Warn Them!

Gospel

7“Now as for you, son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for the house of Israel; so you will hear a message from My mouth and give them a warning from Me.

– Ezekiel 33:7

27And he said, ‘Then I request of you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— 28for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not come to this place of torment as well.’

– Luke 16:27-28
(NASB® © 2020)

Listen very carefully to this original sound from Hades! It is the exclamation of a man who has just arrived there. He doesn’t say: “Send Lazarus to set an example of a pious life for my brothers, invite them to a harmless barbecue, point out this terrible place to them here and there, lovingly invite them to Jesus or – without stepping on their toes, of course – talk to them about the mistakes in their lives.” No, he says: “Lazarus should warn them urgently!”

Unfortunately, a warning about hell is increasingly seen as scaremongering today. But is that a reason for us to warn less urgently or seriously?

Imagine a doctor who conceals or glosses over a patient’s diagnosis to save them from the bad news. That man would be a lousy doctor, wouldn’t he? Manufacturers can be sued if they fail to point out certain dangers. A road sign is good if it warns of danger; indeed, everyone is happy to be warned by a sign not to touch a dangerous liquid.

We want to bring the gospel, the good news, to the people. And, of course, it is good because it is about salvation and a loving God in heaven who wants to become a father to people. But these beautiful facts are only one part of the message. The preaching of sin, hell, and repentance is just as important. If these topics are concealed, the message is incomplete and seems less urgent. An invitation is not a warning. It is beneficial to remember that the Lord Jesus, the most perfect evangelist of all time, also warned more than clearly.

The Lord never minced his words. Here are a few examples of his clear warnings:

  • “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:5)
  • “It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.” (Mt 18:9)
  • “Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!” (Luke 12:5)

Of course, we would like to emphasize that preaching the message must be loving. It is important to point people to their salvation in love and especially to present the death of the Lord Jesus for them. However, in our time and society, in which a supposedly deadly message is increasingly emphasized, the preachers of the message are in danger of taking away the essential part of the gospel. Let us pay attention to the urgency of the message. No one reaches for an antidote without a clear warning!

Ezekiel 3:18 is a clear indication for us here: ” When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.“

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