• Proverbs 9:7 “He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.
• vs. 8a Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee:…
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• vs. 8b …rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
• vs. 9 “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.”
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• Proverbs 26:4 “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
• vs. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.”
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A preacher was having a conversation with a pastor about abortion. The pastor revealed that he didn’t preach against abortion in his church because he knew it would bother or offend certain listeners in his church.

As the reader may already know, more and more so-called Christians and preachers are not addressing sin/error in the church. You are marked as a “terrible” person if you do. This wrong view is increased even more if the rebuke is toward someone experiencing rough times. For example, you are a “bad” Christian for mentioning abortion, divorce, debt, prodigal children, sodomy, etc… to or around those experiencing or living these negative practices. Let’s notice what Scripture commands:

• – According to Gal. 6:1, every believer must help their fellow brethren when they are “overtaken in a fault”. According to vs. 2, this is bearing “one another’s burdens” and “fulfilling the law of Christ.” Therefore to not reprove or exhort one another is to not fulfill Christ’s law (commands) which would be sin and to not carry each other burdens which would be selfish.
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• – According to Gal. 6:1, we also see that God doesn’t command believers only to correct the worst of sins. God points out our “fault(s)” and refers to these faults as “burdens” in vs. 2.
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• – Note that “ye which are spiritual” doesn’t refer to a few select believers who would basically have to be proud to think themselves “spiritual” enough to correct other believers. (Read “Ye Which Are Spiritual”.)
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• – James 5:19-20 has more good things to say about those who help any that “err from the truth”; not just the most grievous sins but simply erring from truth.
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• – When you address error in another believer’s life, speak the “truth in love” (Eph. 4:15) and “in meekness” (Gal. 6:1; II Tim. 2:25).
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• – Being reproved of sin is not limited to only those going through the best times of life. Rebuke must be given even in trials. Elihu properly rebuked the hurting Job in Job 32-37 who was very much in the middle of a trial. And God Himself followed up Elihu by reproving a heavyhearted Job in Job 38-41. Sin must be dealt with in love even to those in trials.
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Now that we’ve seen the importance of reproof and exhortation even in trials, we need to conclude this article by more carefully noticing the texts. Three different types of people are presented with how they respond to reproof, rebuke, and instruction.

• – When instructed or rebuked, a wise/just man “will be yet wiser” and “will increase in learning.” God does not specify whether the “instruction” a wise/just man is given is in good times or bad times or whether the “rebuke” is rough or gentle. A wise/just man just gets better not bitter.
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• – The same cannot be said for a scorner/wicked man. God is spot on when He says the scorner/wicked man will “shame” you and “hate” you if you reprove or rebuke them. They will make sure “a blot” is on your name, your character, your reputation, etc….
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• – God also points out that “a fool” cannot be answered. If you answer a fool his way, you will “be like unto him” or if you don’t, he walks away “wise in his own conceit.”
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Dear reader, which are you? Okay, so you are going through rough times, but don’t besmirch the name of other believers who try to point out error in your life. Even if you think the correction/instruction you receive is given in a bad spirit, a wise/just man can receive it correctly. Honestly, you can’t trust your flesh. All of us naturally feel like all rebuke is given incorrectly or in a wrong spirit. The question is: Are you the wise/just, the scorner/wicked, or the foolish?