Godly Correction (3 of 5)

Mankind’s morals, standards, and practice of correction have varied across the span of many ages and throughout a widespread diversity of cultures. Understanding correction as God has revealed in scripture will help today’s followers gain the right perception to exercise correction acceptably and effectually.

Privilege, Responsibility & Gifts of Correction

God has given his people the privilege and responsibility to correct on his behalf; and has bestowed upon his people spiritual gifts to fulfill their responsibility. 

Privilege as Oracle of God

God's people have the privilege of speaking as the oracles of God, wherein the words spoken are as though they were spoken from God directly.

1 Peter 4:11 KJV - "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

Responsibility to Deliver & Restore

God's people have a responsibility to deliver and restore others through correction.

Proverbs 23:13-14 KJV - "13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. 14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell."

Matthew 18:15 KJV - "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother."

Galatians 6:1 KJV - "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."

Responsibility to Contend

God's people have a responsibility to contend for the faith.

Jude 1:3, 22-23 KJV - "3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. ... 22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh."

Through Admonishment, Reproof, & Rebuke

God's people have a responsibility to correct through admonishment, reproof, and rebuke.

Luke 17:3 KJV - "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him."

Romans 15:14 KJV - "And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another."

Ephesians 5:11 KJV - "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."

1 Thessalonians 5:14 KJV - "Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men."

2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 KJV - "14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."

1 Timothy 5:20 KJV - "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear."

2 Timothy 4:2 KJV - "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."

Titus 1:10-14 KJV - "10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. 12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. 13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; 14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth."

Through Being the Light

God's people have a responsibility to correct through being a light that manifests godliness in speech, works, and separation.

Matthew 5:14-15 KJV - "14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.15 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (also 1 Thessalonians 5:5)

John 8:12 KJV - "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (also John 11:10, 12:35, 46) 

John 20:21 KJV - "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."

1 Corinthians 11:1 KJV - "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."

Matthew 10:27 KJV - "What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.”

Ephesians 5:8-13 KJV - "8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light." (see also John 12:46)

2 Corinthians 6:14 KJV - "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" (see also Psalm 66:18; 94:20; 1 Corinthians 5:11-13, 10:21)

1 John 1:7 KJV - "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

Through the Gift of Prophesying

God's people have a responsibility to correct through prophesying and have been given the gift of prophesying to enable them.

1 Corinthians 12:10-11 KJV - "10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."

Romans 12:6 KJV - "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;"

1 Corinthians 14:1, 39 KJV - "1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. ... 39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues."

1 Corinthians 14:31 KJV - “For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted."

Acts 2:17-18 KJV - "17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:"

Acts 21:9 KJV - "And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy."

Through Exhortation

God's people have a responsibility to correct with exhortation.

Romans 12:6, 8 KJV - "6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; ... 8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness."

1 Timothy 4:13 KJV - "Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine."

1 Timothy 6:2 KJV - "And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort."

2 Timothy 4:2 KJV - "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."

Titus 1:9 KJV - "Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers."

Titus 2:6 KJV - "Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.”

Titus 2:9 KJV – “Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;”

Titus 2:15 KJV – “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee."

Hebrews 3:13 KJV - "But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."

Hebrews 10:25 KJV - "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

Through Provocation

God's people have a responsibility to provoke others unto good works.

​Hebrews 10:24 KJV - "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:"

Matthew 5:16 KJV - "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Galatians 4:18 KJV - "But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you."

1 Timothy 4:12 KJV - "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

Through Making Ashamed

God's people have the responsibility to be blameless and separated; through which evil doers may be ashamed.

2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 KJV - "14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."

Titus 2:8 KJV - "Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you."

1 Peter 3:16 KJV - "Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ."

Accountability of Correction

God has revealed to his people what it means to withhold ones peace, as well as, what he expects and how his people will be held accountable.

Confirming & Partnering

When someone holds their peace toward another, they are confirming and partnering with them.

Numbers 30:4, 14 KJV - "4 And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. ... 14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them."

Proverbs 29:24 KJV - "Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not."

Command & Accountability

God commands his people to not hold their peace and holds his people accountable for not warning the wicked.

Leviticus 5:1 KJV - "And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity."

Isaiah 62:6 KJV - "I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,"

Ezekiel 33:2-9 KJV - "2 Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: 3 If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; 4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. 6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. 7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. 8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul."

Job 11:3 KJV - "Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?"

Job 13:10 KJV - "He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons."

Proverbs 29:5 KJV - "A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet."

Acts 18:9 KJV - "Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:"

Jeremiah 1:6-8 KJV - "6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. 7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. 8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD."

*This study continues in Godly Correction (4 of 5).