Correction

Jeremiah 7:28 But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.

Psalm 86:11 Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

3 John 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Consequences for sin are not correction, they are punishment. Some might think that correction is like changing the direction you are headed, as in a ships course correction. I believe that is repentance.

Correction should be looked at as coming to a proper understanding of truth. 2 Timothy 3:16 ties correction to a right understanding of the Word of God. If you have an improper understanding of scriptures how can you walk in truth?

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

One of those sacrifices Paul is speaking of here is your opinion. The transforming of the mind is surrendering one’s own opinions in favor of the truth. Each one of us will do what is right in our own minds but what happens when our thoughts are faulty? We stumble over our own words. While it is needful and good to have private quiet time, the results of private study should not be held secret from fellowship. Our theologies must be exposed to the light of truth, lest they should lead us astray.

Be subject to correction.

Consequences

Now for the consequences. Picking up where we left off yesterday.

Genesis 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

The lesson has to be there are always consequences for sin. No offense can go without some consequence no matter how small. Key in this is the need for the consequence to be appropriate in size to the offence. While some might argue that God’s punishment for the offence was not appropriate allow me to remind them that Adam just caused all creation to be cast out of paradise. God warned Adam when He gave the command.

Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

It is not like Adam had the excuse of not being warned. Likewise parents need to set boundaries, limits and warnings of consequences for violation. While babies need liberty, we cannot entreat them like babies their whole lives. Lessons of acceptable behavior are taught, they are no instinctual.

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

There is much wisdom in the proverbs and it should be taught in the home. The standard for right behavior has to be right relationship.

Proverbs 16:17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

Psalm 18:21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

The psalms are good relationship teachings.