Volume 17, Number 3 July Summer 2022
God’s Chastisement of His Children
(Heb. 12:5-11)
“And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
Introduction
As we begin this passage, we’re reminded to always study Scripture in the context it is written and also that the original texts had no chapter nor verse divisions. With that being said, I call your attention to the beginning of chapter 12 with the word, “wherefore” which refers back to chapter 11 and those saints who are listed in this hall of “faith.” They are called “a great cloud of witnesses” who have “compassed (surrounded)” those of us who are currently running “the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1). Before going any further, there are two things I’d like to quickly mention about this verse, the first of which is a glimpse into the fact that it’s possible for believers in heaven to be aware of some events taking place on earth. I realize that this can be a biblically debatable matter, but personally I believe there is enough Scripture to merit that possibility. Just how much of what takes place on earth is revealed to the saints in heaven is unknown, but I believe it’s possible for God to reveal earthly things to them just as He does to “angels” (Lk. 15:7,10) whatsoever He desires (Lk. 16:19-31) for them to know.
The second thing that claims our attention is how Christians upon earth are metaphorically (a metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable) described in various ways, such as a bride, children, or sheep, and in this verse, we are likened to runners in a “race” facing the challenges and obstacles of life. If we’re not careful, we’ll find ourselves overcome with evil; therefore, Scripture admonishes us to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.” When the “weight” of “sin” overcomes us, then God loves us enough to use His rod of “chastisement” as we discover Him doing in the lives of all those listed in the hall of “faith.” Whether we’re an athlete injured in a race or recovering from surgery taking rehab, there is an old saying that says “no pain no gain” which can also be applied to God’s “chastisement.” Christ Himself demonstrates for us this mighty truth as we see Him laying down His life in death upon a cruel cross in order to win our “victory” (I Cor. 15:57) over sin, death, hell, and the grave. Therefore, before going any further in this message, every one of us ought to examine our hearts if we have been “born again” (Jh 3:3) by “grace … through faith” (Eph. 28) and made one of God’s children (Jh. 3:16-17).
The 11th chapter is often referred to as the Hebrew’s Hall of “faith” and is a challenge for us to live like people who have “faith” in our crucified and risen Savior Who Himself was “wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:5). For that reason, we need to keep “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2). As we examine the lives of those listed in chapter 11, we discover that they did not travel an easy road to Heaven and often discovered God’s love in His “chastisement.” It was a pathway of not only “faith,” but also one of “chastening” by the loving Hand of God which produces spiritual victory in eternal glory. Nobody in their right mind can honestly say that they enjoy getting a whipping, or being corrected, or being disciplined. It goes against the human grain of our pride with which we are born in our depraved natures. With these factors taken into consideration, it goes without saying that is all the more reason why we deserve and must be disciplined, both physically and spiritually.
Regardless of what you want to call it, the bottom line is the same and from our text, we discover that our God focuses on “chastising” His children on both sides of the cross, or in other words, in both the Old and New Testaments (Prov. 3:11-12). As you can tell from this passage in Proverbs, the inspired writer is quoting this same Old Testament passage in the Book of Hebrews. These Hebrew Christians were experiencing the same growing pains in their spiritual maturity as did the Old Testament believers. I remember my wife telling our children during their growing-up years that we corrected them when they did wrong because we loved them and wanted others to love them also. I believe that same truth can be seen and learned from this passage that claims our attention. Personally, I can tell you today that I’m very well acquainted with God’s “chastisement” because He has taken me out behind His spiritual woodshed on many occasions. Also, if you’re a genuine believer in the Lord Jesus Christ having been made a “new creature” (II Cor. 5:17) in Him, you ought to be able to say the same thing.
God’s Chastisement is a Sign of Sonship v.5-9
God wanted the Hebrew Christians to know in the midst of their suffering, that it was part of their spiritual nurturing at the Hand of their loving Heavenly “Father.” As we’ve already discovered, the writer of Hebrews is quoting from the third chapter of Proverbs. It paints a picture of a how a loving father is committed to the disciplining of his “children.” Reference to “son” in our text is speaking of a male child, but is also including the female gender both of which consists in the word “children.” In no way whatsoever does the Bible endorse child abuse, but it does advocate discipline for both genders.
There are times when God authorizes the State to administer the “sword” (Rom. 13:1-6) in capital punishment which is speaking of the death penalty. God Himself is subject to taking the life of one of his unrepentant rebellious “children” like we see in the case of “Ananias” and “Sapphira” (Acts 5:1-11, I Jh. 5:16). Even the church is authorized to deal with an unrepentant member by turning him/her over to “Satan” (which means excommunicating them from membership) in hopes that God’s “chastisement” will bring them to repentance (I Cor. 5:4-5).
Scripture has much to say about the raising, correcting, and “chastening” of “children” most of which is ignored by modern-day culture (Eph. 6:1-4). Scripture teaches that when it comes to childrearing, parents are not to spare the “rod” because in doing so is withholding love from your child (Prov. 12:1, 13:24, 23:13-14). Children must learn that it’s a painful thing to do wrong, just as the Lord often tries to show us. It’s apparent, that God “chastens” His children at various stages and in different degrees, based upon the wrongdoing.
From my own personal experience in raising children, I did not enjoy having to scold or spank any of our children. We had one who was so defiant that I remember asking her if she wanted a whipping and her reply was, “yeah, give me one.” But, on the other hand, another one of our children most of the time all it took was a stern look and serious tone in my voice. From those two examples, has come my request to my Heavenly (Matt. 6:9) “Father” when I need correction. I must confess that often when I pray, I ask the Lord to show me the error of my ways, chasten me when I need it, and to keep me so tender-hearted that it will not take any more than a stern look from heaven and not a harsh whipping out behind His woodshed.
From the KJV we are introduced to the words, “chastening” and “chastisement.” To begin with, we need to understand that neither are the “temptations” (Jam. 1:1) or trials of life, nor God’s “judgments” (Rom. 11:33) the same thing as “chastisement.” Although, judgement can play a part in divine “chastening” as believers are admonished to “judge” ourselves before partaking of the Lord’s Supper to avoid God’s “chastisement” (I Cor. 11:31-32). On the other hand, God had to teach Job that suffering has a spiritual purpose in the life of a believer and is used to strengthen and mature our “faith” as we see in Job’s testimony (Job 19:25). God’s “chastisement” has to do more with His discipline, training, and molding us through the process of “sanctification.”
Perhaps the word “chastisement” might be archaic in our day and age and might be substituted by using other words, such as, correction or discipline as we find in the more modern versions of Scripture. As we have already discovered, there are several words and definitions that are actually wrapped up in the one word, “chastisement.” It can mean to rebuke or severely reprimand, to punish or inflict a penalty for wrongdoing, to criticize or show the offender their wrong, to inflict punishment by whipping, to discipline or bring under control, to correct or to reform the offender. “Chastisement” may occur by either inflicting corporal punishment or a mere verbal denunciation.
Every Christian will remain a work in progress until death and it can be said of us as David the psalmist wrote from personal experience and under divine inspiration (Ps. 119:67-71). Like David, every believer is considered God’s “workmanship” that is yet to be completed after death (Eph. 2:10). In salvation, God began a work within us that He has promised to complete (Phil. 1:6). All of this can be summarized in the great doctrines of Justification (been saved from the penalty of sin), Sanctification (being saved from the power of sin), and Glorification (shall be saved from the presence of sin). It’s been said that the Lord doesn’t whip-up on the devil’s children no more than a parent will whip-up on someone else’s child without the parent’s permission. That’s not to say that God’s judgement will not fall upon hell-bound sinners because that is inevitable (Rev. 20:11-15). It does mean that God loves His “children” enough to correct them when they sin and seeks to conform them into the “image of His Son” (Rom. 8:28-29, 12:1-2).
In fact, Scripture is so bold to say that if a person professes Christ, but never experiences His “chastisement,” then he/she is a professed “bastard,” or in other words, an illegitimate believer. That sounds rather harsh, but it ought to get our attention as to the genuineness of our profession of “faith” if we have ever made one. Just remember the “seed” (Matt. 13) that falls on four different types of soil which demonstrates that not all professions are genuine. When God acts as our loving Heavenly “Father” in “chastening” us, we in turn out of respect, ought to repent of the sin that is hindering our “fellowship” (I Jh. 1:6-10). Rather than resenting God’s “chastisement,” we ought to be thankful for it and appreciate the fact that He loves us enough to correct us.
God’s Chastisement is Profitable v.10-11
If our earthly “fathers” love us enough to “chastise” us for wrongdoing, we need to understand that it’s a pattern established by our heavenly “Father” from the beginning in the fall of “Adam and his wife,” Eve (Gen. 3:8). We know that after they sinned, “Adam” and “Eve” were clothed in “coats of skins” (Gen. 3:21), indicating their belief in the salvation promises of God. However, the consequences of their sin not only affected them, but all their posterity with what we call human depravity. From the lines of “Cain” who killed “Abel” with “Seth” taking his righteous line from which Jesus Christ would come (Gen. 4), we see all down through Hebrew history how God had to deal with the sin of His people in “chastisement” (Amos 3:1-2, Zech. 12:12-14). Beginning all the way back into the Book of Job, whom some believe to be the oldest Book in the Bible, God’s “chastening” Hand dealt with him, but it was all for Job’s good and God’s Glory (Job 40:1-14, 42:1-6).
We have to admit as earthly parents, that it’s possible for us at times to overreact to our children and make mistakes. However, our heavenly “Father” never makes a mistake and is perfect in all that He does, including whatever discipline that He inflicts. It’s been said that God’s chisel of “chastening” is used to make us partakers of His “holiness” (I Pet. 1:15-16). God only corrects His “children” and He does so out of His great love, grace, and mercy. It’s been said that Martin Luther once cried out, “strike on Lord, strike on, for now I know I am thy child.” As human parents, we must admit that we sometimes make mistakes in the correction of our children, but God, our loving Heavenly “Father,” never errors and knows exactly how to correct us according to our downfall. God’s Hand of correction upon one of His followers is always for the good and “profit” of His redeemed child.
Like a sculptor chiseling out a piece of “workmanship,” God is cutting away and removing from us that which is not pleasing to Him (Eph. 2:10). To take God’s “chastening” lightly is to take “sin” lightly which is an abuse of God’s grace and disrespect to our loving Heavenly “Father.” If we respond favorably to the correction of an earthly father, even more so should we to our Creator Redeemer. Just like going under a surgeon’s knife may be painful in the recovery process, God uses “chastisement” to make us “partakers of His holiness” (Heb. 12:10).
Any way you look at it, “chastisement” for a believer is a painful process and nobody enjoys suffering pain. Herein, we discover the road of “sanctification” (I Cor. 1:30-31) that every Christian is traveling includes a painful process of suffering as God irons out our wrinkles of depravity. At the time of “chastisement” it’s not seen as something “joyous” nor profitable, but “grievous” and painful. However, looking back on it, we can see the benefits of having been “chastened” because it ultimately yields the “peaceable fruit of righteousness” that is the product of “holiness.” God’s expectation of His people is to be “holy” (I Pet. 1:15-16) which means to be set apart for God’s glory.
Spiritually speaking, “chastisement” is a process that will continue from our justification, throughout our “sanctification” (I Thess. 4:3-4), and until our ultimate glorification after death. There have been more times than I can ever remember when God has “chastened” me due to my spiritual rebellion, one of the worst of which is when I told Him that I wasn’t going to preach again. I can also remember a phone call that I received one day from a believer who had committed a moral sin and was experiencing God’s “chastisement.” He was under deep conviction, miserable, brokenhearted, deeply sorrowful, and seeking biblical counsel.
The Old Testament Israelites were continually disobeying God’s commands and being “chastened” such as the time when the majority refused to enter the promised land (Num. 14:21-39). I’ve already mentioned the story of “Ananias” and “Sephirah” (Acts 5:1-11) from the New Testament who lied to the Holy Spirit and met God’s “chastisement” unto death. If you’re a genuine believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and if you were to be brutally honest, then you also would have to confess that there have been times when God has convicted you of your sin and through “chastisement” restored you to “fellowship” (I Jh. 1:9). We must never forget when we participate in the Lord’s Supper as a believer, it’s a time to remember that Jesus died for our sin and to “examine” and “judge ourselves” lest we be “chastened of the Lord” (I Cor. 11:23-32).
Closing
Despite the obstacles, pain, difficulties, and failures that we as Christian’s endure during this pilgrimage of life, we must keep (Heb. 12:2-3) “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in you minds.”
Verse 4 of that same chapter reminds us that nobody has ever suffered like Jesus had to suffer and as of yet, we “have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” In other words, the life of Christ and His endurance unto death ought to inspire us to “deny” ourselves “and take up” our “cross and follow” Him (Mk. 8:34) regardless of the cost. Christ is the believer’s example in all things and especially our suffering for His glory while upon earth, with our eyes always fixed on the eternal splendor of Heaven yet to come. Just as little children are under the authority of their earthly parents, believers need to recognize the fact that we are God’s dear “little children” (I Jh. 2:1) and must learn submission to His authority. We must never forget that we are accountable to God for our actions and are subject to His “chastisement.” Therefore, we conclude this message where we began and that is with the exhortation to “run with patience the race that is set before us” so that our loving Heavenly “Father” can move us on to spiritual maturity.
A Ministry Reminder
All previous editions of “The Traveling Pulpit” and all books can be found on our website www.covenantofgraceministries.com under the tab “publications” and all radio Bible Studies under the tab “audio.”
Because of His Sovereign Grace…BWM