Ephesians 5:10-11 says, “Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”
As followers of God, we are called to both prove what is right and reprove what is wrong. But how do we do this in our daily walk with Christ as we do our best to follow Him?
The process of proving and reproving can be compared to the refining of gold. When gold is refined, it is tested to remove impurities, and this testing makes it pure and valuable. In the same way, we are called to prove—test and discern—what is acceptable to the Lord. This means we must carefully evaluate our actions, words, and even the influences in our lives to see if they align with God’s standards.
To prove what is right, we use God’s Word as our ultimate guide. Psalm 12:6 says, “The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.”
Just as pure gold is the result of intense refining, God’s Word has been tried and proven true. It is the perfect standard by which we test everything. When faced with a decision, we should ask ourselves: Does this align with Scripture? Is it something that pleases God? This is the process of proving.
But it doesn’t stop there. Just as a refiner removes impurities from the gold, we must also reprove—correct and distance ourselves from what is not pleasing to God. This means not only avoiding sinful behavior but also speaking against it and standing for what is right. Ephesians 5:11 warns us to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” Reproving is about more than just avoiding sin; it’s about actively opposing it.
The Bible gives us clear examples of both proving and reproving. In 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, we are told to “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
Here, Paul instructs us to test everything and keep only what is good, while rejecting anything that even appears to be evil. This is the balance of proving and reproving—holding on to what is pure and casting off what is not.
Another example is found in 2 Timothy 3:16, which says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” The Bible itself is our tool for proving and reproving. It teaches us what is right, helps us correct what is wrong, and guides us in living a life that pleases God.
As followers of God, we must remember that proving and reproving are not optional—they are essential to our walk with Christ. Just as gold is refined through testing and purification, our lives must be continually tested against the standard of God’s Word. And when we find something that doesn’t align with His will, we must be willing to reprove it, to correct it, and to distance ourselves from it.
In this journey of following God as dear children, let us commit to proving what is right and reproving what is wrong, using the Word of God as our guide. As we do, we will grow in purity and shine as lights in a dark world, reflecting the character of Christ in all we do.
