Obeying and refusing instruction

Obeying and refusing instruction

He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth. (Pro.10:17)

He or she who lives the life of God by dying to the world and living for God follows the instructions in the book of life for holy living and for ministry. A child of God lives only one life i.e. life of God. He or she has no dual life, one human life and another divine or godly life. We live in Christ and not in this world. We are in the world but not of the world. If you are in the way of this eternal life, you have to keep instructions in the Bible, the book of life. Keeping instructions does not mean reading instructions in the Bible but living such instructions through trial and error method. You cannot live this divine life without the guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Today many of us do not listen to the small voice of the indwelling Holy Spirit (I Kings 10:11-12) but would prefer to travel over a long distance in hearing a servant of God. A child of God born in the Kingdom of Christ begins to live this life or is in the way of this life. He or she has to grow to the stature of Christ Jesus into a perfect man or woman. For attaining perfection, he or she has to learn instructions out of experience and then live accordingly. This is not merely acquiring theological instructions in a Bible college. It is the school of life one learns from the indwelling Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who is the Teacher (John 14:26).

But he that refuseth reproof erreth. In the Kingdom of Christ where the King of kings reigns, we have to accept reproof from spiritual elders or the other members of the Body of Christ. We need pruning for our steady growth. Many celebrity preachers do not accept reproof from the other children of God with the result that they end in grave doctrinal errors. Due to mere arrogance, they do not accept corrections or reproof from others. Open rebuke is better than secret life (Pro.27:5).

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