Should you ever correct your spouse? The Bible says you should, and it tells you how (Gal. 6:1-3). First, you must not be just frustrated and fed up, but “spiritual.” Second, your goal must not be to humiliate, expose, or “win,” but to “restore.” Third, you must bring correction in a “spirit of gentleness,” not anger. Fourth, you must examine your own heart, “lest you also be tempted.” And, finally, you must “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2) — so whenever the problem persists, you’re called to be patient and longsuffering. Correcting your spouse is sometimes called for, but it must be done carefully, this way (Gal. 6:1-3). 

Should you ever correct your spouse? Well, the Bible says you should. Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness considering yourself lest you also be tempted that's from Galatians 6 this is the Word of God in every phrase in these verses is really really excellent counsel for how to correct your spouse. So the question is not, should you ever correct your husband or your wife? No, scripture answers that yes, but the real question is, how do you do it?

The apostle is making it clear that you're not really very qualified to correct your spouse unless you follow the pattern that is in Galatians 6. And the first is you who are spiritual, not just emotional, not just frustrated. If you're angry and you want to correct your spouse, it's probably a good time to wait. If you're trying to win an argument, then you should stop because you don't win when you sin against one another. Another thing that's very clear in these verses is that correction must have one objective.

It is restoration. Your Words always move things in a direction, and make sure your words have that objective of healing. Another thing the apostle Paul says is, consider yourself before you correct. In other words, look in the mirror before you point your finger, remove the plank from your own eye before you start playing with the speck in your spouse's eye. And this really has to do with self-awareness.

It really is wisdom. And then the apostle makes it clear that when you are correcting one another, you should go in for forbearance because he says, bear one another's burdens. If you're going to correct your spouse, it's not profitable to demand or expect some instantaneous change. He says, bear with the burden, stay in, walk together. And this is because love is patient and love actually covers a multitude of sins.

And sometimes the most godly response is mercy and forgetfulness. And he also makes it clear that we should guard ourselves against condescension. If you think you're something, you are deceived. This has to do with pride. Pride freezes relationships.

But forbearance keeps love alive. And that's how the Lord Jesus Christ has loved us. Love one another as I have loved you. That is the heart of confronting one another. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.

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