For the past couple weeks we’ve been talking about different kinds of warnings and our responses to them. Last week I said my experience has led me to believe warnings are not particularly effective in getting most people to change their behavior unless something bad has already happened to convince them the warnings are valid. The exception we found in the Old Testament is that people with a deep relationship with God were more apt to heed His warnings, regardless of their culture.

Over the next two weeks, I want to look at some New Testament warnings–some in the Gospels and some in the Epistles.

In Matthew 3, we find John the Baptist warning people to repent and be baptized. When the Pharisees and Sadducees came to where he was baptizing, he chastised them with strong words, including “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” In other words, being baptized without repentance has no value.

When someone dear to me was preparing to go away to college, he was told by his pastor that he needed to be baptized. He was never asked the vital questions about whether he had surrendered his life to Jesus and repented of his sins, which he had not. Those who are considering baptism should make sure they’ve received Jesus and produced fruit in keeping with repentance.

In Matthew 16, Jesus gave a warning to his disciples: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Later, He explained this meant to be on guard against their teachings. I believe this is still valid today as a warning against legalism. I know of a man who became so embroiled in legalism that he no longer believed his father, a wonderful, godly man, was saved because he didn’t worship on Saturday. Legalism is truly like yeast because it grows and spreads. Years ago I read about a group who kept adding more and more laws and rules to their Christianity until finally the leaders themselves weren’t able to keep them all.

Sound familiar? Jesus said, “The teachers of the religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden” (Matthew 23:2-4). Sometimes the most sincere people, the ones who most want to please Jesus, can be the most susceptible to legalism, thinking that they are pleasing God.

Here are a few of the other warnings of Jesus:

“Watch out! Be on your guard against wanting to have more and more things. Life is not made up of how much a person has.” (Luke 12:15 NIRV)

“Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1 WEB

“Be careful therefore how you hear… My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God, and do it.” (Luke 8:18, 21 WEB)

Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us enough to warn us of the things that will lead us away from you and make you sad. Give us ears to hear the voice of your Spirit and hearts to obey. Amen.