From: spk@aber.ac.uk (Stephen Kingston)
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia
Subject: God's Chastisement
Date: 8 Apr 92 16:39:28 GMT
Reply-To: spk@aber.ac.uk (Stephen Kingston)
Organization: Computer Science Dept., University College of Wales, Aberystwyth.

I want to turn now to the subject of God's chastisement. The subject 
does not seem popular in modern teaching programmes within our churches, but 
it is a very imprtant subject in scripture. It also replies to a common 
argument levelled at the doctrines now associated with Calvin.

Someone will say, in response to the doctrine of the perseverence of
the saints, that this makes the gospel what is called "antinomialist",
that is to say it gives people so much liberty that they can ignore
the moral law and do as they please. Such charges have always been
levelled at the gospel (cf Paul in Romans saying "Shall I sin that 
grace may abound? by no means").

Nevertheless, the argument becomes a straw man when we read scripture,
for we see:

"For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom
he receiveth."

Hebrews 12:6

The Lord has his own way of bringing us back to repentance when we do
go astray, for we know he is our heavenly father. Just as our earthly
fathers punished us when we did wrong, so too will our heavenly
Father. He never does this vindictively, but always with the aim of
correction. 

Consider the man in Corinth who was involved in an incestuous
relationship; Paul told the Corinthians to hand him over to Satan for
the destruction of the flesh, that he might be *saved*. Paul knew that
this man had incurred God's anger against his sin, and that God would
chasten this man. Nevertheless, there is never a hint that Paul felt
he might lose his salvation.

Consider the Corinthians who were weak and sick, and some had even
died. These people were sinning at the Lord's table and God rightly
and justly chastened them. Nevertheless, they still were saved.

In my own life I have known times when I have gone astray, and I have
found all manner of problems mounting up in those times. God is able
to chasten any of us, and will do so in order to bring us back to
repentance.

Chastening reveals God's continued love for us, for it shows that he
has not given us up to our sins but is working to restore us
continually to a lifestyle of repentance. Whom the father *loveth* he
chasteneth. If a father did not chastise his children would you not
wonder about his love for them?

Now it is my observation that God does not chasten us for every sin we
commit. He has no desire to "get even", but he deals with us
righteously. Furthermore he will more likely chasten those sins which
dishonour him. Mankind's chief end is to glorify God, and if we fail
to do this as Christians then we can rightly expect the chastisement
of God.

So in summary, God chastens us for our own good and to prevent us from
using the gospel as licence. This is scriptural. Nevertheless, an
earthly father will not only punish his children, but he will also
reward them when they are faithful. In my next article I would like to
talk of God's rewards and our inheritance in the Kingdom of God.
 
Nevertheless, that will deal with our inheritance in heaven. I also 
believe that we have an inheritance here on earth, a kind of first-
fruits of the promises to come, and I shall return to *that* subject 
later.

Stephen.
-- 
Gweleis i rac neb nym gweles pop annwyl. ef diwyl yneges. Gweleis i pasc.
(I saw the one above all men,  he saw me;  he, the beloved of his people,
who fulfills his mission. I saw Easter.) "Yspeil Taliesin" ---Taliesin---
spk@uk.ac.aber --- spk%uk.ac.aber@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk --- Stephen Kingston
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU