Last week we discussed how it will be for those who esteem truth as if it were the greatest treasure, and how they will receive understanding and be kept from “the man who speaks perverse things” (Proverbs 2:12), which is a reference to the man of sin. We also see this established in II Thessalonians 2:8-10:
that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,
and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.
We see here that it is not just those who have truth who are saved, but those who have a “love of the truth.” It must be our devotion to not just seek the truth, but to have a love for the truth. One can be in pursuit of truth for many egotistical reasons and therefore use truth destructively. Therefore, those who will not be deceived in the times ahead are not just those with truth, but those who love it. There can be a big difference.
This is why our pursuit of an understanding of the end time prophecies is more than just understanding what is going to happen, but why it is happening and agree to the righteousness and justice of God in them. Our goal is to be a part of the events of our times by being united with the Lord in His purposes.
It is for this reason that we should pursue truth in all that we do. We should love truth so much that we even delight in being proven wrong in something so that we can learn the truth. We should love the truth above our own pride. It was pride that caused the first fall, the fall of Satan, and it is pride that will be found as the cause of most of them since. As we read in the text from Proverbs 2 last week, wisdom and discretion are the result of the pursuit of the knowledge of God’s ways. This week we will look a little deeper at one of the primary characteristics of true wisdom—loving reproof!
Now let’s take just a minute to consider this. Do you love to be corrected? The Scriptures are clear that the truly wise do. This is important if we are going to understand the times because what is coming will be counter to the ways of this present age. The spirit of this world still dominates much theology and eschatology (study of the end times). We are not only going to have to be open to correction, we are going to have to love it to be able to discern the truth in many areas.
As I have heard a number of preachers say, when the seventh seal is broken and there is “silence in heaven for about half an hour” (Revelation 8:1), this is when everyone will be burning their end time charts! A good case could be made for this being true, but I think we would be much better off if we burned them now. So to be even open to the fact that some of our precious eschatology may need some correction, let’s look at what the Scripture says about loving correction.
In Proverbs 1:23 wisdom personified says, "Turn to my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.” In the next two verses, as well as verse 30 of this chapter, it says if we refuse wisdom, and do not pay attention to it we have “... neglected all my counsel, and did not want my reproof...” Much of the counsel of wisdom will be reproof, so if we are resistant to correction we will be resistant to wisdom.
In Proverbs 3:11-12 we are told, “My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord, or loathe His reproof. For whom the Lord loves He reproves, even as a father, the son in whom he delights.” Most people have at least a tendency to take correction and reproof as rejection. In the Lord it is the opposite. The most fearful thing in the world for us should be if the Lord is no longer bringing correction to our life, which would be an indication that we are not really His children. Until we come to the place where we view correction as evidence of His love for us, regardless of how He sends it or who He sends it through, we are still resistant to both wisdom and truth. For this reason let’s take the time to consider some of the Scriptures on this.
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid
(Proverbs 12:1).
Poverty and shame will come to him who neglects discipline, but he who regards reproof will be honored (Proverbs 13:18).
A fool rejects his father's discipline, but he who regards reproof is prudent
(Proverbs 15:5).
Stern discipline is for him who forsakes the way; he who hates reproof will die
(Proverbs 15:10).
He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. He who neglects discipline despises himself, but he who listens to reproof acquires understanding.
The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, and before honor comes humility (Proverbs 15:31-33).
A man who hardens his neck after much reproof will suddenly be broken beyond remedy (Proverbs 29:1).
The rod and reproof give wisdom... (Proverbs 29:15).
Of course the book of Proverbs is the book of wisdom, and loving and accepting reproof is a primary theme of Proverbs because it is a primary characteristic of wisdom. Now let’s look at a couple of statements about this from the New Testament.
sons, "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint
when you are reproved by Him.
For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives. "
It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?
For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness.
All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble,
and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame
may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed (Hebrews 12:5-13).
Here we see that we really are not that abnormal when discipline or correction at first is not something we enjoy. However, the more mature and wise we become, we will be thankful for anything that brings needed correction to our lives. We should not want to get away with anything that is not right in our lives.
It is for this reason that the Holy Spirit, who was sent to lead us into all truth and to Jesus, was also sent to convict of sin. Again, the most frightening thing in the world for us should be if we are getting away with sin in our life and are not being corrected for it. If we are sons the discipline and correction will certainly come.
As we are told in James 4:6, "...God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." It would be better to have all of the demons in hell after us than to have God’s resistance in our lives. If we really comprehend this we would never want to do anything to exalt ourselves, but we would rather be looking for every way that we could humble ourselves. One of the most basic characteristics of true humility is to be correctable. If you really want to know how humble you are, think about how you reacted the last time you were corrected by someone that you consider inferior to yourself. Of course, that is often how the Lord tests where we are.
To be correctable does not mean we have to automatically accept the opinion of everyone else about how we need to change. This would certainly have us going in circles. However, it does mean that we should be sincerely open to considering correction regardless of the source, and if it proves to have merit, we should embrace it with thanksgiving for being helped.
I am addressing this again which I have done many times before, even in this study, because I know if this is not a basic characteristic in our lives we are not going to make it through what is coming upon the world. One of the primary issues that God has with man is the pride of man. Those who hold to their pride even more than they love the truth will soon be broken. He has something much better than that planned for those who love Him and love His truth.