Exhort

I am disheartened when we who call themselves Christian argue amongst ourselves. I am disheartened when those disagreements are either without scripture or use scripture as weapons against each other.

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. [Hebrews 3:13 KJV]

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. [Hebrews 10:24-25 KJV]

Christians should be urging, earnestly advising, their brethren. Prodding, perhaps to the point of argument, but always with God’s word and with much prayer, always with Christ’s life in mind.

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: [1 Peter 1:22 KJV]

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. [1 John 3:18 KJV]

Salvation is a gift from God, unearned by sinful man, simply accepted upon realization of God’s love made manifest in His son, Jesus, the Christ.

Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. [Acts 15:10-11 KJV]

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) [Ephesians 2:4-5 KJV]

That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [Ephesians 2:7-8 KJV]

Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, [2 Timothy 1:9 KJV]

We must see our brethren through our Father’s eyes.

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? [Matthew 7:11 KJV]

Being perfect, when He must chastise His children, I believe He does even better than the advice He gives us.

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. [Colossians 3:21 KJV]

Compare Matthew 11:3 and Acts 15:10. Exhort. Not to the point of discouragement.