling oneself to speak the promise, not the problem.

Peace . . . Harriet