Exhortations

1 Thessalonians 2:3
For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:

Have you ever listened to the average preaching message? Turn on the T.V. and watch as one after another speaker get up and spits out garbage that is anything but the true Gospel. The variety of hobby horses are staggering, while millions sin sick, lost souls are about to spend eternity in Hell!

The Apostle defends his method of delivery, he instructs us to be careful in every attempt to proclaim the Gospel.

Exhortation: language intended to incite and encourage: We should check our words against the standard definition. The word of God demands that we speak it correctly, lovingly, and in the power (not volume) of the Holy Spirit. The words are to Incite: to move to action : stir up : spur on : urge on. It is not our job to skin, punish, or curse others if they do not act the way we think. Our words should encourage the hearer to take action.

Deceit: an attempt or device to trick. Using our words and actions to deceive or trick other to make some sort of decisions and follow some set of rules and attend an amount of services, will never get that person true salvation. It is down right SIN for a Christian to even think about using trickery to increase results. It destroys the purity of the simple plan of salvation.

Uncleanness: morally or spiritually impure, infected with a harmful supernatural contagion ; lacking in clarity and precision of conception or execution.
I believe that I could spend hours chewing this and never do it justice! May God allow us to measure our words against this. It will change how we do His work!

Guile: Trickery, deceit. This word comes from an old root that defines out as a witch.

Today's verse has caused me to examine my words. I must seek forgiveness for the times I have been guilty of saying and doing things I should not have done. I realize that my words must be tempered in the love of God almighty! My words can have impact on souls for eternity and can mean the difference between Heaven or Hell!

Check your words!