"Je t'en conjure donc devant Dieu et devant le Seigneur Jésus -Christ, qui doit juger les vivants et les morts, lors de son apparition et de son règne,prêche la parole, insiste en temps et hors de temps, reprends, censure, exhorte en toute patience, et en instruisant.Car il viendra un temps où les hommes ne souffriront point la saine doctrine, mais où, désireux d'entendre des choses agréables, ils s'amasseront des docteurs selon leurs convoitises ,Et fermeront l'oreille à la vérité, et se tourneront vers des fables".– 2 Tim. iv. 1-4. Cet article a été traduit en français par notre frère et ami Christophe Mathieu.
“I Charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their oars from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” – 2 Tim. iv. 1-4.
A brother has solicited our views on the subject of exhortations, particularly as they are found in the New Testament. With a desire to comply with our brother's request, we must first confess our great feeling of inability to express what is understood by us concerning this theme. We have long held the view that most of what are generally regarded as exhortations in the New Testament are rather simple statements of fact, as the Lord and the apostles gave them. Nevertheless, as there are those texts that have been perplexing to many, we offer a few lines. We trust our brethren will adopt our remarks, only as they are sufficiently sustained by the Word of God.
