Day 6 - Week 10 - 2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness."

I hope you all have had a Sunday of worship and of rest.  I have had both.  I heard good teaching this morning in my Bible study as Jim McKee began leading us through the time between the resurrection and Pentecost.  As I listened, I couldn't help but think of this week's verse and how I was seeing it in action.  Jim does a great job of bringing the Scripture to life and to use it, very profitably for those in attendance, to teach, to convict, to correct, to train us in righteousness. 

While I had somewhat hoped that we could find an alternative word for "correction" so as to avoid a difficult subject to deal with, I'm not able to do that.  The Greek word used in this verse is "epanorthosis" and is used in the New Testament only one time, in this verse.  The definition is, "restoration to an upright or right state; correction, improvement of life or character." 

Correction ---not a pleasant task.  I do not like confrontation and avoid it, sometimes to a fault.  But when we reread our verse, we do not have to take on correcting others.  For it is not assigned to us...it is assigned to Scripture.  "Scripture is....profitable for...correcting."

I'm reminded that many times I have heard others say, "I'm not telling you that (whatever behavior was being addressed) is wrong, the Bible tells us."  That's where knowledge of Scripture is so important.  And another reason that I feel it is important to memorize Scripture sources along with the words.  When we can quote chapter and verse to help us in discussing topics that may need to be brought to a Christian brother's or sister's attention, it is much more convincing than saying we think the Bible addresses it. 

A couple of things that I feel are critical to Biblical correction....

• It must be done in love, with the sincere best interest of the person at heart.  No other motivation.  No trying to prove we are right and they are wrong, only that we know that God's Word speaks against their behavior and it will not lead to their best future.
• It cannot be early in your relationship with that person...there has to be a foundation of Christian love and respect already established before there can be confrontation; otherwise, without trust, the person will more than likely feel criticized rather than corrected and become defensive.

And when, after prayerfully presenting our concern to God, we are convicted that we are the one that the Holy Spirit is leading to correct another, then we must remember the words of Paul in Galatians 6:1,

Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. (NLT)

One more thing...I note that correction comes third in this list, after teaching and convicting (the word I choose to use over rebuking).  If a person has not been taught the Word of God, and if they haven't been convicted of it's truth and surrendered their will to God, then there is no point in spending time correcting their actions.  Their actions are those of a person who has not chosen to live according to God's ways, so how can we really correct them...if what they are doing is not illegal, then there's no reason (in their eyes), not to pursue their current course.  Christian correction is for Christians...we cannot impose God-given laws on those who have not given themselves to God. 

For those, we can pray, pray and continue to pray for eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart that can be broken.