"I Stand Corrected"

By John Ankrom

          When we were children our parents would correct us when we did something wrong, why? Because they wanted us to learn right from wrong and to keep us safe by teaching us about things that would harm us.

          As we grew up and became adults, we put that correction, that teaching into practice, we in turn taught our children right from wrong by correction and instruction.  As parents we understand the need to correct and instruct our children.

          But when it comes to us as adults, we tend to reject correction and generally become upset with the one who has dared to tell us we are in the wrong or that we are doing something in error.

          This I believe is the result of our society and its philosophy that man is a "world unto himself" and he sets his own standards and no one has the right to tell him what is right and wrong.

          We see this very thing being taught in our schools and in our universities. We have been bombarded with the idea that we have to be tolerant and accepting of sinful behavior. The world's morals are based on man's thinking, not God's word.

          The Apostle Paul tells Timothy in II Timothy 4:2 to "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine". Meaning at any time we must be ready to reprove or to admonish or to convict, to rebuke meaning to censure or forbid, to exhort or to call near or beseech. Just how are we to do this? With much patients and doctrine, simply put, with and by the word of God.

          You see, we are to follow, live by and obey God's word not mankind's morality. God's word trumps man's morals.