Another of those reflections and/or collation of materials, this time in preparation for
CPR Talk No. 4: Correction, for a CFC General Membership Teaching in 2005 (twelve years ago!).
I can dub this talk as "PAGTUTUWID" - the Tagalog word for "Correction"
or better yet, "PAGTUTUWID PARA SA PAGBABAGO"
(Text in bold fonts are from the expanded outline from the CFC PFO)
COUPLES FOR CHRIST
CHRISTIAN PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
TALK No. 4 : CORRECTION
Expanded Outline
A. INTRODUCTION
Author (Gene Getz, The Walk) said:
"Let’s
face it, the distinction between the believer’s lifestyle and an unbeliever’s
are now blurred. I heard recently that the church needs to lowers its
expectations… we should get “real” and relax our out of date standard.
But
there are a few of us who refuse to buy that rationalization. With prophet-like
courage and zeal, they call us back to basics. They remind us that those who
are followers of Jesus Christ should reflect the lifestyle of Jesus Christ. In
today’s terms, they challenge us to walk the talk.
Such
prophets are not only rare, they are right.”
Totoo.
They may be rare but they are right. The
call in Eph 4:17‑24, resonates --
1. Eph 4:17‑24. Renewal in
Christ.
1. Eph 4:17‑24.
“Ito nga ang aking sinasabi at
iginigiit sa inyo sa ngalan ng Panginoon: huwag na ninyong tularan ang gawi ng
mga paganong may isip na walang kabuluhan. Nadidiliman nga ang kanilang isipan;
sa kamangmangan nga sila nananatili at matigas din ang kanilang pusong malayo
sa buhay na galing sa Diyos. Wala silang pagpapahalaga sa kabutihan kaya
nagugumon sila sa bisyo at sabik na sabik sa paggawa ng iba’t ibang kahalayan.
Hindi ganito ang natutuhan ninyo kay
Kristo, kung sa katotohanan nga lamang ninyo siya narinig at natutuhan.
Dapat ninyong iwan ang pagkatao ng dati
ninyong pamumuhay; ito ang Lumang Tao na nabulok dahil sa kanyang madayang
pagnanasa. Baguhin din ninyo ang inyong kalooban sa espiritu at isuot ang
Bagong Tao na nilalang sa larawan ng Diyos, sa pagkamatuwid at tunay na
kabanalan.
You
may continue on…
“Kaya iwan ninyo ang kasinungalingan…
kung magalit man kayo, huwag kayong magkasala; huwag palubugin ang araw sa
inyong galit at baka makapasok ang diyablo.
Huwag nang magnakaw ang
magnanakaw;…Huwag mamutawi sa inyong mga labi ang anumang maruming pangungusap…
Huwag ninyong bigyang kalungkutan ang Espiritu Santo
bng Diyos….Iwan ninyo ang kabuktutan; sama ng loob, galit, poot, pambubulyaw at
paglait. Magpakabait kayo at magkaroon ng malasakit, at magpatawad sa isa’t isa
tulad ng pagpapatawad sa inyo ng Diyos kay Kristo.”
Kapansin-pansin
sa binasa natin ang reference ni Paul sa lumangTao, (‘old self” ) na maging
Bagong Tao (new self).
Ang isang tunay na Kristiyano ay
isang Bagong Tao. The original Greek word used is “morpho”.
Paul writes:
“until Christ is formed in you” Greek
word is morphoo meaning the inward and real formation of the essential nature
of a person. The same term used to describe the formation and growth of an
embryo in a mother’s body.
Dahil dito,.
a) Christian
life involves more than a change in our relationship with God. It involves a
change in our way of life. We are to put on Jesus Christ.
b) We
need to unlearn some things, and learn others.
The goal of every Christian is to
transform oneself. What kind of transformation?... The goal is to be
God’s handiwork once again.
Paul writes, “For
we are God’s poiema” – meaning God’s workmanship or even God’s “work of art”.
After we fell from his grace, God is
determined to overcome the defacing of his image in us. His plan is not simply
to repair most of our brokenness. He wants to make us new creatures. So the
story of the human race is not just one of universal disappointment, but one of
inextinguishable hope.
How can we become God’s handiwork once again?
Ngayong gabi, pagtutuunanan natin ng pansin ang isang aspeto para sa mas epektibong
pagbabago. Ito ay ang tinatawag na Correction
o Pagtutuwid.
What is correction?
Mas madali sa Tagalog. Pagtutuwid.
Ibig sabihin may baluktot na dapat tuwirin.
A general definition of correction is
to remove errors or mistakes from something. It means to adjust and meet a
standard. It always involves the idea of making something right or improving
something.
Three (3) ways to correction:
c) Change (for the better)/Correction comes about in many ways:
1. Our
realizing the need.
Self-examination. Tayo mismo have a good sense of
right and wrong; better or worse. Pag nag-away kayo ng anak mo at pinagmumura
at sinampal mo siya, you will feel the guilt and uneasiness for what you have
done.
Story of Bishop Soc’s The Yuppie’s Car and Daughter.
Kaya nga lang, in doing
self-examination and self-correction, there is a great temptation to justify,
rationalize or even fool yourself. Madalas natin marinig “Malinis ang
konsiyensa ko. Kahit na may asawa na ang kinakasama ko ang importante, mahal ko
siya at ako ang mahal niya” o kaya, “Okay lang na din a kami ikasal sa
simbahan, tutal naman kasal na kami sa huwes at maligayang nagsasama.”
2. God speaking
or acting in our lives.
(a)
There is also at times correction when God speaks to us through events and circumstances
in our lives. Every month we can hear the sharing of our brethren on how God
worked through their lives and made them drawn closer to Him.
(b)
God also speaks to us and corrects us through the Scriptures. “For the
commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are
the way of life.” (Pr 6:23)
(c)
Kaya lang, mas madalas, we do not “pay attention”.
There is a need
to “turn aside” or pay attention. Moses’ story – while walking and getting
sight of the burning bush, he “turned aside”. He did not have to. He could have
looked the other way, as many of us would. He would just have missed the
Exodus, the people of Israel ,
his calling, the reason for his existence. He would have missed knowing God.
But he did not miss it. He stopped. He “turned aside”.
This same God had already been active in human
history, ready to transform anyone then or now who is willing to turn aside
before a burning bush.
(d) At saan ba natin puwedeng
marinig ang Diyos? Reading
of three Sundays ago spoke about hearing God not in the skies nor in the
thunder but in a whisper. You can only hear a whisper in a silent place.
Problem now is that we have full of
noises. Our homes, even- the new altar now is the entertainment center which
kills reading, conversations and silence.
(e)
Anent the Scriptures, we just browse through the scriptures. Underline and
memorize passages about blessings and good plans for us while skipping the more
challenging and stirring passages on goodness and discipline. One author, thus,
advises: “Read the portions of the Bible without the underlines.”
Hence,
sometime, we just ignore God’s corrections.
Fortunately, there is a third way. The
third way to correction which we shall talk about tonight is Correction with
the help of our brothers and sisters in the community.
3. Help of
brothers and sisters‑‑through correction.
Pag sinabing correction ilang parties
ang involved? Usually, dalawa- yung kinocorrect at yung nagcocorrect. Yung
itinutuwid at yung Nagtutuwid.
Punta muna tayo sa itinutuwid. Ano
ang tamang attitude ng itinutuwid.
B. OUR ATTITUDE TO
CORRECTION
1. We should love correction.
Alam
naming bro na mahusay ka. Matalino at mapagmahal. Mabuti kang tao. Mas mabuti
pa nga kaysa elders. Pero hindi ito rason para sabihin mong: “Ba, exempted na
ko dyan sa correction”. Bakit? Nobody’s perfect. There is always room for
improvement.
Prov 12:1.
“Nagmamahal sa karunungan ang
nagmamahal sa pangaral, hangal ang tumatanggi sa pagtutuwid.”
This
is now the first principle: We should love, we should desire correction.
Smart people will look at the value of correction itself and use it for their
own good.
Ang
Bagong Tao kasi ay araw araw na struggle. It takes discipline. “Discipline”
comes from the root word “disciple.” A
disciplined person is one who does the right thing at the right time in the
right way and with the right spirit” (St.
Augustine
“Christianity
without discipleship is Christianity without Christ” Dietrich Boenhoffer
Hence, we must love correction.
2. We should
want to have our wrongdoing or things we don't do so well exposed.
Ngayon
sasabihin mo,yun naman pala eh. Ako naman ay ikocorrect lang pag may nakita
silang dapat icorrect. E paano nila makikita eh secret ito. Walang nakakaalam.
Nasa kasuluk-sulukan ng kwarto ko at ginagawa ko sa dilim.
Hence,
the second principle. Expose! Expose Expose.
Sa John 3:19‑21.
“Ito ang paghuhukom: dumating sa
mundo ang liwanag pero mas minahal pa ng mga tao ang karimlan kaysa liwanag
sapagkat masasama ang kanilang gawa. Ang gumagawa ng masama ay napopoot nga sa
liwanag at hindi lumalapit sa liwanag, at baka malantad ang kanyang mga gawa.
Lumalapit naman sa liwanag ang gumagawa ng katotohanan upang mabunyagna sa
Diyos ginagawa ang kanyang mga gawa.”
a) Old
nature: hide our wrongdoing or things not done well.
b) But
the mind of Christ is to bring these to light, so there can be positive change
and healing if necessary.
c) It
is OK not to be perfect.
* Wrong
attitude: I'll straighten it out first, then I will tell you.
Right attitude: Ask brethren to help
out now!
Share
about your last Confession.on artificial birth control.
3. The third principle is: Have the right response to correction.
a) For
wrongdoing: repent and ask forgiveness, make restitution, make the necessary
change.
b) For
something not done well (but not wrongdoing): Be eager to learn, make the
change.
c) Don't
be defensive (I didn't do it; it wasn't wrong; it wasn't my fault).
d) Be
grateful and thank those who correct us.
* Prov 25:12.
Correction is valuable.
“Isang
gintong singsing o mamahaling hiyas nag into – ganyan ang pagtutuwid ng
marunong sa isang taong marunong tumanggap.”
* It is often
hard and even costly for others to give correction.
* Correction
is a sign of one's love for us. Not a putdown or rejection. Prov 3:11‑12.
“Anak ko,
huwag mong hamakin ang pagtutuwid ni Yawe o walaing pansin ang kanyang
pagwawasto. Sapagkat iwinawasto ni Yawe ang mahal niya, gaya
(Summarize first before going to the next.)
Now we go to the other party: the one
who gives correction.
C. HOW DO WE GIVE
CORRECTION?
1. Two different approaches.
a) The
worldly approach.
* Complain
(why are you always late?)
* Nag (if I've
told you once I've told you 1000 times).
* Pressure
(if you don't stop nagging, I won't come home).
* Criticize
(you are one of the sloppiest people I know).
* Make
feel guilty (I guess you just don't care that I've been here waiting for you
all this time).
* Manipulate
(wife is late so sit in car waiting with the engine on).
* Indirect
communication‑‑hints, snide remarks, jokes (must be hard for a busy man to keep
track of all his meetings).
b) The
Lord's way: speak directly.
* Lk 17:3‑4.
Simple, straightforward and merciful.
“Mag-ingat
kayo. Kung magkakasala ang kapatid mo, pagsabihan mo siya, at kung magsisi’y
patawarin mo. At kung pitong beses siya magkasala sa iyo sa isang araw at
pitong beses din siyang bumalik sa iyo na nagsisisisi, patawarin mo siya.”
* Steps : State the matter clearly.
Talk it through (sometimes there is
another side).
Bring it to resolution.
Reestablish and reaffirm the
relationship.
* Have
the steadfast love to deal with it 7 times a day and the mercy to forgive each
time.
* Don't
merely criticize (indirect, to a third party, with no goal of change). Rather,
deal directly in love with the intention to bring change.
2. Various ways of correcting.
(1. admonish means to warn, to
point out something that was forgotten or disregarded;
2. Reprove means to blame for
a fault.
3. Rebuke – means to criticize
sharply, to reprimand.
4. Exhort – means to urge by
strong argument, to admonish earnestly.)
a) Lk
17:3. Reprove, Rebuke.
Pagsabihan
mo siya.
b) Col
“Magturuan
kayo nang may karunungan, at patatagin ang isat isa sa mga salmo, papuri at
awiting espiritwal.”
c) 1
Thes 5:11. Exhort, encourage, build up.
“Kaya
pasiglahin ninyo ang bawat isa at patatagin ang isa’t isa gaya
However, when giving correction, we
must understand first what is it that we are correcting.
3. Understanding the different
types of problems.
a) Differences among : right and wrong (sin
and wrongdoing) better and
worse
(good and bad) personal preference
Sa Tagalog isang word
lang na dalawa ang meaning:
Buti/sama ---
Kabutihan/Kasamaan (Mali/Tama); Mabuti/Masama
b) Correction
is for both wrong acts or badly done acts (the first two). It is not just for
things which I didn't like or was bothered about.
c) We expect repentance only on
right/wrong. Don't expect
repentance/forgiveness for good/bad.
Note: More
in next talk.
Aside from the right approach, and
the right understanding of what to correct, it is also important to understand
who will correct and who to correct. Sino ang magtutuwid at sino naman ang
tutuwirin.
4. Correct differently according
to the relationship.
a) Parents
and leaders in CFC to those under them.
* Prov.
13:24; Eph 6:4; 1 Thes 5:14.
“Namumuhi
sa anak ang amang ayaw magparusa; ang nagmamahal na ama’s malimit magtuwid.
Eph 6:1
Mga
kapatid, kung may mahulog sa anumang paglabag, kayong maka-espiritu ang
magtuwid sa kanya sa diwa ng kahinahunan. Ingatan mo ang iyong sarili, dahil
puwede ka ring matukso. Dalhin ninyo ang mga pasanin ng isa’t isa at sa gayon
ninyo matutpad ang batas ni Kristo.
1 Thes 5:14.
“Ipinakikiusap
naming sa inyo na babalaan ang mga walang ginagawa, pasiglahin ang mga
nasisiraan ng loob, tulungan ang mahihina, at maging matiisin sa lahat.
Mag-ingat kayo na huwag gantihan ng masama ang masama, ngunit lagging magsikap
na maging mabuti sa isa’t isa at sa lahat ng iba pa.”
* Have an
ongoing responsibility to correct those under them.
* Do it
lovingly, but authoritatively.
b) Peers.
* Unless
it is for wronging you, offer correction as something helpful, not
authoritative.
* It
is not always necessary to pursue the matter if it is minor. One can forbear.
c) To
those older or over us in the Lord.
* Offer
correction respectfully.
* Do not do
it publicly.
* Accept
their judgment, unless it is a very serious matter.
1 Thes 5:12.
“Mga
kapatid, hinihingi naming sa inyo na pahalagahan ang mga nagtatrabaho para sa
inyo, ang mga nangunguna sa inyo sa daan ng Panginoon, at ang mga nagpapatibay
sa inyong loob. Igalang at mahalin sila nang lubos dahil sa kanilang trabaho,
at mamuhay kayong magkakabuklod sa kapayapaan.”
Insert
– Fulfillling the Mandate’s last chapter on Disunity
5. Correct
differently according to your growth in wisdom or experience. Be prudent and
discerning.
6. Major
ongoing correction is normally reserved for Unit Heads and up.
a) This
is not the role of brothers and sisters in a household for one another. Their
place is rather to be supportive and encouraging as the other seeks to change.
b) Household
leaders may take this on according to their capability, but always under the
oversight of the Unit Head.
7. The overall
context for correction should always be kindness, rejoicing in (not grim or
burdened), encouragement.
D. CONCLUSION
1. Our
underlying attitude towards our brothers and sisters should be to become
channels of favor and grace. We need to manifest real love, and a desire to see
them move on in the Lord.
2. Satan
is the accuser of the brethren, while the Holy Spirit is the paraclete, the
advocate.
a) Let the Holy Spirit change us
to be like Him.
b) We need to: be "for" our brothers and sisters.
come to their defense.
encourage them.
show kindness, patience, forgiveness.
3. Col
“Kaya magbihis kayo bilang mga banal
at minamahal na hinirang ng Diyos: isuot ninyo ang habag, kabutihang-loob,
kababaang loob, kabaitan at malawak na pang-unawa. Pagtiisan ninyo ang isa’t
isa at magpatawaran kung may pagtatalo kayo. Magbigayan kayo gaya
This can be achieved not by “trying”
but by “training”. Spiritual transformation is not a matter of trying harder
but of training wisely. And in training,
you would have to have a trainer; someone who corrects and causes you to
improve.
08.29.2005
Today's Reading (1 HEB 12:4-7, 11-15) says:
"...You have also forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as children:
My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord
or lose heart when reproved by him;
for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines;
he scourges every son he acknowledges.
Endure your trials as "discipline";
God treats you as his sons.
For what "son" is there whom his father does not discipline?
At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain,
yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness
to those who are trained by it.
So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees.
Make straight paths for your feet,
that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed."
02.01.2017
02.01.2017
