The Bible says, “ . . . the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. . . . Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward” (Ps.19:9b – 11).

Life is filled with warnings. Warnings are given that we may avoid disaster. We’re warned against bad choices and their bad consequences. We either heed the warning or ignore it.

Warnings are given in advance of our meeting the bad consequences from bad choices, in order to give us a chance to change our choices and avoid the bad consequences and experience good consequences.

Things that are bad for our health have warning labels on them, but that doesn’t stop people from consuming them. Highway signs warn of danger ahead and advise us to slow down. These warnings are ignored by many as well.

A warning is an act of mercy shown by some one who doesn’t want to see us experience the suffering that is certain to be brought on by our choices. “A warning is a great arresting statement of God’s, inspired by His love and patience.” God warns. The devil threatens. A warning is given in advance of the disaster while there’s still time to change our choice, or it can’t be considered a warning. We are warned in advance.

Our conscience warns us in advance of wrong thoughts and actions, but has no power after its warning to stop us from fulfilling our will.

People who ignore warnings say they’ll chance it and take the risk. They think the warning might be wrong, that it doesn’t apply to them and maybe the person who gave the warning didn’t understand the danger.

The Bible (KJV) is filled with warnings. The Bible, as the Psalmist says, reveals God’s judgment and sentence upon every action of man. By reading God’s Word, we can be warned in advance how God will deal with us regarding any actions we take.

It has many warnings for the unsaved (Mt.7:13-14). The warning it gives the lost is that there is a real Hell where they will suffer for all eternity if they die in their sins without Jesus Christ (Lk.16:19-31). People are in Hell because they ignored God’s warnings and decided to take a chance and risk it to see if God meant what He said.

The Bible has many warnings for the saved. It warned Israel and warns the Christian primarily against disobedience to God’s Word (KJV) (Deut. 27, 28; Rom.12:1, 2).

As the prophets in the Old Testament warned Israel and the gentile nations of God’s judgment the preachers is to warn the people today. And like the prophets of old, if the preacher doesn’t warn the people, their blood will be on his hands (Eze.3:17, 18, 33:9; Acts 20:30, 31).

The world has been warned that Jesus is coming again for the saved and that this world will be destroyed by fire. But because the world has never seen such things and thousands of years have lapsed since these warnings were given the world mocks these warnings (2 Pet.3: 3-13).

A warning gives us time to prepare and we will prepare if we believe the warning. We don’t heed the voice of warning because it turns us from our pleasure and satisfied state to address by faith something that has yet to become a reality. We may ignore storm warnings and be fortunate to escape any harm, but we’ll not escape God’s judgment if we ignore His warnings.

James H. Cagle is a resident of Ray City.