Correction & Criticism
Sometimes it’s hard to tell the truth boldly, but that’s what we are called to do as followers of Christ. We are called to tell the truth, not just to unbelievers, but to our brothers and sisters in faith too.
When it comes to the body, correction is a way that we strengthen and upbuild the body. In 2 Corinthians, Paul is responding to the Corinthian church’s reaction to his first letter. In his first letter, Paul called them out on some sin they were leaving unchecked in their body/community. The Corinthians responded as many of us want to, with offense, anger, and pain. So much so that they began listening to false apostles who were slandering the name of Paul and his disciples and leading people astray.
Paul addresses their pain, reminding them of how much he loves them. His purpose was not to frighten or hurt them, but to protect and strengthen them. As believers, we have to be careful to guard ourselves against sin and temptation, as much as possible. We aren’t able to do this on our own, the Holy Spirit must help us. Sin pollutes the body. We must be careful to guard ourselves and feed our Spirit more than our flesh, because the word says that the mind led by the flesh leads to death (Romans 8:5-8).
In 2 Corinthians 7:8-9, Paul described how at first he regretted writing the letter seeing their pain, but then he did not. In fact he rejoiced, not in their pain, but in the fact that they experienced a “godly grief” that led to repentance, and heart change. He no longer felt regret because they were brought closer to the Lord because of it.
There is value in holding the body of Christ accountable. Accountability is the upbuilding and strengthening of the body.
Paul did not do this without critique though. The fake apostles were slandering his name and ministry but Paul stood firm in who He was. He told the truth, no matter how they tried to belittle him. He didn’t allow the feelings of others to sway him in his committment to the body’s health and wellness, to the truth. We must gain this same strength. We have to be more secure in what God’s word says and who He says we are than in the opinion of man. If you aren’t, you’ll allow others reactions and criticism to make you question if you did the right thing by telling the truth of what God, our Lord and Savior, has said. Knowing who you are in Christ is important to because sometimes we let our sin and our past tell us who we are instead of who God calls us now.
In Acts 3, Peter heals a lame man in the name of Jesus, and people begin to rush them from the temple, they’re so astounded. This was Peter’s response:
2 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see. (Acts 3:12-16)
This is Peter, the man who not too long ago, just a few pages back denied Jesus three times. And here he is speaking boldly declaring the name of Jesus! Beyond that he’s calling out their denial of Jesus, something he just struggled with. I’m not pointing this out because Peter is a hypocrite. Why was this important? When the Lord changes you, you are no longer held back by your past. The word says that the Lord has removed our sin as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12) and will not remember them (Jeremiah 31:34), as if they never existed. So if we have asked for forgiveness, our sins are gone, God has no memory of them, we are brand new. This means that we are free from our past, and we need to let it go too so we can move on and be used by God in ways we never though possible. If Peter has let his past define him, he wouldn’t have been able to stand there in the authority God had given him to tell other peole of the truth, to repent, to be restored. We must not allow the lies of the enemy to keep us from telling the truth. You have been set free, forgiven, now you have been given the call to go proclaim the truth.
Peter goes on to say in Acts 3:19-20
19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.
After Peter began speaking, the religious higher ups were annoyed and came to arrest him. Though they came to arrest him, watch what happened.
4 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
BUT MANY WHO HEARD THE MESSAGE BELIEVED
We must speak, regardless of the opposition, regardless of the criticism because people will be saved no matter who doesn’t want it to be heard. This same thing happens in Acts 2:40-41; Peter speaks and proclaims the Gospel and “those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day”. They must hear.
Romans 10:13-17 says this,
13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
Preach the word! Proclaim the truth! The Lord will give you strength. Christ sent his Spirit to help us! In fact, we see this in Acts 4:5-12. The men who had arrested Peter for speaking truth after healing the lame man, questioned him, "By what power or what name did you do this?” and we see the Holy Spirit empower Peter to speak the truth in the midst of his opps.
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is
“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
Peter proclaimed the Gospel to them, by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus used that interrogation as an opportunity to minister the Gospel to these people. Those that were against him, and had arrested him. Even in times where you are standing under fire, the spotlight is for the proclamation of the Gospel. Instead of bowing to the criticism, he became even bolder.
So proclaim truth, no matter what.
