And you have been oblivious of the entreaty which is arguing with you as with sons: My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord, nor yet faint when being exposed by Him. For whom the Lord is loving He is disciplining, yet He is scourging every son whom He is assenting. For discipline are you enduring. As to sons is God bringing it to you, for what son is there whom the father is not disciplining?
Hebrews 12: 5-7, Concordant New Testament
One of the retorts I often hear from those opposed to believing in God is that they would never believe in a "angry God." I suppose one could ascertain through reading the old testament that the Lord could be looked upon as somewhat angry. What with the destruction of the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and the erasing of the earths population but for His chosen few {Genesis 6:23-24}. God has also proclaimed that He is a jealous God {Genesis 20:5}. I recently got into a discussion with a friend about what we have traditionally seen as the Lords punishment. Back in my church days, whenever my life would hit a rough patch, there were those brothers who would begin to question me if there were anything God could be upset with me about. The automatic assumption was that somehow I had angered God enough that He brought about His wrath upon me. That's a good story, if you can sell it. Are our tribulations in life as simple as God punishing a wrongdoer? I'd say no. The examples I look to are both written in scripture and have certainly been experienced by anyone who has been involved in parenthood. The apostle Paul asks in Hebrews, "What son is there whom the father is not disciplining?"{Hebrews 12:7} Indeed, if we are children of God, are we not also susceptible to the Fathers correction from time to time? Could it be that what we see as discipline is simply the Fathers love guiding us in the right direction? I recall growing up and being exposed to the discipline of my parents. At the time I saw this as an injustice, but in time I began to see that it was for my own benefit. As the loving discipline of our earthly parents is not meant to harm but to reprove what, then, can we say about the discipline of our heavenly Father? Knowing that we humans have never been perfect, we must also know that the reproof of the Lord is at times needed.
Thereafter, indeed, we had the fathers of our flesh as discipliners, and we respected them. Yet shall we not much rather be subjected to the Father of spirits and be living. For these, indeed, disciplined for a few days as it seemed best to them, yet that One for our expedience, for us to be partaking of His holiness. Now all discipline, indeed, for the present is not seeming to be a thing of joy, but of sorrow, yet subsequently it is rendering the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those exercised through it.
Hebrews 12: 9-11, Concordant New Testament
Jesus has spoken to us that we should not expect a rose garden in this life of ours {John 16:33}. We also know that Jesus Himself suffered at the hands of the authorities of His day {Isaiah 53:5}. So, can we say that what we have previously seen as anger from God has been nothing more than His loving correction? I would agree with that. If I rightfully see myself as a child of God, I can also expect His Fatherly correction from time to time as well. Far from being upset, we should rejoice that our heavenly Father is lovingly guiding us in the way He desires us to proceed. If we often respected our earthly parents for the discipline they provided, how much more do we rejoice in the Lord for doing the same? We're told that those the Father loves He disciplines {Revelation 3:19}. So, why are we not rejoicing in the Fathers love whenever this happens? Well, if you're like me, no discipline feels good when we're going through it. Discipline means correction. Discipline means that we were wrong or misguided in our actions. We want to bask in the Lords love, not endure His correction. Yet, we need to realize that, as children of the living God, God disciplines those He loves. Rejoice!
In this was manifested the love of God among us, that God has dispatched His only-begotten Son into the world that we should be living through Him.
1 John 4: 9, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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