If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
To endure hardship under correction is to be treated by God as a father treats his own sons, for such fatherly correction belongs to all His children and to be left without it is to be left without a son's standing. The correction given to every son whom He loves and receives is loving rebuke meant to save, not hatred, neglect or cruelty. For the present it is grievous and not joyous, yet afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness and life in those trained by it. By it He exposes sin and hidden evils of nature, teaches His children their defects, and tries faith as in fire until those who endure come forth as pure gold. It is therefore to be submitted to with meekness and humility without complaining or turning away, calling the wayward to be zealous and repent and be converted, while to refuse reproof and insist on one's own course is to refuse the discipline given to save.
Enduring Shows Sonship
If chastening is endured, God is dealing with believers as a father deals with sons, for a father's correction of his son is normal care for his children. To endure His chastening is to be treated as sons, since every father corrects his son and God disciplines those He receives as sons. This chastening is shared by all who are God's children, and to be without it is to be without the standing of a son, since no true son is left without it. The correction is not to be despised nor fainted under, but endured as the proof of sonship.
The chastening is loving rebuke and scourging given to every son whom the Lord loves and receives. When God reproves and chastens a person it is not because He hates him but because He loves him and desires to save him. His children are reproved and corrected for their mistakes so they may be saved and continue in His work, and enduring this correction belongs to being dealt with as a son. Misfortune and calamity are not neglect or cruelty from God but God working for the good of His children as part of His great plan to bring victory out of what looks like discomfiture and defeat.
For the present the discipline is grievous and not joyous, yet afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness in those trained and exercised by it. It is a sorrow whose fruit is life and in the end joy, and not sorrow that works death. If endured with persevering will in the strength of Jesus, present trial that is grievous proves to be the Lord's loving chastening and proving. Enduring belongs to laying aside every weight and easily besetting sin and running with patience the race set before believers while looking to Jesus the author and finisher of faith, who endured the cross and contradiction of sinners against Himself so minds do not grow weary and faint, even though striving against sin has not yet cost resistance unto blood. Believers must not forget God and look only at the things which are seen, but must behold by the eye of faith the things which are unseen, and endure without charging God or mourning their loss.
God's Loving Purposes
The chastening corrects errors and exposes sin in order to separate from wickedness, and it teaches about personal defects by bringing faults and hidden evils of nature to light through trials and instruction and through being placed in different positions and varied circumstances.
Faith must be tried where it has proved recreant and be proved, and through the fires of affliction those who endure come forth as pure gold fitted to be entrusted with work. No more is laid on than strength is imparted to bear, for the frame is known and it is remembered that it is dust. The steps are brought down deep into the valley of humiliation to give clear discernment of depravity in departure from God.
This correction is necessary for salvation, to save and to save from self, and mistakes corrected in this way can be forgiven and cleansed and are not incurable. It leads to holiness, refinement and sanctification and prepares for exaltation, while loosening the heart's hold on earthly things to lead it to seek lasting joy beyond this world. It is given for present happiness and future good as the greatest blessing to the wayward, striving to lead to knowing God and placing trust in Him.
Discipline leads toward a purpose whose glory would be chosen if the end could be seen from the beginning. Trials and testing may answer prayers for Christlike character by preparing for the blessing sought and revealing what is in the heart, developing Christian graces and keeping faith active, and such discipline is not evidence that prayer has failed to be heard.
Through this discipline teaching is given day by day and fitness for service and work is formed, requiring effort, self-sacrifice and discipline to gain Christlikeness of character. Under the rod one cut off from usefulness in some line may do more than in active service, as imprisonment furthered the gospel, and in the fallen state laborious toil is a wholesome school for training and development. The dealing is as a skillful gardener with plants, by tender, careful, patient, painstaking effort over time and not by violence or force, to make the heart tender to receive the impressions of the Holy Spirit, at times requiring full obedience without giving a reason and coming through repeated instruction, improving talents and forming approved character unto life that measures with the life of God.
Submitting and Sharing Discipline
The discipline is to be submitted to by every soul whatever its position, and its lessons learned with meekness and humility. It is to be endured without complaining or giving up, without charging God or mourning loss, without cursing God or turning from His ways. Heeding the messages that correct those who err belongs to that submission.
The correction calls the wayward to be zealous and repent and to be converted, and to remain steadfast in righteousness and truth. Mistakes can be forgiven and cleansed and are not incurable. Remaining where one failed, going deep into humiliation, breaking habit and snare, repenting, confessing and making wrongs right brings forth purified character as pure gold that can be entrusted with work, with no more laid on than strength is imparted to bear.
Refusing reproof and insisting on one's own will and course rejects the correction given to save. Refusing to submit, even when discipline comes through repeated instruction and at times requires full obedience without giving a reason, is still refusing God's discipline. Refusing to amend sinful, wasteful living brings severe chastening.
Fathers and mothers are themselves under God's discipline, and remembering this governs how they discipline their children. They must still enjoin and require obedience, but without hasty words, anger, sharpness of voice, hardness of heart, harshness, unreasonableness, severity, cruelty, or unjust use of power. They are to set an example of patience and gentleness, show sorrow and pity, work with sanctified hearts, and make their children kind and gentle and loving, and in this way gain their love and respect and bring them into church fellowship. Children trained to yield their wills and wishes to parents more readily submit to God and the Spirit of Christ, while without childhood discipline yielding to God becomes difficult and religious experience is affected. A rebellious child under evil control, with strong uncontrolled passions under no holy restraint, with envy and jealousy, outbursts of anger and evil surmisings that make him ruinous at home and downward in course and unwilling to do God's will, needs to be taken in hand and disciplined and chastened.
When youth and girls give themselves to God's service they come under His discipline and control as His children, which improves talents and forms approved character unto life that measures with the life of God. Calamities can serve as His call to turn from a harmful course and be saved from self, and should be heeded as correction from God and not merely from people. Bereavement such as the deaths of two children can soften hearts and awaken desire to change, urging submission to God and trust in His leading to bring near to Him.
To endure hardship under correction is to be treated by God as a father treats his own sons, for such fatherly correction belongs to all His children and to be left without it is to be left without a son's standing. The correction given to every son whom He loves and receives is loving rebuke meant to save, not hatred, neglect or cruelty. For the present it is grievous and not joyous, yet afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness and life in those trained by it. By it He exposes sin and hidden evils of nature, teaches His children their defects, and tries faith as in fire until those who endure come forth as pure gold. It is therefore to be submitted to with meekness and humility without complaining or turning away, calling the wayward to be zealous and repent and be converted, while to refuse reproof and insist on one's own course is to refuse the discipline given to save.
Enduring Shows Sonship
If chastening is endured, God is dealing with believers as a father deals with sons, for a father's correction of his son is normal care for his children. To endure His chastening is to be treated as sons, since every father corrects his son and God disciplines those He receives as sons. This chastening is shared by all who are God's children, and to be without it is to be without the standing of a son, since no true son is left without it. The correction is not to be despised nor fainted under, but endured as the proof of sonship.
The chastening is loving rebuke and scourging given to every son whom the Lord loves and receives. When God reproves and chastens a person it is not because He hates him but because He loves him and desires to save him. His children are reproved and corrected for their mistakes so they may be saved and continue in His work, and enduring this correction belongs to being dealt with as a son. Misfortune and calamity are not neglect or cruelty from God but God working for the good of His children as part of His great plan to bring victory out of what looks like discomfiture and defeat.
For the present the discipline is grievous and not joyous, yet afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness in those trained and exercised by it. It is a sorrow whose fruit is life and in the end joy, and not sorrow that works death. If endured with persevering will in the strength of Jesus, present trial that is grievous proves to be the Lord's loving chastening and proving. Enduring belongs to laying aside every weight and easily besetting sin and running with patience the race set before believers while looking to Jesus the author and finisher of faith, who endured the cross and contradiction of sinners against Himself so minds do not grow weary and faint, even though striving against sin has not yet cost resistance unto blood. Believers must not forget God and look only at the things which are seen, but must behold by the eye of faith the things which are unseen, and endure without charging God or mourning their loss.
God's Loving Purposes
The chastening corrects errors and exposes sin in order to separate from wickedness, and it teaches about personal defects by bringing faults and hidden evils of nature to light through trials and instruction and through being placed in different positions and varied circumstances.
Faith must be tried where it has proved recreant and be proved, and through the fires of affliction those who endure come forth as pure gold fitted to be entrusted with work. No more is laid on than strength is imparted to bear, for the frame is known and it is remembered that it is dust. The steps are brought down deep into the valley of humiliation to give clear discernment of depravity in departure from God.
This correction is necessary for salvation, to save and to save from self, and mistakes corrected in this way can be forgiven and cleansed and are not incurable. It leads to holiness, refinement and sanctification and prepares for exaltation, while loosening the heart's hold on earthly things to lead it to seek lasting joy beyond this world. It is given for present happiness and future good as the greatest blessing to the wayward, striving to lead to knowing God and placing trust in Him.
Discipline leads toward a purpose whose glory would be chosen if the end could be seen from the beginning. Trials and testing may answer prayers for Christlike character by preparing for the blessing sought and revealing what is in the heart, developing Christian graces and keeping faith active, and such discipline is not evidence that prayer has failed to be heard.
Through this discipline teaching is given day by day and fitness for service and work is formed, requiring effort, self-sacrifice and discipline to gain Christlikeness of character. Under the rod one cut off from usefulness in some line may do more than in active service, as imprisonment furthered the gospel, and in the fallen state laborious toil is a wholesome school for training and development. The dealing is as a skillful gardener with plants, by tender, careful, patient, painstaking effort over time and not by violence or force, to make the heart tender to receive the impressions of the Holy Spirit, at times requiring full obedience without giving a reason and coming through repeated instruction, improving talents and forming approved character unto life that measures with the life of God.
Submitting and Sharing Discipline
The discipline is to be submitted to by every soul whatever its position, and its lessons learned with meekness and humility. It is to be endured without complaining or giving up, without charging God or mourning loss, without cursing God or turning from His ways. Heeding the messages that correct those who err belongs to that submission.
The correction calls the wayward to be zealous and repent and to be converted, and to remain steadfast in righteousness and truth. Mistakes can be forgiven and cleansed and are not incurable. Remaining where one failed, going deep into humiliation, breaking habit and snare, repenting, confessing and making wrongs right brings forth purified character as pure gold that can be entrusted with work, with no more laid on than strength is imparted to bear.
Refusing reproof and insisting on one's own will and course rejects the correction given to save. Refusing to submit, even when discipline comes through repeated instruction and at times requires full obedience without giving a reason, is still refusing God's discipline. Refusing to amend sinful, wasteful living brings severe chastening.
Fathers and mothers are themselves under God's discipline, and remembering this governs how they discipline their children. They must still enjoin and require obedience, but without hasty words, anger, sharpness of voice, hardness of heart, harshness, unreasonableness, severity, cruelty, or unjust use of power. They are to set an example of patience and gentleness, show sorrow and pity, work with sanctified hearts, and make their children kind and gentle and loving, and in this way gain their love and respect and bring them into church fellowship. Children trained to yield their wills and wishes to parents more readily submit to God and the Spirit of Christ, while without childhood discipline yielding to God becomes difficult and religious experience is affected. A rebellious child under evil control, with strong uncontrolled passions under no holy restraint, with envy and jealousy, outbursts of anger and evil surmisings that make him ruinous at home and downward in course and unwilling to do God's will, needs to be taken in hand and disciplined and chastened.
When youth and girls give themselves to God's service they come under His discipline and control as His children, which improves talents and forms approved character unto life that measures with the life of God. Calamities can serve as His call to turn from a harmful course and be saved from self, and should be heeded as correction from God and not merely from people. Bereavement such as the deaths of two children can soften hearts and awaken desire to change, urging submission to God and trust in His leading to bring near to Him.