Reject Not God's Discipline #1

Driving home: the main concern of God for his children is not to make them specimens of good health or examples of wealth, but the main concern of God is to make them into the likeness of his own dear son, and to this end, he employs …

Martin uses the example of Christ, who 'though he were a son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered,' to argue that if the sinless Son of God needed afflictive providences, how much more do sinful believers need discipline to be made like Him.

despise not the chastening of the Lord. Now it's imperative to grasp the teaching of this passage because the main concern of God for his children is not to make them specimens of good health or examples of wealth, but the main concern of God is to make them into the likeness of his own dear son, and to this end, he employs the discipline of chastisement. For even with his own beloved son, the scripture says, though he were a son, yet learned the obedience by the things which he suffered. And if the sinless son of God needed the discipline of afflictive providences, of afflictive dispensations...

2:59 - 4:22 Read in full sermon

Driving home: the objects of the command of Proverbs 3.11 are the sons and the daughters of God only. All the true people of God. It comes to them and to them alone.

Martin describes the delight of a preacher when the Holy Ghost provides an 'infallible exposition' of an Old Testament passage in the New Testament, referring to Hebrews 12's use of Proverbs 3:11-12, assuring the validity of his interpretation.

For if you'll turn to the Hebrews 12 passage, this little phrase, my son, is extracted and made the basis of the whole backbone of the exhortation in Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 12, and it's always a delight for a preacher when he has the infallible exposition of an Old Testament passage somewhere in the New Testament. One is always certain that his exposition is absolutely valid. He's telling them now, Look, you people think you're having it rough because you're Christians, but you've not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin, and, he says, you've forgotten something.

8:10 - 8:51 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin defines 'chastening' as God's broad 'instruction' or 'child training,' often involving 'afflictive dispensations' that may or may not be for specific sins, but for…

Martin uses the common understanding of 'chastisement' as 'spankings' for children to introduce the concept, then broadens it to 'instruction' or 'child training' to encompass God's wider disciplinary methods.

Now, at this point, I wish I could take a little survey. And I think if I were to ask every one of you to write down the first word that comes to your mind as a synonym to chastisement, I think most of you would put something like this. I know what most of you kids would put if you're brought up right anyway. You'd put down spankings.

24:29 - 24:48 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin defines 'chastening' as God's broad 'instruction' or 'child training,' often involving 'afflictive dispensations' that may or may not be for specific sins, but for…

He distinguishes between a 'rod of correction upon a child' for wrongs committed and God's broader discipline, which may come even when no specific wrong is committed, as in Job's case or Paul's thorn, to prevent sin or purify virtues.

Now you see what I'm emphasizing? The rod of correction upon a child always comes for wrongs committed.

30:00 - 30:07 Read in full sermon

The point: Be consoled and comforted that Jehovah, the covenant-keeping God, is dealing with you as a loving Father, not an angry Judge, in His discipline.

Martin contrasts the 'firm stroke of your father's rod' with the 'rod held in the hand of your father' versus the 'rod of a judge' that 'shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel,' emphasizing the loving intent behind God's discipline for His children.

this may be the firm stroke of your father's rod but it's the rod held in the hand of your father it's not the rod held in the hand of your father it's the rod held in the hand of your father it's not the judge of the universe who will break his enemies in pieces at the last day the Bible uses some frightening descriptions of that rod when it falls from the hand of a judge he shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel thou shalt break them with a rod of iron that's strong language oh child of God if you're what we described under point one were the object of this command the children of ...

37:00 - 38:25 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Whom he did foreknow. Whom he did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. God's goal in redemption is to make us into the likeness of his own beloved Son.

He uses the imagery of fire refining gold versus consuming chaff to illustrate the different purposes of God's dealings with His children (purification) versus the wicked (vindictive judgment).

That's why the end of this world is the end of this world. That's why the end of this world is the end of this world. The imagery of purifying gold and silver is constantly used in Christian terminology in the New Testament and in the Old. I have refined thee, God says where? In the furnace of affliction. I have purified thee as gold is tried. Now you see, there's all the difference in the world between what fire does to chaff and what it does to gold. God's judgment upon the wicked is always likened to fire that consumes the chaff. The chaff he will consume.

43:30 - 44:00 Read in full sermon

The point: See the absolute folly of making a shallow, giddy joy the test of a man's sanctification, as chastisement is grievous and part of the Christian life, leading to times of sorrow.

Martin uses the analogy of children not smiling or being joyous when being spanked to illustrate that God's chastisement is grievous, not pleasant, and therefore a 'shallow giddy joy' cannot be the sole test of sanctification.

fathered by almighty God and mothered by the divine seed of the word you're not the real thing my friend you're some illegitimate product that maybe has found its way into the visible church but chastisement is the mark of every true child of God we'll see that in subsequent studies now if it is notice what the writer to Hebrew says no chastisement for the present seemeth joyous but grievous my friend if chastisement is part and parcel of the Christian life that it means there's going to be lots of times when I'm not happy I see no other conclusion warranted from the word no chastisement for t...

51:17 - 52:43 Read in full sermon

The point: See the absolute folly of measuring grace by material prosperity, physical health, and personal ease, as God's blessing is not always equated with these things.

He refers to 'Job's comforters' to warn against offering superficial comfort or telling suffering Christians to 'just get happy,' instead advocating for sympathetic weeping with those who weep.

I detect that maybe you're under the rod is there anything you want to share with me that I might be able to be of help instead of saying oh there's nothing that's more mocking to me to have somebody come up to me and try to chuck me under my spiritual chin when God says God's rods upon me and God's dealing with me and tell me just get happy or push a smile button under my nose or something else no no no no you're a Job's comforter my friend you're a Job's comforter when the people of God are under afflictions what does God say weep with those that weep they don't go tell them that they're wee...

54:10 - 55:37 Read in full sermon

The point: See the absolute folly of measuring grace by material prosperity, physical health, and personal ease, as God's blessing is not always equated with these things.

The parable of Lazarus and Dives is used to demonstrate that material prosperity is not a measure of God's blessing or grace, as the godly Lazarus suffered while the ungodly Dives prospered.

our wealth or our bodies our health now this is the way it goes someone comes up to someone he hasn't seen for a while and says how are things going brother oh the Lord's blessing I've been promoted I've got $33,000 a year raised isn't that the kind of way we talk oh the Lord's blessing and we immediately talk about material things oh the Lord's blessing my kids are all well my wife is not now wonderful if God is blessing you with presence and prosperity then humbly acknowledge it great that's fine say God is good to us but don't begin to make the subtle transference in your mind saying becaus...

55:37 - 57:05 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are a child of God, mark it down that God's afflictive dispensations and corrective communications will be essential and frequent parts of your Christian experience; do not fight it, but settle in.

Examples of Paul in chains, John in prison, and Job with boils are used to illustrate that God's most godly servants often experience severe affliction, refuting the idea that grace equates to ease.

apparently Jesus said there may be instances where he does wealth of that rich man was his downfall not the evidence of his blessing look at Paul he stands in chains before a wealthy Felix who is the man of God look at John he's in prison and Herod's consorting with his paramour and asking for his head Job was more godly than all his friends but Job was the one who had boils from the top of his head to the sole of his head to the sole of his head to the sole of his head to the sole of his feet and sat in sackcloth and ashes and his friends came with their well-tailored robes and tried to give ...

57:05 - 58:34 Read in full sermon