by Timothy W. Burnett
Understanding this basic information can help us determine how best to reprove and correct people in ministry positions. When God's servants are caught in an error, our tendency is to become very upset, angry and hurt. And in that hurt and anger, we may resort to a form of reproof that is not according to God's will. Let's look at some examples of godly reproof and correction.
The apostle Paul served God mightily and taught many people, yet he made a big mistake. He consciously chose to disobey the spirit of God. Paul was determined to be at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 20:16). According to Acts 20:22, he said, "And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there." the words "bound in the spirit" are more accurately translated "firmly resolved." We know he was not lead by the spirit of God because Acts chapter 21 reveals three different occasions in which believers prophesied by the spirit of God that he should not go to Jerusalem (see Acts 21:4, 9 & 11).
After hearing all these things, Paul proudly replied, "Why do you weep and break my heart? For I am ready to not only be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 21:13). He was committed to something that God clearly warned him against. Look at the response of the others, "And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased saying, 'The will of the Lord be done'" (Acts 21:14). Their responsibility was to simply warn him by the spirit of God. And when Paul would not be convinced about the warnings, they simply stopped saying, "The will of the Lord be done." The other believers did not condemn Paul. They didn't punish him. They simply reproved him by the spirit of God.
Let's go back to Acts chapter 9. Paul believed he was serving God by imprisoning and killing the saints. While on the way to Damascus he was confronted by a vision of our Lord Jesus Christ who reproved Paul and sent him to a believer named Annanias. By the time Paul arrived, Annanias had already received information from our ord. Annanias had very good reasons to criticize and condemn Paul. Instead, he approached Paul from God's point of view. Annanias even referred to Paul as a brother. This is a wonderful example for all Christians.
There are other examples of reproof and correction being given by simply shining the light of God's word on a matter or action, without actually being lead by the spirit to do so. But in all cases, there is not a hint of condemnation and punishment. Instead, it is with the love of God.
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