Whom the Lord Loveth He Chasteneth

2021-08-10

The Lord’s grace never fails. As Christians, we will never stand before the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11). He patiently deals with us as His children. With this, there are many antinomians and false prophets that say that such grace is a license to sin, “whose damnation is just” (Romans 3:8). “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.” (Romans 6:1-2).

However, we also can start thinking our sin does not matter. No one is immune. God does not allow us to willfully sin and not walk in faith without consequences.

He can discipline us in one of a few ways. One way is that He works some manner of trial in our lives. This is not to say that all trials are due to sin in our lives, but this is one possibility. For example, some people were abusing the Lord’s Supper at Corinth, and as a result, we read that “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep” (1 Corinthians 11:30). We see here that some may even die because of willful sin. Ananias and Saphira lied about the cost of their property sale (Acts 5:1-11). Regardless for the reason of a trial, the purpose is for us to grow in the grace of God and into the image of His Son.

Another way is through church discipline. After multiple attempts to get someone to confess their sin, the church excuses a willful sinner from the congregation (Matthew 18:15-20). This is to “deliver such an one unto Satan” (1 Corinthians 5:5). Concerning one man practicing perversion in the church, the Lord commanded this: “But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person” (1 Corinthians 5:13).

A third possible way is just by natural consequences. For example, adultery can lead to divorce, and families are destroyed, affecting many.

He disciplines us because He loves us as His children (Hebrews 12:5-7). He goes so far as to tell us that, if we do not experience His chastisement, “then are ye bastards, and not sons” (Hebrews 12:8).

“Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin” (Hebrews 12:4). “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

“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” (Hebrews 12:11).

This is easy to say and difficult to endure.