3 Ways We Harden Ourselves Against Discipline | Clip from Final Warning

Um, which one have I not thought of? I think that I had never considered that final one, um, the, the conversion or correction of another sinner. So, he kind of gives a picture of two people running together in life and they're kind of living the same way and living it up and encouraging each other in a life of just self-indulgence.

One of them is stopped in their tracks. So, it could be conversion, but it could have been a Christian where God deals with them. And the other person suddenly, you're, you know, you're, you're running mate, isn't running with you anymore.

And so, that's kind of shocking. But if you see a really deep, distinct change, he says, that's, take that as a correction from God and don't brush it off. You know, it bothers you. It got your attention, so use it.

The Correction of Another Sinner

Yeah. Um, any of those that you hadn't thought of as an aspect of correction?

I don't, I don't think so. The one you just mentioned, not in the exact category or as he describes it exactly, but, um, the Lord used the conversion of my father to deeply affect me. And so, I do see how that could be used as a reproof.

God Exposing What We Are Blind To

Yeah. Yeah. Kind of someone to just shake us. Um, and again, I mean, you know, we are talking about God exposing something to us that perhaps we've become blind to. So, almost like you've fallen asleep and someone shakes you, and it can be alarming, but it's for the, but it's for love.

It's to do us good. Well, he talks about the danger of hardening yourself, and I, and I was thinking about what would that look like? And so, you know, I think, sadly, in this category, I can always look at myself and see plenty of examples.

Three Ways of Hardening Yourself Against Discipline

Three things I could see in me in the past, how have I hardened myself or become kind of calloused toward God's gentle rebukes, his exposing of sin? And so, I thought of three. I don't know if you can think of others.

Sometimes I get angry and say, it's not my fault. You're dead wrong, you know, to, to whatever manner that the message is coming to me. I just shrug my shoulder and say, it's not me. The other would be to agree, but to throw in some blame for everybody else around me, to say, well, yeah, yeah, yeah, you're right, but so-and-so.

And so, the ultimate product of that is, I don't really change. And then the third, which might look very different than the others is, I completely agree, and I get really sentimental, and my feelings get hurt, and I get down in the dumps, and I despair that I'm ever going to be any different, and I always seem to do this, you know, and, you know, this isn't the first time someone's had to say this to me.

And that is not repentance, you know. All it is is an offended, humiliated pride in me, and it doesn't lead to any Christ-like alterations in my behavior, especially at that deeper root level. And so, generally, I just end up back there again, you know, if the person is willing to say it again, or if God uses other means.

Other Ways We Resist Correction

Can you think of any other ways that, you know, we can harden?

The only thing I think I would add is maybe an apathy or an indifference, so you just kind of shrug and keep going. Yeah.

How Age and Christian Maturity Can Mask Hardening

Yeah. And that can come with age, you know. I mean, we've had the benefit of being friends for over 20 years. We met when we were at college. You can see how easy it is for yourself or for your Christian friends.

I mean, when you're a young Christian, you're pretty tender. And as we were talking before the podcast, I think one of the evidences of a hardening, you know, when you're a young Christian, you probably have a very short list of gray areas.

I mean, you know, you're very earnest. So everything's black and white, and maybe there's a gray area or so. And as you grow older as a Christian, sometimes you realize that your black and white list wasn't biblical.

But I distrust myself when with, you know, 30 years, yeah, it's been 30 years that we've known each other. With 30 years of being a believer, John Snyder's gray list has increased? Is it because I'm becoming more like Christ?

Or is it because in pride, I'm willing to be a bit hardened in those areas and do what you mentioned? I shrug my shoulders when someone or the Bible points them out. I think, come on, that's an immature view of this.

Everybody knows that this is okay. I don't need to be a legalist. And I wonder if, especially with the, you know, the reform movement in our day, with so many activities that used to be considered wrong or not really right, now they're just, we're told that if you're a serious, clear thinking Christian and not a legalist, you understand that these are great.

And I'm not convinced that we are becoming more like our Lord when we have more gray areas. Well, thank you for watching the clip. We hope that it was helpful for you. If you want to hear the full audio of that podcast, you can find it on any of your favorite podcast apps.