The Preacher: A Watchman

"So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me" Ezekiel 33:7

"And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them...go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear...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 3:4,11,17

Paul commanded Timothy, "But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry" II Tim. 4:5 (emphasis added)

Timothy was to "...charge some that they teach no other doctrine..." I Tim. 1:3. That means he was concerned with doctrinal purity. He knew that if a person taught another doctrine he would be accursed Gal. 1:8,9 and that he would be without God if he went beyond the sacred teaching of inspiration II John 9-11. When he taught others II Tim. 2:2, he would be concerned with the same.

He was to be concerned with moral purity, "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity" I Tim. 4:12. His conduct with younger women was to be "...with all purity" I Tim. 5:2. In this same connection, he would dress modestly and teach others to dress modestly I Tim. 2,9,10. In doing so, would it be improper for him to warn against the dangers of immodesty?

Paul warned Timothy about false teaching and those who did the teaching. "But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some" II Tim. 2:16-18. Should Timothy warn about these faith-wreckers? Or, was he to be nice and ignore them so they could continue their work of devastation?

Would Timothy be unkind if he warned brethren about the perilous times which were coming? or, should he let brethren learn by experience? Should he identify such perils as, "...men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters..." and give warning against such soul-destroying things II Tim. 3:1ff?

The church is not to be burdened with certain things I Tim. 5:16. Could Timothy properly instruct brethren and warn them against putting upon the church obligations which do not belong to it?

If watchfulness is the price of liberty, is it improper for preachers to watch and warn? The inspired writers did not think so. The world and the church need preachers who still have enough backbone to see danger and warn about its soul-damning effects Mk. 16:16b. - Glenn Melton, Dyersburg Pathfinder, Special issue on Preaching - March 15, 1997

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