How Scripture Profits Us, Part 3

Paul wrote to Timothy, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).

This post is the third in a series. The first dealt with "All Scripture" and the second with "profitable for teaching." Now we move on to the statement, "profitable for reproof."

Reproof has many benefits for those who are willing to receive it, and dire consequences for those who do not.

Profitable for reproof--Leviticus 19:17: "You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him."

Profitable for reproof--Proverbs 1:23-30: "Turn at my reproof, behold I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention; and you neglected all my counsel and did not want my reproof; I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes, when your dread comes like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but they will not find me, because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD. They would not accept my counsel, they spurned all my reproof."

Profitable for reproof--Proverbs 3:12: "For whom the LORD loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights."

Profitable for reproof--Proverbs 9:8: "Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man and he will love you."

Profitable for reproof--Proverbs 10:17: "He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, but he who ignores reproof goes astray."

Profitable for reproof--Proverbs 15:5: "A fool rejects his father's discipline, but he who regards reproof is sensible."

Profitable for reproof--Proverbs 15:10: "Grievous punishment is for him who forsakes the way; he who hates reproof will die."

Profitable for reproof--Proverbs 29:15: "The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother."

Profitable for reproof--Isaiah 1:17: "Learn to do good, seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow."

Profitable for reproof--2 Timothy 4:2b: "reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction."

Profitable for reproof--Hebrews 12:4-11: "You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, 'MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.' It is for discipline that you endure; for God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness."

Profitable for reproof--Revelation 3:19: "Whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent."