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Authors: Paul Ellis
Tags: Chistian Grace
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universal salvation. (I’m not sure how since I’m encouraging people to
turn to God and believe in Jesus.) And a few called me a heretic. (It wouldn’t be the first time.)
But what no one did was dispute my claim that preaching “turn from sin” puts people
under law and distracts us from preaching the gospel. On this we are all agreed. (I think.) So
what’s the problem? Why the fuss?
The problem is there has been such a huge emphasis on old covenant repentance (turn from
sin), that we have gotten used to it. It seems right that we should turn from sin (we should!) and
that if we want more people to turn from sin we should tell them to do it (we shouldn’t!). I’m
not questioning the logic. I’m just saying it doesn’t work. It never has.
I’m with Spurgeon who said, “Repentance will not make you see Christ; but to see Christ
will give you repentance.”4 You want people to repent? Then reveal Christ. Preach the gospel of
Jesus.
4 This is from Spurgeon’s book All of Grace , which is one of the best books on grace you’ll ever read. Since it has long been out of copyright, you can get PDF copies of it for free off the web. Google it.
36
10. What is Biblical Correction?
What you look through determines what you see. Read the Bible through the fractured lens of
human wisdom and you will think the secret to life is doing right and avoiding wrong. You’ll
go to God with an attitude of, “Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it.” But this is eating from the
wrong tree. It leads to independence instead of faith.
Life is not about doing right and avoiding wrong. Nor is it about sinning versus non-
sinning. That’s a language your Father doesn’t speak. The issue isn’t good versus evil, but life
versus death. And this issue is clearly seen when dealing with sin.
How does God respond when I sin?
Elsewhere I have said that the Holy Spirit never convicts us of our sins. Instead, the Holy Spirit
brings about a life-saving correction.5
“But Paul, isn’t that just two ways of saying the same thing? What’s the difference?”
The difference is this: If you think the Holy Spirit convicts you because of your sin or corrects you because of your sin , you’ve missed the cross. You’re looking backwards instead of forwards
and down instead of up.
The Holy Spirit isn’t your personal sin manager, but your Helper, your Comforter, your
Counselor. And in that role he will guide you, correct you, and, if necessary, rebuke or
admonish you. He does none of this in reaction to your sin, per se. He does it because he loves
and cares for you, and he doesn’t want you to wreck your life over some death-dealing
decision.
Here’s a question to see how well you understand this: What comes to mind when you hear
the word correction ? Do you think of a mistake that needs to be punished? Do you think of the
rod of correction and naughty boys in need of a whipping? If you do, God bless you but your
thinking is influenced by the old covenant (see Proverbs 22:15).
In the Old Testament the word for correct can mean “to chastise with blows.” It’s applying
the proverbial rod to the seat of learning. In grown-up terms it means plagues and punishment
sent in response to sin. At least that’s how David saw it:
Remove your plague from me; I am consumed by the blow of your hand. When with
rebukes you correct man for iniquity, you make his beauty melt away like a moth. Surely
every man is vapor. (Psalm 39:10–11, NKJV)
5 See chapter 4, “Ten myths about the Holy Spirit,” in Grace Classics: Escape to Reality — Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 .
37
GRACE REMIX
Under the old covenant the chastisement of the Lord was sometimes fatal. Get it wrong and you
were toast. Thank God for Jesus! Thank God that “the chastisement for our peace was upon
him ” (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus died for our sins so that we don’t have to. Because of Jesus we need a new definition of correction.
When I hear
turn to God and believe in Jesus.) And a few called me a heretic. (It wouldn’t be the first time.)
But what no one did was dispute my claim that preaching “turn from sin” puts people
under law and distracts us from preaching the gospel. On this we are all agreed. (I think.) So
what’s the problem? Why the fuss?
The problem is there has been such a huge emphasis on old covenant repentance (turn from
sin), that we have gotten used to it. It seems right that we should turn from sin (we should!) and
that if we want more people to turn from sin we should tell them to do it (we shouldn’t!). I’m
not questioning the logic. I’m just saying it doesn’t work. It never has.
I’m with Spurgeon who said, “Repentance will not make you see Christ; but to see Christ
will give you repentance.”4 You want people to repent? Then reveal Christ. Preach the gospel of
Jesus.
4 This is from Spurgeon’s book All of Grace , which is one of the best books on grace you’ll ever read. Since it has long been out of copyright, you can get PDF copies of it for free off the web. Google it.
36
10. What is Biblical Correction?
What you look through determines what you see. Read the Bible through the fractured lens of
human wisdom and you will think the secret to life is doing right and avoiding wrong. You’ll
go to God with an attitude of, “Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it.” But this is eating from the
wrong tree. It leads to independence instead of faith.
Life is not about doing right and avoiding wrong. Nor is it about sinning versus non-
sinning. That’s a language your Father doesn’t speak. The issue isn’t good versus evil, but life
versus death. And this issue is clearly seen when dealing with sin.
How does God respond when I sin?
Elsewhere I have said that the Holy Spirit never convicts us of our sins. Instead, the Holy Spirit
brings about a life-saving correction.5
“But Paul, isn’t that just two ways of saying the same thing? What’s the difference?”
The difference is this: If you think the Holy Spirit convicts you because of your sin or corrects you because of your sin , you’ve missed the cross. You’re looking backwards instead of forwards
and down instead of up.
The Holy Spirit isn’t your personal sin manager, but your Helper, your Comforter, your
Counselor. And in that role he will guide you, correct you, and, if necessary, rebuke or
admonish you. He does none of this in reaction to your sin, per se. He does it because he loves
and cares for you, and he doesn’t want you to wreck your life over some death-dealing
decision.
Here’s a question to see how well you understand this: What comes to mind when you hear
the word correction ? Do you think of a mistake that needs to be punished? Do you think of the
rod of correction and naughty boys in need of a whipping? If you do, God bless you but your
thinking is influenced by the old covenant (see Proverbs 22:15).
In the Old Testament the word for correct can mean “to chastise with blows.” It’s applying
the proverbial rod to the seat of learning. In grown-up terms it means plagues and punishment
sent in response to sin. At least that’s how David saw it:
Remove your plague from me; I am consumed by the blow of your hand. When with
rebukes you correct man for iniquity, you make his beauty melt away like a moth. Surely
every man is vapor. (Psalm 39:10–11, NKJV)
5 See chapter 4, “Ten myths about the Holy Spirit,” in Grace Classics: Escape to Reality — Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 .
37
GRACE REMIX
Under the old covenant the chastisement of the Lord was sometimes fatal. Get it wrong and you
were toast. Thank God for Jesus! Thank God that “the chastisement for our peace was upon
him ” (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus died for our sins so that we don’t have to. Because of Jesus we need a new definition of correction.
When I hear
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