Anyone who has read the apostle Paul’s letters know him to be a man of great passion. He loved his brethren deeply, and dearly wished them to be strong and fruitful children of God. This is seen in his admonitions and in his entreaties. One of the phrases we see time and time again in his epistles is “I beseech you…”, or some variant. “I am pleading with you”, “I appeal to you”, “I urge you.”
The word beseech is used by Paul in the sense of begging or entreating. There is a difference in emphasis with asking as opposed to begging. Begging indicates a desperation for that proper response. Paul understood how important all of this was and is, and was figuratively (and maybe even literally) willing to get down on his knees and beg for his brethren to do what was right!
Consider:
Paul begged them to be living sacrifices! “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).
As always, such exhortations are appropriate because of the loving sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and all the spiritual blessings we receive through Him. “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:6-9).
Paul begged them to abound in their love for one another! “But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more” (1 Thessalonians 4:9-10).
The apostle of John certainly agreed with Paul about the importance of this love for one another. “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:16-18).
Paul begged his brethren to join him in prayer. “Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen” (Romans 15:30-33).
Paul begged Christians to be united in Christ. “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10).
It wasn’t just a general admonition. Two sisters in Philippi had conflict between them that was displeasing to God. Paul mentioned them by name in Philippians 4:2, “I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.” We must be willing to submit to the unity of the faith of God.
Paul begged Christians to mark and avoid those who are divisive and teach error. “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17-18).
This is so important in order to avoid strife and dissension among the people of God! “Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned” (Titus 3:10-11).
There are others. A final example is of Paul begging his brethren not to receive God’s grace in vain! “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2).
This is accomplished by obeying God’s truth, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. You ran well. Who hindered you obeying the truth?” (Galatians 5:6-7). Also by not turning back into sin! The Hebrew writer emphasized the danger of the “worse punishment” that would be their end if they persisted in sin against God. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).
The consequence of faith and/or disbelief is eternity in heaven and/or hell! Paul understood just how important it is, and because of his love for his brethren, exhorting and admonishing them was the most important thing in his ministry! It was important to him because it is important to our Father in heaven. In effect, God Himself is begging us to respect and obey Him!
