“Shh! We don’t talk about things like that anymore. Sure, Jesus, John the Baptist, and Paul preached like that, but it’s a new day now. We have to be careful not to offend anyone or at least, not the wrong ones.” But God said….

“If you warn them and they refuse to repent and keep on sinning, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved yourself because you obeyed me.” (Ezekiel 3:19 NLT).

A List to Avoid!

Each Sunday, back in the 1980s, at the conclusion of my six-hour radio show that began at 6:00a.m. and ended at 12:00 p.m. on WDUR in Durham, N. C., I would head to Mount Calvary on Gillette Street to hear Bishop Frizelle Yelverton, Sr. preach the gospel with clarity and conviction. He often referred to himself as “The Good News Man” and that he was! He also often sang a song with the following lyrics:

          I don’ warned man; that’s all I can do!

          I don’ warned man; that’s all I can do!

          I told you once; I told you twice,

          You can’t go to heaven with a sweetheart and a wife!

          I don’ warned man; that’s all I can do

          I told you time and time again,

          You won’t make heaven if you’re livin’ in sin!

          I don’ warned man; that’s all I can do!

Elder Eddie F. Southerland from Philadelphia was another preacher who influenced me significantly when I was a child. He was a young man with a warm and gracious personality. And he always shared the gospel with crystal clarity that listeners of every age could appreciate. He used to tell us, “There is a list in 1 Corinthians that you don’t want to be on. Now, make sure you are not on this list!” And he didn’t just share the list, but he clearly addressed each part of it. Elder Southerland captured our hearts with gracious love and warned and won our souls for Christ with tough love. Like Bishop Yelverton and John the Baptist in Luke 3, he did not hesitate to warn people of their sins. Although Elder Southerland used to smile and say, “I love you to pieces!” in reality, he loved us to life!

So, what is the list to avoid? It is found in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10: “Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God” (NLT). The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16) are all covered on that list.

As ministers of the gospel, whether we stand behind a pulpit or not, we have a responsibility to warn our children, brothers and sisters, neighbors, and everyone else that, “The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 NLT). This is how we love people to life!

Is this too old school for you? I don’t expect anyone to respond. But I must share what He gives me to share. “I don’ warned man; that’s all I can do!”

Focus Quote: “If I warn the wicked, saying ‘You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths” (Ezekiel 3:18 NLT)).

And please continue to join us for our 5:14 pm prayer. “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14). Just pause and pray wherever you are. There is no call line or zoom link that you need to remember or retrieve and connect to. Just connect to God and pray! We and many others will also be praying with you. There is power in agreement! 

Blessings, Peace, and Love,

Dr. Alton E. Sumner, Author, Standing on the Promises: Defeating Fear and Breaking Barriers

(301) 921-6060

Listening to the Soul! Lightening the Heart! Lifting the Spirit!

Built to Last!