Encouragement vs Admonishment

Encouragement vs Admonishment

Last week we learned about holding each other accountable and confronting our brothers and sisters in Christ when a sinful action is noticed (click HERE to read "Accountability and Admonishment").  Today we are going to learn the difference between encouragement and admonishment.

We will begin by defining these two words:

Encouragement - to inspire with courage, spirit or hope.  To attempt to persuade, spur on.  Hearten, cheer, embolden, boost, give confidence.

Admonish - to warn or reprimand someone firmly.  To give friendly or earnest advice.  Rebuke, chide, reprove, reproach.

It's really quite simple:
Encouraging has to do with positive characteristics and supporting or building up our family/friends/neighbors in doing good.  Whereas, admonishing has to do with the negative or sinful actions - confronting and gently restoring that person to righteousness or removing the bad.

Encouragement and admonishment are equally important.  See the verse below - we are to encourage and rebuke "with all authority."  Also, encouragement with admonishment is the perfect combination.  As an example - maybe you notice that your friend is constantly losing his/her patience and temper with his/her spouse but also notice how patient and kind that friend is to a neighbor.  You could point out the wrong while complimenting the action towards the neighbor. 

We should constantly be encouraging one another.  In Hebrews Chapter 3 (see the first Scripture feature on this post above), we see that we should encourage each other DAILY.  As long as the day is called Today - that means always!  And in these same Bible verses we see the reason - when there is encouragement in righteousness, then bitterness and deceit will not happen.  When we are holding each other accountable for our actions and encouraging one another in good, then we will not fall back into old and bad habits (sins).

The final featured Scripture below is just wonderfully simple:
Warn
Encourage
Help
& Be Patient

By encouraging others daily, you will see that you yourself will be lifted up.

Finally, I want to leave you with an "encouragement equation":

Encouragement + Admonishment = Accentuating the positive + Eliminating the negative


A special thanks to "singalong" for sharing this with us on YouTube

Copyright, Permissions& Disclaimer

This post was featured on:

Over the Moon Link Party

Linked to:
Over the Moon Linky Party
Thursday Favorite Things
Oh My Heartsie Girls Wonderful Wednesday
Tuesdays with a Twist
Friday Feature Linky Party
______________________________

"Prayer Warriors United" is a google+ Community where Christians come together in prayer. 

Click HERE to view or join this community

If you need prayer please fill out this

Prayer Request form