The Art of Correction

241 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Ti 2:23-26, “ But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. Let's try to get a better understanding of these verses by using examples from the New Testament where Paul and others had to confront dangerous false teachings and practices n the fledgling congregations. For example, in Corinth he came against the hedonism of the culture that had crept into church and the improper practices that had twisted the purpose of the Lord's Supper. In Galatia he had to correct those who had ignorantly added circumcision and other legalistic teachings back into the salvation equation. In Philippi it was disunity, in Colosse it was gnosticism, and the worship of angels, and in Thessalonica there were ethical problems and wrong ideas about end times. All of these issues were serious and if not corrected could result in souls being snared by the devil. Paul handled them all with the spirit found in 1Th 2:7 But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So he passes this same kind of advice onto Timothy and all others who will follow in Timothy's steps or calling. A servant of the Lord is not to go to quarrel, (the word means war) over these things. Violent opposition to the enemies of truth is never an answer. Rather, if correction is needed, a persistent, gentle, humble pointing to the Word of God is sufficient. Let the Holy Spirit do His thing in and among the Words of God. Repentance comes when the Word cuts to the heart, so trust the Word of God in that regard! Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. It's no guarantee that the person in error will repent, but it's God's preferred method of dealing with error in the church!