Whenever someone is on trial and found guilty; they are convicted of a crime. Our hearts and minds can also face conviction from the Lord, which leads to correction. A correctional facility is defined as a place where criminals go to be rehabilitated whereas prison is a place where criminals are punished for their crimes. Although the term for the facility can mean the same as a type of prison, it is the purpose of each that matters. God DOES not cause evil to befall His children, but He does chasten us. God disciplines us just as a father does his son, as told in Proverbs 3:11-12–” My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction; For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.” When God, our Father corrects us, it is to steer us in the right direction as we grow spiritually. The Scriptures in the Holy Bible are that Truth; however, these words can bring division. In Matthew 10:34-39 Jesus reveals–” Do not think I came to bring peace on earth, I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and a ‘man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”
“The Sword of Truth” is The Sword of the Spirit, and it is one of the pieces of the Armor of God. The Sword is the Word of God, and we are to use it to teach the lost and admonish our brothers and sisters in Christ. Do as Colossians 3:16–” Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Many today will act defiantly when held accountable for sinful actions, but we are not judging by outward appearances, we are speaking against our neighbor’s sin. We are not punishing others but teaching repentance, and through this, others are moved to make a change. There is a stir in our spirits when we feel convicted and in turn it changes our convictions (beliefs).
In today’s society, there are people seeking to add to or take away from the Word of God and make revisions in different translations where they can read and not “take offense” because there is nothing being said that would lead someone to question their own selfish desires or a willingness to change such as accepting homosexuality as a societal norm but also condoning it in a Bible translation. In China, the Chinese Communist Party even revised John 8:7-11 and stated that Jesus was a sinner and therefore stoned a woman even after the angry mob had dispersed. This is blasphemy and in Revelation 22:18-19 we are warned–”For I testify to everyone who hears the words of prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” It is good for us to be chastened with love, and it good for us to repent and want a change when we feel convicted. We as Christians should not be afraid of this boldness the Holy Spirit has given us, and we should use it to strengthen others and share the FULL Gospel. As we draw nearer to Christ, our style in music will change, the movies and shows we watch, the words we speak, the friends we hang out with, etc. This is all necessary for spiritual growth and we benefit in the Body of Christ.
