WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17
Scripture: Colossians 1:24-28

In Colossians 1:24-28 we are told, “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” The evangelistic gift is first, and does not resist evil while sowing seeds of salvation. The pastoral gift is second, and resists evil by identifying it and demonstrating forbearance to overcome it. Layer Three is represented by the prophetic gift. Verse 28 says “…warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man tel-i-os/perfect in Christ Jesus.” “Warning” is the Greek word nou-thet-eh-o. Nou-thet-eh-o is a compound word coming from nous, ‘the mind’ or ‘how we think.’ Tith-aim-ee means ‘to place under a bushel’ or ‘to misplace.’ When nous and tith-aim-ee are placed together, it means ‘to begin to think erroneously.’ Nou-thet-eh-o simply means that when we see brothers beginning to think erroneously, our job is to warn them about the fruit of their thinking and warn them about the direction they are taking. Warning is God’s Love Layer Three. Do we love people enough to warn them?