Topical Bible: The Judgment: Warn the Wicked of

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The concept of divine judgment is a central theme throughout the Bible, emphasizing the righteousness of God and the accountability of humanity. Scripture consistently calls for the warning of the wicked about impending judgment, underscoring the responsibility of believers to communicate God's truth and the consequences of sin.

Biblical Foundation

The call to warn the wicked is rooted in the prophetic tradition of the Old Testament. Ezekiel, a prophet during the Babylonian exile, is explicitly charged with this duty. In Ezekiel 3:18-19 , God commands, "If I say to the wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ but you do not warn him or speak out to warn him from his wicked way to save his life, that wicked man will die in his iniquity, and I will hold you responsible for his blood. But if you warn a wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness and his wicked way, he will die in his iniquity, but you will have saved yourself."

This passage highlights the dual responsibility of the prophet: to deliver God's message faithfully and to bear the consequences of neglecting this duty. The warning serves both as a call to repentance for the wicked and as a safeguard for the messenger's own accountability before God.

New Testament Continuation

The New Testament continues this theme, with Jesus and the apostles emphasizing the urgency of repentance in light of coming judgment. In Matthew 3:7-8 , John the Baptist warns the Pharisees and Sadducees, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance." Here, the warning is coupled with a call to genuine transformation, indicating that mere acknowledgment of impending judgment is insufficient without a corresponding change in behavior.

The apostle Paul also underscores the necessity of warning others. In Acts 20:31 , he reminds the Ephesian elders, "Therefore be alert and remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears." Paul's persistent warnings reflect his deep concern for the spiritual well-being of the believers and the seriousness with which he approached his apostolic mission.

The Role of Believers

Believers are called to be watchmen, akin to Ezekiel, tasked with the responsibility of warning others about the reality of God's judgment. This duty is not limited to prophets or apostles but extends to all who follow Christ. In 2 Timothy 4:2 , Paul exhorts Timothy, "Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction." This charge encompasses the full scope of pastoral and evangelistic ministry, including the warning of the wicked.

The Nature of the Warning

The warning of the wicked is not merely a declaration of doom but an invitation to repentance and reconciliation with God. The heart of the warning is love and concern for the eternal destiny of others. As 2 Peter 3:9 states, "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance."

Conclusion

The biblical mandate to warn the wicked of judgment is a solemn and compassionate call to action. It reflects God's desire for all to come to repentance and the believer's role in communicating this urgent message. Through faithful proclamation and loving admonition, believers participate in God's redemptive work, offering hope and salvation to a world in need.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Acts 24:25
And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go your way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for you.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Corinthians 5:11
Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest to God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

On the Character and Teaching of the Bishop.
... to testify and vehemently to forewarn [2618] concerning that judgment. ... Wherefore
do you warn and reprove the uninstructed ... good action, and avoid some wicked one ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/sec ii on the character and.htm

Thou Shalt in any Wise Rebuke Thy Neighbor, and not Suffer Sin ...
... surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked
man shall ... for their sins, you are not prepared to meet them in judgment. ...
/.../finney/lectures to professing christians/thou shalt in any wise.htm

A Consecrated Ministry
... Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to ... Faithfully are they to warn them
of the sure ... more and accomplish more than their finite judgment had seemed ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 34 a consecrated ministry.htm

A Work of Reform.
... The preaching of a definite time for the judgment, in the giving of the ... man, thou
shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way ...
/.../white/the great controversy between christ and satan /26 a work of reform.htm

A Work of Reform
... The preaching of a definite time for the judgment, in the giving of the ... man, thou
shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the great controversy/chapter 26 a work of.htm

The Declensions of Christianity, an Argument of Its Truth.
... after rectifying the mistake of those who thought the day of judgment then at hand ...
there will be none to stand up for God +"none to warn the wicked, or to ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon iv the declensions of.htm

God Willing that all Men Should be Saved.
... God doth not soon enter into judgment with them, but waits with much long ... providence,
and the voice of those whom he sends "to warn the wicked from their ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon xvii god willing that.htm

An American Reformer.
... As God sent His servant to warn the world of the ... messengers to make known the nearness
of the final judgment. ... While to the wicked the advent of the Lord brings ...
/.../the great controversy between christ and satan /18 an american reformer.htm

The Last Judgment. By the Rev. John Welch, AD 1570-1622.
... of a temporal judgment, but of an everlasting judgment that is coming on, (God waken
you and warn you in ... to the godly as well as to the wicked, yet there is ...
/.../knox/the pulpit of the reformation nos 1 2 and 3 /the last judgment by the.htm

An American Reformer
... As God sent His servant to warn the world of the ... messengers to make known the nearness
of the final judgment. ... While to the wicked the advent of the Lord brings ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 18 an american reformer.htm