Exhort, Enlighten, Convince, Admonish and Punish—Reproach and Accuse

Exhort, Enlighten, Convince, Admonish and Punish—Reproach and Accuse

You can rarely or never find a person who has a clear concept of what an exhortation is.

Usually one is not bothered by people who have such care and show such goodwill toward others, and make the effort to exhort them, that they can have an opportunity to learn what exhortation is all about in that way.

The reason is that evil is the ruling power among people, also among those who are converted. Almost every person will protest against the last part of this statement, and yet it is so. Those who have a good eye have no difficulty in seeing it. Most people do not see it, but then you can’t expect it either, for according to Peter’s word they are blind or nearsighted. 2 Pet. 1:8-9.

For the person who looks at the stark reality in daily life, the folly of believers is also evident. If you examine people’s lives a little bit more closely, you will discover that the things that are pure and just bother them. They consider them to be their opponents. It is even troublesome for them to see a virtuous person, and even more so to hear him or have to deal with him. Only the sight of him reminds them of their own folly!

On a natural level there is no such thing as an exhortation to do the good. All exhortation is considered to be a reproach.

To exhort is the same as to provoke unto love and good works, to praise what is righteous and merciful, to encourage people to hold fast to the good that they have, and to pursue more of the same.

Those who are hungry are greatly strengthened by it, whereas those who are satisfied make their dislike for it known, for they have no desire to run in the race; it does not suit them. They are slow and dull and have no sense for the things that are pure and lovely.

A love of that which is good and its entrance into the hearts compels us to exhort each other. Paul says that in one place he had exhorted every single person in the church with tears night and day for three years. Whoever wants to can receive understanding from this. Most converted people have never in their life—not a single time—exhorted a single person in the church. The Thessalonians exhorted each other daily—this only by way of comparison.

The need for love is often spoken about. We do indeed need love in order to do this, but not in order to smile and speak rousing words.

Exhortation is therefore something that shall take place while everything is in order, while justice and mercy prevail, so that these forces will not lose their power in the hearts, but rather increase moment by moment.

Admonishment and punishment are administered when there is something that is wrong in order to get rid of the evil. Consequently, exhortation is something that takes place before something bad has been done, whereas admonishment and punishment are administered afterward.

Enlightenment and convincing are needed when a person has done something or is about to do something wrong without the person realizing it. In such a case, one shall not admonish or punish, because one doesn’t have a reason to expect anything better.

Only where the person has been enlightened beforehand, where one with good reason could have expected something else, would it be fitting to admonish or punish. Then admonishment would be fitting and useful—which is precisely the intention.

On average, every time a person is enlightened, every convincing word is received as a reproach or an accusation, or in the best case as an admonition.

This is because one has become accustomed to the evil that is in the world. One is used to meeting only with reproach and accusation. However, fellow laborers of Christ do not practice that; they speak for their neighbor’s benefit—that which is reasonable.

It is one thing to exhort, enlighten, convince, admonish, and punish; it is something totally different to reproach and accuse.

The first are forces of salvation. The latter belong and lead to hell.