DIVINE CHASTISEMENT
"Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him" Heb 12:5
I. Divine Punishments vs. Divine Chastisement
A. Importance to draw a distinction for
1. The honor and glory of God
2. The peace of mind of the Christian
B. Christians are not punished for sins. God's people can never by any possibility be punished for their sins, for God has already punished them at the cross.
C. The difference between punishment and chastisement lies not in the nature of the sufferings of the afflicted. In other words, major suffering does not necessarily mean
major punishment or major chastisement.
D. A three-fold distinction
1. The Character in which God acts.
a. Judge --- sentence is the act of a judge.
The Christian cannot be punished because Christ has been punished for
these sins already.
Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
I Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Romans 5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification.
Romans 8:33-34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?
It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that
died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of
God, who also maketh intercession for us.
b. Father --> The end of a father's action is to correct.
The Christian is a member of the family of God. He may be disciplined, but not punished.
Define Chastisement:
--primarily denotes to train children, suggesting the broad idea of education
--Here of a training gracious and firm
--by correcting with words, reproving, and admonishing
Vine’s Dict.
2. The second distinction between Divine punishment and Divine chastisement lies
in the recipients of each.
a. Punishment is for enemies.
II Thes. 1:8-9 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know
not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; Who
shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
These individuals will stand before God at the Great White Throne Judgment.
b. Correction is for children.
Hebrew 12:5 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:
These individuals will stand before Christ.
II Cor. 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of
Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
3. The third distinction is seen in the design of each.
a. Divine Punishment is retributive.
Flows from anger.
Is not for the good of sinners, but for the honoring of God's law and
the vindicating of His government.
b. Divine Chastisement is corrective (remedial).
Flows from love.
Rev. 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous
therefore, and repent.
Sent for well-being of recipient.
Psalms 118: 17 -18
The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. 19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
Hebrews 12:9-10
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? 10 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.
E. If therefore this is true then, when the believer is smarting under the rod let him not say, "God is punishing me for my sins." The truth is, God is correcting thee in love, not smiting the in wrath.
Jer 10:24 O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.
Proverbs 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Proverbs 19:18 Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
F. Chastisement should not be regard as some necessary evil. But can be a reassurance and
a blessing. The father of a family does not concern himself with those on the outside
of the family, but those within he guides and disciplines to make them conform to
His will.
Deut. 8:5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.
Better to be a son than not.
II. SOME REASONS FOR DIVINE CHASTISEMENT
A. To empty us of self-sufficiency and self-righteousness.
Psalms 119:16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Deut 4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;
B. To discover hidden transgressions
I Cor 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
C. To strengthen our faith, to raise us to higher levels of experience, and therefore
bring us into a condition of usefulness.
Psalms 94:12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out
of thy law;
Psalms 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
John 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch
that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
II Cor 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
D. To keep under pride, to save us from being unduly elated over success in God's service.
Psalms 119:67
III..BIBLE EXAMPLES
A. David --> His fall was occasioned by self-confidence and self-righteousness.
II Samuel 22 & 23
(Haven't we witnessed several examples of this in our Churches?)
B. Abraham --> Most of the trials to which he was subjected were neither because of
open sins nor for the correction of inward faults. Rather were they sent for
development of spiritual graces. (Educative)--> He became the "friend of God."
C. Paul --> II Cor 12:7 A thorn was sent not because of failure and sin, but as a
preventative measure against pride.
IV. RESPONSES TO DIVINE CHASTISEMENT
A. Not all chastisement is sanctified to the recipients of it. Some are hardened thereby; others
are crushed beneath it. Much depends on the spirit in which afflictions are received.
There is no virtue in trials and troubles themselves; it is only as they are blest by God
that the Christian is profited thereby.
Hebrews 12:11 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:
B. Two Extremes: Despising and Despairing
Proverbs 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
1. Despising the Rod
Job 5:17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:
Define Despise:
--to be utterly without a way through
--to regard as nothing
--to treat with contempt
a. By Callousness --> The Christian hardens himself and decides to face
the situation with his/her own strength.
b. By Complaining --> This is what the Israelites did in the wilderness.
*Beware: it goes hard with murmurers. God always chastises
twice if we are not humbled by the first. (Arthur Pink)
c. By Criticisms--> When things go as we like them, we have no difficulty
in ascribing all to a kind Providence. But when our plans are thwarted,
when losses are ours, it is different.
Job 5:18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands
make whole.
Isa 45:7 I form the light and create darkness. I make peace and
create evil: I the Lord do all these things.
d. By Carelessness --> So many fail to mend their ways. Sickness, reverses,
bereavements have come, but they have not been sanctified by prayerful
self-examination. If God be chastening the "consider your ways"
(Hag 1:5). Be assured that there is some reason for the chastening.
Many a Christian would not have been chastised half so severely had he/she diligently inquired the cause of it.
2. Fainting Under It
Define Faint:
--To loose, release
--to unloose, as a bow-string, to relax, an so to enfeeble
--to lack courage
--of becoming weary
a. When he gives up all exertion. The smitten one concludes that it is more than he can possibly endure. His heart fails him; darkness swallows him up; the sun of hope is eclipsed, and the voice of thanksgiving is silent.
How many Christians are ready to completely give up the fight when
adversity enters their life?
b. When he questions his sonship. Many conclude when afflictions come that
they are not sons of God after all. They forget:
Ps 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth
him out of them all.
Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
*Learn, then, to look upon trials as proofs of God's love--> purging
pruning, purifying thee.
c. When he despairs. Some indulge the fancy that they will never get out of
their trouble.
You say He will never leave off smiting because He has smitten so long.
Rather say He has now smitten so long I must soon be delivered.
