Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
Luke 17: 3
We live in an age hostile to correction. “No” has become a four-letter word in the modern vernacular. Our non-Christian friends don’t want to be told their unbelief warrants God’s judgment. But often our Christian friends don’t want to be corrected, either. And that’s sad, because a rebuke can be good for the soul. “The wise of heart,” says King Solomon, “will receive correction” (Prov 10:8).
When to Correct our Brethren?
Correct when the salvation of a brother or sister is in question.
“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God” (Heb 3:12). Notice that this word is addressed to brothers. It’s those of us who call ourselves Christians who need to closely examine our hearts. But this kind of examination is not merely a call to private, personal self-analysis.
When you see a brother or sister continuing in a pattern of unbelief or a pattern that calls into question the genuineness of his profession of faith, you should speak up. It is your word of encouragement that the Holy Spirit may use to soften your sister’s heart, lead her into an attitude of repentance, and spare her from God’s wrath.
Jesus taught us to correct one another because he understood the danger of unrepentant sin. In Matthew 18:15-16 he carefully lays out a process of correcting a brother who’s sinned against another brother. Jesus doesn’t reveal the nature of the sin. However, he makes it quite clear that if the sinner doesn’t repent of that sin, he shouldn’t be treated as a brother or sister in Christ. But how will this sinner come to realize his/her fault? He needs a word of correction. Jesus tells us to provoke the sinner individually (v. 15). If the sinner’s heart remains hard, a few others should offer the corrective word (v. 16).
However, a word of caution is in order. There are times where no response is the best response. Consider the following verses:
- Proverbs 19:11, “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”
- Proverbs 10:12, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers over all offenses.”
- 1 Peter 4:8, “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”
Prayer:
Our Gracious Heavenly Father thank you Lord for providing a heart to correct our brothers if they sin against you. Dear Lord grant us the wisdom so that our words of correction can be very sweet to renew the faith of weary saints. But our words can be unhelpful and hurtful, too. We need your wisdom to know when to correct and when to overlook in Jesus Name we Pray Amen.
Sol.Olivia Capitola J AOJ