All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2 Timothy 3:16
Reproof is correction. If we get to the place where we feel like we don’t need correction, we are going to miss the mark. If we think that we know it all, we don’t know anything. We must have the attitude of; Lord you show me, Lord you teach me, you help me. If all we are is full of our own ideas and our own ways, God will not be able to teach us. We have to be in a position where he can teach us a better way.
Reproof gives us the correct information. It rebukes us. It repairs the wrongs that we’ve done. Every one of us will have had things we didn’t do right. Even if you have been saved ten years, twenty years, thirty years; there still will be areas in your life that you can improve upon.
He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. Proverbs 29:1
God is a god of longsuffering, but God wants us to move under the correction. Isn’t it a blessing when you correct your children and then they obey you? It is a greater blessing if they take the warning and instruction ahead of time so that they don’t have to be corrected. An example would be warning them to not go into the street because it is dangerous. If they go into the street they have to be corrected. If they heeded the warning, they would not have to be corrected.
God warns us many times about situations. He wants us to heed the warnings and admonitions so that we can stay on the narrow way. The scripture says neck but it doesn’t mean our physical neck. It means our heart because God deals with our heart. God can reprove and reprove and reprove. If every time, when the reproof comes and the person doesn’t take the reproof, God will reprove again. How do you get hardened? The admonition is coming; but you don’t do it. The admonition comes to read the bible and pray every day, but you don’t do it. The admonition comes to stick by the Lord every day, but you don’t do it. How many of you have heard that you need to read your bible and pray every day? You have all heard it. What happens when people start to backslide? Their heart starts getting hard thinking that they don’t have to read their bible and pray every day. They hear it but they won’t do it.
God has a lot of instruction in the church sermon, but if you do not listen, you won’t get it.
Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. Proverbs 8:32-36
To "hearken" means to listen. In order for you to hear, you have to listen. If we have our mind so cluttered up with the things of this life and we are just distracted, God will be speaking to us and we will not hear it.
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; Proverbs 1:23-26
Our attitude towards reproof and correction is very important. God knows whether we take the gospel message to our heart or whether we don’t. He knows whether we are like the people in the book of Ezekiel who loved to come to church and sing the songs but went right out to do their own thing. He knows whether we receive the reproof or not. God wants to see some correction in our lives when he reproves us. If we have been lazy about our prayer life, he wants to see a correction. If we’ve been lazy about reading our bible, there needs to be a correction. Anything in our life that we have allowed to come in, when God shows us, there needs to be a correction. God’s reproof is going to be there.
And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy. 2 Chronicles 36:15-16
Take the reproof and correction of God’s word when it comes whether you read it in the Word of God, hear it in the church sermon, or hear it in a class. If it is God’s word, you need to take it and apply it to your life and God will help you to grow in him.
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