Bring about correction
December 29, 2009
We are our brother’s keepers. We are to watch over our brother in prayer as well as in persuasion. When it comes to correction, the Bible does not leave us to our ways of bringing this about. (I refer to the constructive criticism and the correction of errors, rather than the admonition and the upbringing of a child)
[Gal 6:1 Goodspeed New Testament] But if a man is caught doing something wrong, brothers, you are spiritual, and you must set him right, in a spirit of gentleness. Think of yourself, for you may be tempted too.
That being said, there can be two opposites to bringing about correction; one, to Judge the brother and write him off as beyond reformation or, two, to come with a brick-bat with all arrogance with malice. The antidote for both these are in Matthew 7:1-5 [1] “Pass no more judgments upon other people, so that you may not have judgment passed upon you. [2] For you will be judged by the standard you judge by, and men will pay you back with the same measure you have used with them. [3] Why do you keep looking at the speck in your brother’s eye, and pay no attention to the beam that is in your own? [4] How can you say to your brother, ‘Just let me get that speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a beam in your own? [5] You hypocrite! First get the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see to get the speck out of your brother’s eye. [Goodspeed New Testament]
Therefore our responsibility is to pray and to persuade with all gentleness and humility.
