Beware

by Chris Simmons

Anyone who’s had the privilege of teaching their children how to drive a car understands one of the keys to success is to instill in them knowledge of what they need to watch out for and things to beware of. The consequences of not doing so can be deadly. God warned His chosen people before they entered the promised land of things to beware of, including complacency (Deuteronomy 8:11) and idolatry (Deuteronomy 12:29-30). Likewise, Jesus during His ministry taught all of His disciples what they needed to watch out for and what they needed to beware of. A failure on our part to do so can be eternally deadly.

The Greek word for “beware” (NASV) or “take heed” (ASV) comes from the Greek word prosecho which means “to hold the mind towards, i.e., pay attention to, be cautious about, apply oneself to” (Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary). W. E. Vine says of this word that it means “to turn one’s mind or attention to a thing by being on one’s guard against it.” We can’t beware of that for which we’re not watching. There are three primary themes to Jesus’ warnings in the gospels that we need to be watchful for.

Beware of who you listen to for false teaching and evil influences will continually attack us. Jesus once again said in Luke 20:46-47, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.” Be very careful about who you admire and pattern your life after for we will become like them. Jesus again said in Matthew 7:15-16, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?” It’s not about what they look like it’s about what they produce. Look to their fruit! It’s not enough to not admire and follow after bad influences, it’s just as important to identify and follow the right influences. Paul wrote in Philippians 3:17, “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.” To the contrary, Paul exhorted the brethren in Thessalonica to “keep away from (avoid) every brother who leads an unruly (disorderly, ASV) life and not according to the tradition you received from us.” We’re not to “regard” such a brother as “an enemy, but admonish him as a brother” (II Thessalonians 3:15). Ultimately, our spiritual success is dependent to keep “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2) and keep listening to Him!

Beware of what you love because greed will consume you. We read in Luke 12:15, “And He said to them, ‘Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.’” What are we passionate about? What is it that we treasure? What is our first love? There is but one thing that we are passionate about, that we treasure, and that we love and we can’t be fooled into thinking that our heart can be split. This is what Jesus taught in Matthew 6:19-24 when He said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also… No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Greed is the insatiable love for the things of this life and this is what John warned of in I John 2:15, “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” We must have a heart set on “the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). The temptation Jesus is warning against is to focus on the things we can see rather than that which is unseen. We won’t be successful until we’re able to direct our focus to that which is unseen and eternal (II Corinthians 4:17-18).

Finally, beware of who you are because hypocrisy is insidiously dangerous. We read in Luke 12:1-3, “Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, ‘Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops.’” The circumstances that Jesus referred to was His pronouncement of woe upon the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and their hostility towards Him. Jesus’ warning is to beware of portraying to others something other than what we really are. We must realize that what is hidden from others is always known by God. We can’t be fooled into thinking that our ability to fool other people means that we can fool God. Jesus warned in Matthew 6:1, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” We read in Psalms 44:20-21, “If we had forgotten the name of our God or extended our hands to a strange god, would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.” Therefore, it’s not being aware of how others perceive you, it’s being aware of your heart before God, for it’s the heart from which everything else flows (Matthew 15:18-20). We are far too concerned about presenting our case before others that we forget that everyday we’re stating our case before God. We need to convince Him of our faith, commitment, loyalty, and love and not about our appearances before our fellow man. Paul asked in Galatians 1:10, “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God?” Beware of who you are on the inside and not what you portray to others on the outside (Matthew 23:25-28).

Beware who we listen to for it will define our direction. Beware what we love for it will define our destination. Beware of who we really are for it will define eternity.