Beware!

"And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2: 15-17 KJV)

Before the first sin was ever committed, Lord God gave a clear warning to Adam and to our race concerning the consequences of his disobedience to God's single command. It was in spite of that "clear cut" command, with its warning of serious adverse consequences, that Adam sinned, willingly doing just the opposite of what his Maker had commanded and warned against doing.

Adam could never successfully argue that he was never warned. He may have tried to "excuse" or to "justify" himself by other "lines of argument," but he never tried to argue his case from "ignorance" of the law. He "full well knew" the consequences, being "fairly warned." He could not properly or legitimately say to Lord God - "you should have told me!"

Lord God has continued to give warnings to all Adam's fallen wayward descendents, saying to them all to "turn from" their sins and to "turn to" him and to seek forgiveness from him. His warnings to fallen man have been constant, and numerous, and expressly written. Man has "no excuse."

"Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them: Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers." (Jeremiah 7: 25, 26 KJV)

Sending them with what messages? Did they not include warnings? and threats? and clearly stated penalties and judgments? Were they also not warned repeatedly? Oh the eternal regret that the sinner will feel for having failed to heed God's gracious and merciful warnings! (See Luke 16: 27-31) But, sadly, the people scoffed at Lord God's merciful warnings, and hardened their hearts, because they disbelieved the dangers, thinking God's "threats" could be taken lightly and disregarded.

"Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day." (Deuteronomy 8: 11 KJV)

This was an integral part of the instruction that Lord God gave to the people when he gave them his laws, and when he entered into covenant with them. They were warned against "forgetting" God and his word. Man has continued to be warned by the servants of God to "remember" the Lord, and his commandments, and not to "forget" him nor his teachings. He has continued to be warned also by the witness of the Spirit in the conscience of man.

"Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off." (Exodus 23: 20-23 KJV)

Truly this "Angel" was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ in one of his pre-Incarnation appearances and roles. The word "angel" means "messenger," and above all others, the Son of God, is the "Word of God" (John 1: 1), and the official communicator and spokesman of the Godhead. This is the one whom Malachi called the "angel of the covenant" (Malachi 3: 1).

Obey the voice of this Angel! To do so is salvation; not to do so is eternal death and destruction. This is similar language of the second Psalm, where all the nations of the earth are commanded to "kiss the Son of God lest he be angry with you and you perish..."

"The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward." (Psalm 19: 7-11 KJV)

"By them is your servant warned"! Yes indeed! The bible is full of divine warnings. They are given in order that we might be saved by them. But, unless they are believed and heeded, the warnings will do no good, but will only serve to increase one's misery for having been so foolish for refusing to heed the warnings about what was clearly real danger.

"Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me." (Ezekiel 3: 17; 33: 7 KJV)

So, God has been a faithful and merciful God to continue, night and day, to send his servants to warn the world of lost sinners. God's servants are, above all things, in the business of "warning" people. The preaching of the gospel and word of God is the preaching of all the divine warnings.

"Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge." (Proverbs 19: 25 KJV)

"To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it." (Jeremiah 6: 10 KJV)

To heed warnings requires wisdom and knowledge. There are many "false alarms" and one must be able to know when he is being fooled and when he is being warned against what is really no danger. But, how many are foolish and do not heed warning of real danger!

Look at the condition in which the above verses describe the sinner. He is without knowledge of any real dangers, having a false sense of security. He also is deaf! He has literally "stopped his ears" to these warnings! The "warnings" all "fall on deaf ears"! Such sinners are absolutely shut up to the mercy of God to deliver them and to open their ears and the eyes of their understandings to perceive the impending dangers.

"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you." (Acts 13: 38-41 KJV)

Beware! Beware that you will surely receive all that the law promised to its transgressors, IF you do not see in Christ your only hope of justification before the law. This is the message of the gospel. It warns of failing to believe in Christ and of failing to appropriate his righteousness, but promises eternal justification and glory to those who do.

"But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" (Matthew 3: 7 KJV)

John the Baptist, what a preacher of the divine warnings!

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matthew 7: 15 KJV)

"But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues..." (Matthew 10: 17 KJV)

"Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." (Matthew 16: 6 KJV)

"And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod." (Mark 8: 15 KJV)

"Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." (Luke 12: 1 KJV)

"And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." (Luke 12: 15 KJV)

Was not Jesus also a preacher of warnings? He warned against false doctrine. What people believe is most important. Doctrine cannot be divorced from faith and from service to Christ. He commends those who hold to good doctrine, but condemns all doctrine that is against holy scripture. Oh how men need to be warned against the false teachings that damn men's souls!

They also need to be warned against "hypocrisy" and "covetousness," two other spiritual and eternal dangers to the soul. And again, how much warning is needed today in regard to these two sins!

"Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision." (Philippians 3: 2 KJV)

This is similar to Jesus' words - "beware of (evil) men."

Christians are to be "on the alert" against mean-spirited and vicioius people (dogs), and against "evil workers" of all kinds, and against Phariseeical Jews, or "the concision."

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." (Colossians 2: 8 KJV)

Again, more warnings about the dangers of false beliefs about God, and religion, and the "why of things." The "philosophy" of the world is not in accordance with the truth of God's word, but is an invention of demons.

"Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears." (Acts 20: 31 KJV)

Now that is a person who really cares about the people he is warning! Warning day and night, year after year, and with intense urging and tears! The message constantly, to sinners, was - "save yourselves"! (Acts 2: 40) To the believer it was, - "hang on"!

"I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you." (I Corinthians 4: 14 KJV)

"Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men." (I Thessalonians 5: 14 KJV)

"But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him." (Luke 12: 5 KJV)

"That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified." (I Thessalonians 4: 6 KJV)

"Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness." (II Peter 3: 17 KJV)

Friend, will you heed these warnings today?