Encouragement builds others up, strengthens their hearts knowing that they are not forgotten or neglected, and that God is using them….our criticisms will, of course, have the opposite effect.

And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24–25

This is a passage with which we are all too familiar. It is a text of Scripture that we appeal to in order to emphasize the need that we as believers have for gathering on the Lord’s Day and not forsaking the church. While this is an important passage for that very reason, it also emphasizes another action that we are to do: encourage one another. What does it mean to encourage? The Greek word is translated in the New Testament as encourage, exhort, comfort, appeal to name a few. This word in the Hebrews passage has the meaning of “calling to one’s side.” The idea is to come alongside to offer help. The writer of Hebrews is exhorting the church to come alongside other believers and stimulate (provoke or incite) one another to love and good deeds. It would be safe to assume that if Christian A is coming along side Christian B to provoke him unto love and good deeds that Christian A is to do so out of his love and care for Christian B. Christian A desires the wellbeing of Christian B and for him to also love others and to strive to walk worthy of Christ. It is wonderful when brothers and sisters carry this out in the church. Sadly, this doesn’t always happen as it’s supposed to.

To Encourage or to Criticize?

Instead of encouraging one another, many resort to simply criticizing one another. For anything that does not fit their views or convictions, they offer only criticism. If it doesn’t fit the views of their favorite teachers or theologians, it is considered error. There is no examination of their own views to see if they line up with Scripture, but rather their views have become the standard of judgment. Certainly, we are to point out error and sin, or anything contrary to what God has clearly said in Scripture, but if we determine whether someone is orthodox, spiritually mature, or walking worthily based on our own convictions or ideas, then we have now crossed over into legalism. Our standard of judgment is to be the Scripture. We determine what sin is and is not by the Scripture as it is the inspired and authoritative Word of God. When we make our judgments, the Scripture should always be our foundation. If we must debate on whether something is sin or isn’t sin, then very likely we are dealing with an issue of personal conviction. We must be ever so careful not to allow pride to creep into our hearts, which will then give us a distorted view of ourselves that we are more righteous than others because we regard our convictions as more holy.

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