Who is God Leading You to Correct?

How to know if God is or is not leading you to bring Correction

Think: If we aren’t loving the body of Christ, we have no business attempting to correct them because we haven’t yet corrected our selves. Jesus calls us “hypocrite” in need of true repentance and getting the sin our of our own lives (Matthew 7:1-5).

Where does correction start? Correction always begins with the correction of our own hearts and lives. Notice David’s prayer as is recorded in Psalm 139. Notice who he is asking God to work on:

“Search ME, O God, and know MY heart: try me, and know MY thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in ME, and lead ME in the way everlasting.” Psalms 139:23-24

Again notice this pattern in Psalms 51:

“Create in ME a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within ME.” Psalms 51:10

Is there any question as to just who the LORD wants to change most and what His order is in correction? – first us, then help restore and bless others.

You have no business correcting anyone till you’ve corrected your own life. Who is God Leading You to Correct?

The LORD will not and is not use me to correct anyone else until He first does a deep work in my own life.

Let me say here also, that any person who is preoccupied with correcting others, has a serious heart problem himself. This is something the LORD told those who are mature to do in His Word and He will lead them in this matter after He gives them the right heart and desire of restoration in the matter of all souls (Matthew 7:1-5; Galatians 6:1-2).

“Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:1-5

What does Ephesians 4:3 and 32 say? Have you not memorized these verses of truth yet? Why not?

The LORD is trying to get us to repent and bring much-needed correction to our own lives with the bringing forth of fruits meet for (consistent with) true repentance which works salvation (Matthew 3:7-8; 2 Corinthians 7:9-10). It’s only then that He may or may not use us to help others. Read, study, and meditate upon all the verses referenced in this important message.

How we can know of a surety when God is not leading us to correct others? The LORD has given several conditions or pre-qualifications that must be present or He will not use us to correct others:

Biblical Pre-qualifications for the Correction of Others:

1. Correct yourself and leave everyone else to God. He doesn’t need you.
2. Get the logs out of your own eye He says to “hypocrites” who are unduly preoccupied with the faults of others (Matthew 7:1-5).
3. If you are not a mature (“spiritual”) Christian, you are not being led of Christ to attempt to bring correction to others (Galatians 6:1-2).
4. If you are not operating in “the spirit of meekness” but rather are possessed by a condemning spirit and an “evil eye,” even the accuser of the brethren (Matthew 6:22-23; Mark 7:22; Galatians 6:1-2; Revelation 12:7-12).
5. If you are not a seasoned disciple who is possessed with the love of God and the desire to help “restore” others who are fallen to their relationship with Christ, the LORD is not leading you to correct others but rather to humble yourself at His feet and in His presence as you allow Him to do a much needed deeper work in your own heart (1 Corinthians 11:31-32; Galatians 6:1-3).
6. If you are not edifying the members of the body of Christ, you are clearly not walking in God’s love and have no business attempting to correct anyone except your own self. Repent, lay down your life, and follow Christ (Romans 6; Colossians 3; Ephesians 4:29; Philippians 2:3-5, etc.).
7. If your own life is not set apart through the cross, you aren’t overflowing with God’s love, you edify no one, you are self-centered, and you believe you are supposed to correct someone else, it’s because you are full of pride (Proverbs 16:18; 1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 6:1-2; Colossians 3:10-14; James 4:6-10). God will only use you after you truly repent, lay down your life, and follow Christ authentically.

Beware that those who rail on other believers are to be “delivered unto Satan” and the hoards of hell for their sin of railing and in order that God may show mercy on their eternal souls if they will but repent (1 Corinthians 5). Note the sin of being a “railer” here in 1 Corinthians 5. This is one of six sins listed which if committed without repenting, warrant delivering that sinning person over to Satan (1 Corinthians 5).

To those who rail on others, I want to say this: If you wish to perpetrate this evil slander and railing on members of Christ’s body, the LORD is going to continue to judge you, beginning with the fact that He will take His Spirit from your life (Psalms 51:11; Revelation 1-3). He will give you leanness of soul (Psalms 106:15). The LORD will not return until you come to full repentance and break off your sins by doing what is right in the eyes of God and making amends/restitution with those you have wronged (Matthew 5:23-24; 3:7-8; Luke 19:1-10, etc.). This is all predicated on whether or not the LORD chooses again to draw you (Genesis 6:3; John 3:27; 6:44).

God is not going to bless our lives unless we are willing to sincerely admit our sins, repent and confess them, and make amends (restitution) with anyone we’ve harmed (Proverbs 28:13). In the divine economy, there’s no such thing as being right with God when you’ve done another person wrong, haven’t repented, and haven’t made amends for what you’ve done. Such a person will be outside of the will and blessings of God until he makes things right with God and man (Matthew 5:23-24; 7:12; 22:37-39).

The LORD requires that His people “examine” and “judge” themselves.

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Corinthians 13:5

Examine and honest judge yourself and amend your ways or God will judge you.

“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” 1 Corinthians 11:31-32

When we attempt to cover/hide our sins, all of His spiritual progress, momentum and divine favor ceases in our lives. Here’s a very important memory verse which teaches just this:

“He that covereth (tries to hide) his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

Biblical Facts About Correction by todd tomasella 

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