Posted on 05/11/2022 11:33:49 PM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress
“Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish” (Proverbs 12:1).
What you need to see there is that the reproof goes with the instruction. In fact, there's not an awful lot of instruction that comes without reproof, biblically speaking.
“Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life” (Proverbs 4:13).
There are some things that are indelibly connected in the word of God all the time, and these are the two things. Instruction is your life. What goes with instruction?
“For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life” (Proverbs 6:23).
This verse says that instruction is our life; and then it says that the reproofs of instruction are the way of life, in other words, as far as instruction goes there is a lot of character lacking in folks, and the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, and a lot of sound doctrine comes from preaching and teaching that instructs, but there's an intimate part of that instruction — and that is reproof.
There is a thread that goes all the way through of the book of Proverbs, talking about instruction, and you just can't get around it. If you come to a Bible believing church, or for that matter, if you just open your Bible and read it; you're going to get a balling out. It's just unavoidable. you're a sinner, and you're foolish, and left to yourself your brutish and you are fleshy. If you spend much time with the Holy Spirit with the word of God around Jesus Christ, you are going to get a reaming out. It's just the way it is, because we are none of what we should be. Truth be told, we are all as dumb as a stump, and stubborn. So, to spend much time with the Lord is going to require you to become used to getting a good tongue-lashing through the conviction of the Spirit.
“He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth” (Proverbs 10:17).
What keeps happening over and over again, and they go hand-in-hand is instruction and reproof.
“A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent” (Proverbs 15:5).
“The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise. He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility” (Proverbs 15:31-33).
Instruction is so intimately intertwined with reproof, that it is hard to separate them. That's why Worldly folks are just not interested with Bible preaching churches anymore. This is the reason why the mega church movement is so popular, because nobody gets reproved for their sins. They get 45 minutes of a “Christian” rock band, a little coffee afterwards with cake and cookies, and a ten-minute sermon, then everybody is back off to the world. Nobody is going to disturb what you do at the casino on Friday night or anything else.
“Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish”
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