TEXT: HEBREWS 12: 6
''For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth''
Where God's love exists, His chastening is made obvious in punishment, suffering and discipline: 'If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men (2Samuel 7: 1) Whom He loves, He prunes of excess, pretense or falsity. To make the saint more humble and restrained, in love, God chastens him. There is no way of educating the saints but by chastening them: the holiest of saints may have some excesses, needless offshoots, uncontrolled cravings and risky passion that can only be cut of by the rod of correction. It is observed that the word 'chastisement' has the same connotation as 'teaching' or education. When a man is therefore chastened, is to but teach him to make him chaste and pure. The rod of correction both speaks and declares the love of God to His own: faith suspects God's love when the rod is not applied in the face of open deviation from holy duties and precepts. Jesus rebukes Peter, but releases Judas into the hands of his covetousness; who was better qualified to man Jesus' purse than John the beloved? But He rebuked and chastened John and James; but never rebuked Jadas, rather, He gave Him bread. The goods and comforts of this life are not to always be viewed as a token of God's love, but the rod always is, for He chastens the son He loves and scourges or lashes any man He considers as son. '...for what son is he whom the father chastens not?' But if a man be without chastisement,--of which all proper children are partakers--then such can be safely called a bastards, and not sons. Scourges, rods or chastisement are messengers from God to let us in of our erring from the way and of the love and acceptation the Father bears toward us. The saints' afflictions is not for their execution but for their correction. God intends not the saints' demotion but their edification and exaltation whenever He allows them to go through affliction. David says, 'It is good that I was afflicted that I may learn thy precept' 'Before I was afflicted, I went astray.' Sir, your chastisement or affliction might be telling you that you have strayed. Friends, braise up, God deals with you as a son whenever you are chastened. So, instead of acting as though you were spiritually exhausted, renew yourselves spiritually. Go straight forward in your Christian life in order that believers who are uncertain about their faith will imitate you and not leave God's way and become useless to God, rather Instead, they will be spiritually restored as an injured and useless limb is restored.