When Correction Becomes Condemnation

Scripture isn’t a sword for ego; it’s a scalpel for healing (Hebrews 4:12). The way we treat, seek out, and speak to one another is where the danger lies. When we lose compassion in our interactions, our words—spoken or written—risk becoming mere commentary more than genuine correction.

For those in positions of leadership or influence, this behavior is beyond frowned upon by the Lord. It inflicts irreparable damage on people who are already broken, causing deep wounds to the soul and spirit that are meant to be handled by God alone. We never truly know what ground others are standing on when they take a difficult step without consulting the Lord first. So, grab your cup, because we need to talk.

Mislabeling and Misdiagnosis: Presumption Isn’t Discernment—It’s a Prison

Let’s be real: we’ve all seen the trend: the quick-draw spiritual or psychological label.

Just as dangerous as saying “Jezebel spirit” is the loose use of clinical-sounding terms like “narcissist,” “PTSD,” “depressed,” or simply “crazy.” They are often thrown out as weapons to dismiss a person’s behavior or pain, rather than as tools for genuine understanding and help. To declare someone a “narcissist” or “crazy” without covenant or expertise is the same kind of presumption as declaring a “Messiah complex.”

This is the crucial danger: These labels anchor people to the flesh as a prison, keeping them trapped, stuck, and boxed in instead of seeing them as a vessel of God. These terms, whether spiritual or psychological, are used to say: “I have judged you, and you are disposable.”

Example of Mislabeling: You see a leader with visionary, unconventional ideas and immediately mock them online as having a “Messiah complex” instead of prayerfully addressing the fruit of their actions (Matthew 7:16).
Example of Misdiagnosis: A friend is withdrawn and tearful. Instead of asking about their circumstances, you dismiss their pain with, “You’re just depressed, snap out of it,” which minimizes their struggle and offers zero hope for restoration.

Scripture warns us to judge fruit carefully (Matthew 7:16; 1 John 4:1). Without covenant and clarity—meaning a genuine relationship and a clear understanding—correction simply becomes commentary. Remember, “Let not many of you become teachers… for we shall receive a stricter judgment” (James 3:1). If you speak, be sure you’re speaking out of love and not loudness.

Humility, Not Hypocrisy: The Secret Place is the Root of Correction

True correction flows from an inner life of surrender, not an outward show of superiority. Jesus modeled humble boldness: He was hidden in prayer, visible in love.

Humility is not silence for appearance’s sake; it’s surrender for His sake. It means we spend more time in the Secret Place (Psalm 91:1) letting God refine us than we do on a public soapbox trying to refine others. Isaiah 57:15 confirms God revives the contrite, not the confrontational. His secret place is for renewal, not retreat from responsibility.

This is why Projection Isn’t Correction. Correction must be rooted in love and relationship, which only genuine humility allows. Projection—blasting someone else for a sin or struggle you’re guilty of or insecure about—isn’t correction.

Example of Spectacle: You see a public figure make a mistake and immediately post an impassioned “rebuke” on social media, using harsh scripture references. This is correction performed for an audience—a spectacle—which only reflects your own ego, not Jesus.
Example of Restoration: You notice a friend being uncharacteristically harsh. You approach them privately and gently (Galatians 6:1), saying, “I love you, and I see you’re carrying a heavy burden. Is something going on?”

When a rebuke becomes a spectacle, it has ceased to reflect Jesus. True discernment flows from sober judgment, not superiority (Romans 12:3). The Spirit convicts, but never condemns, and neither should we.

The Final Sip: Correction Must Flow from Covenant

Before correcting others, Scripture instructs: “Examine yourselves…” (2 Corinthians 13:5). Our words should heal, not harm. Let every insight be Spirit-led, not self-fed.

The Covenant Test: If you don’t have a relationship with a person that has earned you the right to speak into their life, your words are not correction—they are merely commentary.

So, before speaking a word of rebuke or throwing out a spiritual or psychological diagnosis, ask Him: “Does this apply to me first?”

Because correction outside of covenant becomes condemnation, and that’s never been the language of Jesus. Let’s aim to use the scalpel for healing, and leave the sword of ego sheathed.