SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1224

“Spinach in Teeth”

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness… – Galatians 6:1-3

The political candidate for office is working the crowd, shaking hands, kissing babies, all the while smiling broadly for the cameras and the audience.  People notice the green spinach prominently stuck in his teeth but say nothing, not wanting to be the messenger of embarrassing news.  Then one of his staff workers, noticing the spinach, discretely mentions it to the candidate.

The politician with spinach in his teeth appears unattractive.  The professing Christian, living a double-standard life of willful disobedience to God’s commands, is equally unattractive.

Woe to you… hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence… For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. – Matthew 23:25-27

It took someone who cares for the candidate to tell him what was wrong with his appearance.  In the same manner God, who loves and cares for His children deeply, will tell us through His Holy Spirit when we appear unattractive. This correction can come through direct conviction of our heart or through others in the Body of Christ.

Correct me, O Lord, but in justice; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing. – Jeremiah 10:24

And the Lord sent Nathan to David… Then David’s anger was greatly kindled… and he said to Nathan, As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die… Nathan said to David, you are the man! – 2 Samuel 12:1-7

Like the politician and David, we have a choice to make once informed of the problem.  We can do nothing and continue in our disobedience or immediately rectify the situation. God’s Word has two lessons for us: A lesson on how to deal with correction and a lesson on how to bring correction.

Bringing correction:

…And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” – Mark 8:32-33

There is a fine line between holding someone accountable and being judgmental. The dividing line is defined by the manner with which you confront the individual and your motive in doing so. Peter’s motives were worldly, and Jesus called him out for it.

Our duty: My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. Again, if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered, but his blood I will require at your hand. – James 5:19-20; Ezekiel 3:20

Our manner: If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. – Matthew 18:15-17

Our motive: Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. – Matthew 7:1-5

When we act in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit and in the love of Jesus with His grace and love our motive and manner will be pure.

Receiving correction:

As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…” Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. – Hebrews 3:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

Our Response: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. – 1 John 1:9; James 5:16

My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof – Proverbs 3:11

May you be a faithful watchman and respond to the leading of the Lord to speak His Truth with grace and love to the brother or sister who has wandered and may they receive His correction and be joyfully restored.

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. – Proverbs 27:17