Receiving Rebuke From a Friend - Proverbs 27-29 and II Corinthians 10
Most of us do not like to be rebuked by someone else, but we need to realize that we all need to be rebuked at times. Proverbs makes it clear that it is a good thing to be rebuked by a friend. We can learn from it, and grow to become what God wants us to be. We must teach ourselves to view rebukes as being helpful in the process of growing to be like Jesus. In fact, the truth is that if we flatter others they will not respect us like they will if we tell them the truth, and we have to rebuke them for something. A lot of times, they will come back to thank us later after they have seen the results of what they were doing or the results of being turned around by the rebuke. On the other hand, if a person is rebuked, but they harden their heart, God will make sure they are suddenly punished. All in all, it is very important for us to respond to our rebukes in a positive way, especially when they come from a friend.
That was the situation of II Corinthians 10. Paul was the best friend of the believers at Corinth, but they were being influenced by people who did not respect Paul. Therefore, they read Paul's stern letters of rebuke, and they made fun of Paul. They said that his letters were bold, but in person he was not bold at all. They were implying that he was not genuine. He explained to them that he did not act in the flesh, but he used the spiritual weapons to do his warfare. He did not fight against them physically, but he was praying for them and giving them God's Word to correct them. He did not want to be harsh with them in person, but if he needed to rebuke them to their faces he would. The problem was that they had been convinced not to receive the rebuke of their best friend, Paul, so they were going the wrong way. We need to learn this lesson. People were judging Paul to be in the flesh, because they were in the flesh. That is what we do. We judge people by what we do. They should have known that Paul was acting in the Spirit and listened to him. That is what we must do, too. We must listen to the rebuke of a friend, especially when that friend is following the Holy Spirit.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Proverbs 30-31 and II Corinthians 11:1-15.
That was the situation of II Corinthians 10. Paul was the best friend of the believers at Corinth, but they were being influenced by people who did not respect Paul. Therefore, they read Paul's stern letters of rebuke, and they made fun of Paul. They said that his letters were bold, but in person he was not bold at all. They were implying that he was not genuine. He explained to them that he did not act in the flesh, but he used the spiritual weapons to do his warfare. He did not fight against them physically, but he was praying for them and giving them God's Word to correct them. He did not want to be harsh with them in person, but if he needed to rebuke them to their faces he would. The problem was that they had been convinced not to receive the rebuke of their best friend, Paul, so they were going the wrong way. We need to learn this lesson. People were judging Paul to be in the flesh, because they were in the flesh. That is what we do. We judge people by what we do. They should have known that Paul was acting in the Spirit and listened to him. That is what we must do, too. We must listen to the rebuke of a friend, especially when that friend is following the Holy Spirit.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Proverbs 30-31 and II Corinthians 11:1-15.