IS THE LORD PUNISHING ME?
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from Afrikaans: “Straf die HERE my?”
Someone wrote to me as follows:
“We just want to know: Does the Lord punish you with bad for good so that you can get back on the right path?”
Before I answer this question, I must first explain that personally, when I read the Word, I understand a difference between “punishment” and “discipline” as it appears in the Word – and because I understand it accordingly in my heart, it is also for me how it takes shape in my life.
For me, ‘punishment’ is to retaliate, even to experience satisfaction when someone retaliates or is punished, because the person gets his/her deserved wage.
While ‘discipline’ for me is to correct someone, or to discipline someone while, unlike when someone is punished, you can’t feel good but sometimes, for me anyway, in most cases, you don’t feel good about what needs to be done – but, and however unfortunate, it must be done.
Now we read the following in the Word in the case of us – who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour:
HEB 12:4-11 A Father’s Discipline
4You have not yet struggled to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5and you have forgotten the divine word of encouragement which is addressed to you as sons,“MY SON, DO NOT MAKE LIGHT OF THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD,
AND DO NOT LOSE HEART and GIVE UP WHEN YOU ARE CORRECTED BY HIM;6FOR THE LORD DISCIPLINES and CORRECTS THOSE WHOM HE LOVES,
AND HE PUNISHES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES and WELCOMES [TO HIS HEART].”
7You must submit to [correction for the purpose of] discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8Now if you are exempt from correction and without discipline, in which all [of God’s children] share, then you are illegitimate children and not sons [at all]. 9Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we submitted and respected them [for training us]; shall we not much more willingly submit to the Father of spirits, and live [by learning from His discipline]? 10For our earthly fathers disciplined us for only a short time as seemed best to them; but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems sad and painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness [right standing with God and a lifestyle and attitude that seeks conformity to God’s will and purpose].
In other words –
Accept, endure and learn from the discipline/discipline that come your way and, as the Word says, use that experience/discipline to strengthen yourself spiritually, as we read in the Word, right after we read this section about discipline:
HEB 12:12-13 (as a result of our Lord’s chastening)
12So then, strengthen hands that are weak and knees that tremble. 13Cut through and make smooth, straight paths for your feet [that are safe and go in the right direction], so that the leg which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather may be healed.
To summarize then:
Of course, our Lord chastens/disciplines His children. He does love us, and He want us to be with Him one day forever – but He does not punish people who have accepted Jesus Christ and thus become His children.
Jesus Christ has already taken all the punishment that was there for you and me upon Himself:
ISA 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our wickedness [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing];
The punishment [required] for our well-being fell on Him,
And by His stripes (wounds) we are healed.
How wonderful, is the good news that you and I are a part of and that we must proclaim to the world, so that even more people can be a part of this:
JOHN 3:16 16“For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.
JOHN 1:17 17For the Law was given through Moses, but grace [the unearned, undeserved favor of God] and truth came through Jesus Christ.
JOHN 1:12 12But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name—
GAL 4:6-7 6And because you [really] are [His] sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba! Father!” 7Therefore you are no longer a slave (bond-servant), but a son; and if a son, then also an heir through [the gracious act of] God [through Christ].
Sakkie
Email: bediening@sakkieparsons.co.za
Website: www.sakkieparsons.co.za
Cell: 083 457 6669
Jude 1:24-25 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy, to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
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