Day 28: THE CHASTISEMENT OF THE LORD

 PHRONESIS DEVOTIONAL

30 DAYS DEVOTIONAL WITH PREACHER SAM

September 28, 2023.

Topic: THE CHASTISEMENT OF THE LORD

Bible Reading: Hebrews 12:1-11

Verse for Meditation: Hebrews 12:6 NKJV

For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.

Questions related to the chastisement of the Lord have been quite difficult to answer because many of our experiences have led to a subjective view about God and His Word. I was once like that until I started to see God and His Word through the lens of Christ and a proper interpretation of the Scripture. To interpret the Scripture properly, you must first read the text in context, then look out for the mode of communication used (the language used, and if it was used figuratively, check out for the figurative expression and meaning), and the culture (also the time). Then finally pass it through the lens of Christ, because the Scripture is about Him.

So the questions, “do my difficult circumstances indicate that God is mad at me?” “Is God punishing me because of my ‘unconfessed sin’?” “Does God still love me even when I sin?” “Are my difficult circumstances God’s retribution for my sins?” are some few others, are being asked when dealing with God’s chastening.

First Jesus said that as far as we are in this world we will continue to experience difficulties and frustration, but the good news is that He has made us overcomers (Jn. 16:33). So passing through some difficult times in your lives is not an indication that God is mad at you or He is retributing you for your sins.

Secondly, God does not punish us for any unconfessed sin. Sin has its consequences; and these consequences are not God’s way to punish us for sin, “For he we sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” (Gal. 6:8). Suffering for the wrong things is not God’s punishment for sin, but sin’s consequence (1Pet. 4:15).

“He who covers his sins will not prosper...” (Prov. 28:13). You can’t be living in sin and not expect its consequences. “...But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” (Prov. 28:13b). It is until you admit your faults and stop doing them, you may not experience God’s mercy.

In James 5:14-16, it has nothing to do with the connection ‘unconfessed sin’ and ‘sicknesses’ literally. Paul wrote, “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.” (Gal. 6:1). So James was not encouraging an auricular confession that is being practised by the Roman Catholics but more like a therapeutic guide on how a believer can be helped out of his weaknesses and experience a spiritual healing or a healing of the mind; for a prayer to be effective, the mind must be healed from every hurt and pain, and the spirit must be free from every addiction because guilt can make one’s prayer less effective. And of course for a believer to experience wholeness in his body after being prayed for against a particular sickness he needs to forsake his sins so that Satan will not have a legal ground to bring such sickness back as some sicknesses are sponsored by the devil.

One of the chief differences between religion and relationship with God is the issue of divine punishment inflicted on disobedient Christians. Religion has always done more harm than good, especially by adding more pain to sincere believers that whenever they experience financial hardships, prolonged illness or probably experience a loss of a loved one, is God punishing them. God does not use sickness, poverty or death to chastise us; instead He uses His Word! The Bible says, “... The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” (Isa. 53:5). God does not punish us for our sins; He already did that in Christ.

So what then is the writer of the Hebrews talking about in our verse for mediation? The word, ‘chasten’ in the Greek is ‘paideuo’, which means, ‘to discipline’, ‘to instruct’ or ‘to train’. And the analogy of a father-to-son relationship was used to explain our relationship with God.

Now how does God chasten us? He does this through His Word.

2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

2 Timothy 3:16 MSG

Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way.

2 Timothy 3:16 NLT

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realise what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right.

When we neglect the study of God’s Word and the teaching taught by any of the fivefold ministry gifts, we drift into rebellion against God’s authority, a hardness of heart and eventually a state of rebrobacy and apostasy.

PRAYER:

SWEET HOLY SPIRIT, PLEASE HELP ME TO ALWAYS GIVE MYSELF TO YOUR INSTRUCTION, CORRECTION, REBUKE AND TRAINING. AMEN.

DECLARATION:

I YIELD TO GOD’S CHASTENING HENCEFORTH.

Bible Reading Plan: Colossians 3; 1 John 3; Proverbs 29