Reject Not God's Discipline #1

Introduction: The Context and Importance of Proverbs 3:11-12

0:02 As we've already indicated, our study tonight will focus upon Proverbs chapter 3, verses 11 and 12. As we work our way through, verse by verse, through the book of Proverbs, we come tonight to Proverbs chapter 3, verses 11 and 12. Just briefly now, by way of review, I would remind you that in this third chapter, we have a series of miscellaneous directives enforced by the most powerful of motives. And this directive tonight, found in verses 11 and 12, is the sixth in this third chapter.

0:46 My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of his reproof. For whom the Lord loveth, he reproveth, even as a father the son. In whom he delighteth.

1:03 Now, in the previous studies, we've seen that there's been very little, what we would call contextual relationship between the directives. That is, any kind of logical or organic unity between what has preceded and what follows. Each exhortation is relatively complete in itself, and there's very little need to consider the context with any close reference. However, this is not true of the passage before us tonight.

1:34 It is very significant that it comes where it comes in the instruction of Solomon to his son. For you'll remember that he has just previously stated in the two directives just before this, that there is a general, and I underscore the word general, a general relationship between godliness and good health, verses 7 and 8, be not wise in thine own eyes, fear the Lord, depart from evil, it will be health to thy navel, and moisture to thy bones. A general relationship between a life of godliness and a life of good health. Then in verses 8 and, sorry, verses 9 and 10, a general relationship between honoring God with our substance and material prosperity. But lest we take the general relationship which exists between these two, between these two things, godliness, good health, honoring God with substance and prosperity, I say lest we take the general and absolutize it in such a way as to think in our own minds that ill health means I am ungodly, and lack of prosperity means I am not honoring the Lord with my substance. He follows these two directives with this word, my son,

2:59 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 upon him, who are we, to think that we should be made like him without the same things brought to bear upon us? For not only do we need to learn obedience in a positive sense, but we have downright disobediences for which God must chastise and reprove us as his children. It's as though the general thought of Solomon is this, my son,

4:22 just as I call upon you not to forget God in your prosperity, honor him with your substance, so I call upon you not to despise him in the midst of adversity. Now that this is a key text on the whole subject is readily seen when we remember that it's lifted in its entirety from this section of Proverbs, and as it's found in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, it is quoted in the book of Hebrews and made the basis of a little sermonette to the suffering people of God, so that God has, as it were, put an extra imprimatur upon this text as being a strategic text concerning the great subject of affliction, chastening in the life and experience of the child of God. So much then for that general introduction of its relationship to what precedes and its tremendous importance in general. Now to think our way through the text, and I think it's going to take us at least, probably three to four studies, to treat it in any degree of comprehensiveness, we shall break down our study under two main headings. Verse 11, the command issued, My son despise not, neither be weary.

5:43 That's a command given to his son. And then in verse 12, we have the reason for compliance given. Why should he not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be weary of his righteousness? Because whom the Lord loves, he chastens and scourges every son whom he receives.

6:04 I'm quoting now from Hebrews. I'd better read from Proverbs. For whom the Lord loveth, he reproveth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. Tonight, just the command issued, and we'll only get two of the three sub-points.

The Objects of the Command: Who are God's Sons and Daughters?

6:21 As we consider this command, there are three things that we must take into consideration. First of all, who are the objects of this command? To whom is the command addressed? Secondly, what is its subject?

6:36 What subject is the command treating? And then thirdly, what are its specific directives? Having seen who the objects of the command are, what the general thrust is, the general subject, what is the specific directive? And we'll look at this, verse 11, in that three-fold manner.

6:58 First of all, then, who are the objects of this command? To whom does this command come? Solomon begins with the words, My son. We encountered these words earlier in the chapter.

7:13 In fact, they were the first two words we looked at in chapter 3. We encountered them earlier in chapter 2. And they come with varying degrees of repetition throughout these instructions. And it seems whenever there is a peculiar importance attached to the son's remembering his relationship to his father, before he hears the exhortation, Solomon brings in these words, My son, my son, my son.

7:41 Therefore, the object of this command, in its immediate context, is Solomon's earthly son, or, in a broader sense, his pupil, the young man to whom he is acting as a tutor. So that Solomon wants his son to regard these words as the words of a loving father. But does that exhaust the significance? Well, the Holy Ghost has told us no.

8:10 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.

8:51 You've forgotten that in all of these afflictions coming to you from the enemies of God, coming to you from the enemies of the Gospel, coming to you from these apostate Jews who want to scare you back into the trappings of external Judaism, you have forgotten an exhortation. Now, notice how he says it. You've forgotten the exhortation which reasoneth with you as with sons. And in the original, it's even more vivid.

9:21 The sons is put forward in the sentence for emphasis. It's awkward English, but it's good emphasis from the original if we translate it this way. And you have forgotten that which with you as sons is reasoning with you. Now, it's bad English, but you get the emphasis.

9:42 He says you've forgotten your sonship. This is a word that comes to you as sons. And if only you'll think of the filial affection of a father to you, a wise father who's ordering all events and circumstances for your good and for his glory. You wouldn't act the way you're acting in the midst of this affliction.

10:02 So we're warranted then on the basis of this passage to strongly emphasize that 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.

10:29 Well, who are they? Who are the sons and daughters then to whom God reasons in this way or with whom He reasons? Well, some would say all the creatures of God are His sons and daughters. I hope there's no one here tonight so ignorant of the basic facts of the Bible as to think that all human beings are the children of God in this sense.

10:51 We are the creatures of God. We are His offspring, but not His children, as we have done in the beginning of this work of prayer and the church of mine. In the beginning, we are only seen as the begotten children of God. But that is better.

11:17 If you are a virgin, so too long you will be a containing infant in the now being and the spirit of man that is a living being now. disobedience, sons of wrath. So if you've come into this building tonight thinking you're a child of God simply because you're a human being, my dear friend, you're grossly mistaken. And if you go on thinking that way, you show one of two things.

11:40 Your terrible ignorance of the most fundamental teachings of the Bible or your willful rejection of one of the most fundamental teachings of the Bible, in which case you're in bad shape. And I plead with you, if your mind is possessed of that gross error, begin to search the Scriptures diligently and ask the living God to show you what you really are. And you will discover that by nature and practice you're not a son or a daughter of God, you're a son and a daughter of the devil. That is, you show a likeness to that Father of all rebellion and all lies.

12:19 Others would say, well, all good men then. Not bad. But all good men are sons of God. Well, you see, the problem is the Bible says there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

12:31 There is none of us who is absolutely good. Others would say, well, all who've made a profession of faith are the sons of God. Well, that's moving in the right direction, but that's still not enough. Let the Scripture answer the question.

12:45 When Solomon said, My son despised not the chastening of the Lord. When he directs his commands to the sons and daughters of God, as we see it interpreted in Hebrews chapter 12. What does the Scripture mean by the term son of God? Well, let me give you four simple Scriptures that answer it beautifully.

13:06 Galatians chapter 3 and verse 26. Now ye are all the sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Who are the sons of God? Those who have been brought to living faith through faith.

13:24 In the living Lord Jesus Christ. And there's tremendous pregnancy in those words. Ye are all the sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus of Nazareth.

13:40 Who is the Christ of God. Who lived a sinless life. Who died the sinner's death. Who was buried.

13:47 Who was raised. Who has been seated at the right hand of God the Father. Everything put in subjection to His feet. And faith is the casting of ourselves upon Him.

13:59 The receiving of Him to be our prophet, our priest, and our King. For John 1.12 is the exposition of Galatians 3.26.

14:08 As many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become the sons of God, even to them which believe on His name. So who are the objects of this command? Those who have been brought to the place where despairing of ever saving themselves, having discovered their own guilt and pollution, they have fled to Jesus Christ as He's presented in the gospel. And they have believed and do believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

14:39 They and they alone are the sons of God. And the second text is Galatians 4, 5, and 6. The sons of God are those who believe, but they are also described in another way. That He might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

14:58 And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Who is the Son of God? One who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ. Secondly, one who is indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

15:16 One who has become the very habitation of God through the Spirit. God has sent His Spirit into the heart and the reflection, the responsive response of that heart into which the Spirit has come. Is this of drawing near instead of cringing under the sense of dread and impending doom because I sinned against Him? I now draw near and say, My Father, My Father.

15:43 And only the Holy Ghost can enable a sinner who's seen the holiness of God and the sin of his own heart ever to call that God Father. If you're ignorant of your own heart and ignorant of God, not anybody can call Him Father. But you begin to discover who you are and who He is. And you may say, Oh, dreadful God.

16:03 You may say, Oh, terrible God. Oh, holy God. But to call that God Father? Only the Holy Spirit bearing witness to our interest in the blood and righteousness of Christ can enable us to say, Father.

16:20 That's to whom this command comes. That's the person. The person who's a child of God, who's believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who's been indwelt by the Spirit. But there's a third text that tells us who the children of God are.

16:34 Romans 8 and verse 14. And all three of these meet in every true Christian. One without the other is invalidated.

16:43 Romans 8 and verse 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.

16:56 Who are the children of God? Well, there are many who say, I believe in the Lord Jesus. I have the witness of the Spirit in my heart and I call Him Father. All right, I ask the question, are you being led by the Spirit of God?

17:09 And what's that mean? You get wonderful impulses in the middle of the night, God telling you to do something. No, no, no. You read the context.

17:16 Being led by the Spirit of God means no longer living after the flesh, but mortifying the deeds of the body by the power of the Holy Spirit. Notice, if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die. Verse 13. But if by the Spirit ye do put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

17:36 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. And in the context, led of the Spirit means being sanctified by the Spirit, putting sin to death.

17:49 Now let me press the question to your conscience. Do I have a warrant from God to preach Proverbs 3.11 to you?

17:59 My son, the objects of this command are the true sons and daughters of God. Are you a true son and daughter of God according to this simple little three-text definition that I've given? Do you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? Has God brought you to despair of ever saving yourself and brought you to cast yourself without reservation upon Him as your only hope of mercy?

18:29 Do you believe credit the testimony of God concerning His Son? Do you? Let your conscience answer, not your lips, but all I plead with you, let your conscience answer right now in this place with judgment day on the stage.

18:47 The second question, has the Holy Ghost been given to you enabling you to call God your Father? Has He taken away all that legal dread of God and all that fear and horror at the sight of Him as a consuming fire so that you can come by the indwelling Spirit and call Him Father? Now I'm asking you to answer that question, can you call Him Father?

19:19 My third question is, are you being led by the Spirit? Is the Spirit enabling you to subdue sin? Your sins? Not somebody else's.

19:28 Your sins. Your darling sins. Your bosom sins.

19:34 Is He? What sins? Have you been killing this week by the enablement of the Holy Spirit? The Spirit operating through the Word, through the fellowship of God's people, through prayer, through the disciplines of God.

19:49 What sins have you been killing in your life this week? That's being led by the Spirit. My friend, if those three things are not true of you, you have no Bible grounds to say you're a child of God. Now have I twisted any of the text?

20:03 Have I read anything in that isn't there? God describes who His children, has He described you? Has He? If so, then this text is for you.

20:15 The sons and daughters of God are the recipients of this directive. Now you say, Pastor, you've really labored that point. Didn't you do your preparations so you could preach the rest? Yes, I've got enough material to preach for three hours tonight and only begin.

20:30 But I'm pressing this because it's so vitally important because of two great mistakes that are made with reference to afflictions and calamities that come to men. And here they are. Mistake number one. One mistake is for the true children of God to doubt their sonship because afflictions come upon them.

20:52 They say, if God loved me as a father, how could He treat me thus? That was the reasoning of Job's wife. She said, if that God is your God, curse Him and die. Be done with Him.

21:07 You see, and that mistake is present to this day. When people, see a professing child of God come under the rod of God and under the afflicted dispensations of God, they begin to wonder, wow, if he's a child of God, how come God treated him that way? That's a great mistake, my friend. It is to his true children that God says, despise not my chastisements nor faint beneath my reproofs.

21:34 And listen, if the reproofs were not severe enough to make us faint, the exhortation would never be needed.

21:41 You see? The second great mistake is for unconverted people to assume they must be Christians because they suffer.

21:51 And I've met people who say, well, you know, God must really love me because He's entrusted me with so many sufferings and they had a real measure of common grace in the way they bore their sufferings patiently, much more patiently than some Christians I knew. But they knew nothing of the blood of Christ as their only grounds of acceptance. They knew nothing of the Spirit of Christ within their hearts enabling them to call on God. Oh, God's Father!

22:14 They knew nothing of being those who were being led of the Spirit into the path of holiness, but they assumed that because they had all these afflictions, it was the proof of their sonship. No, no, listen. Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward. Trouble and affliction are the common lot of men as men upon the face of this earth.

22:42 It is only to his children that God says, despise not these afflictions of your father. Because afflictions upon an unconverted man are never, never called chastening. They are previews of the final judgment that will break their backs if they remain in a state of rebellion against God. So, dear ones, it's vital if we are to use this text aright that we understand the exclusive objects to whom it concerns.

The Subject of the Command: God's Chastening and Reproof

23:18 Are the true children of God to them alone, but thank God to all of them. The weakest of them. Alright? Having looked at the objects of the command, we now address ourselves in the second place under our first general heading.

23:35 What is the subject of this command? Well, your Bible tells you that the subject matter is comprised of two things. The chastisement and the reproof of God. My son, I want you to think concerning these two commodities closely related.

23:55 God's chastening and God's reproof. Now, it's obvious that everything focuses on these two things and no pain must be spared in arriving at a precise understanding of what the Scripture means when it talks of God's chastening and God's reproof. So, we're going to address ourselves to this whole area of the subject of the text with four questions. Question one, what is the chastisement mentioned?

24:29 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.

24:49 Chastisement equals spankings. Spankings equals chastisement. Right? I hope so.

24:58 If you're a stranger to spanking, either you've been so wholly sanctified long before your years that you ought to be an amazement to the world and to the church or you've got a mom and dad who aren't doing their biblical duty with you. And I think most of you as adults, when you think of the word chastisement, my son despise not the chastening of the Lord, you think primarily of those who are not chastisement. You think primarily of those who are not those rods of correction that God lays upon us because of specific sins we've committed, such as 1 Corinthians where God says we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world and the chastening there was many are weak and sickly and some sleep because they were abusing the Lord's table. But now it's going to be hard to wrench your mind loose from that rut because that's not what he's talking about here in so limited a sense. And I think if you have an American Standard Bible, you'll notice the marginal reading or the reading at the bottom is the word instruction. One of the great Hebraists has actually translated the verse this way, My son, the school of the Lord do not despise. For you see, in the Hebrew as well as in the Greek, there are several words that can be used for the whole field of words that would come under the general heading of chastening, correction or instruction.

26:23 One word means to chasten with blows. That's not the word used here. There is such a word and it's actually used in the Old Testament. Another one means to correct.

26:35 Another means to instruct by whatever means. Discipline, chastening, admonition, all of the means necessary to pass on instruction. That's the broad word used here. Hence, you have some of the scholars have translated it.

26:55 My son, despise not the instruction of the Lord. Now, it's this latter word used here that is used most frequently in the New Testament. That word, paideia. It means child training.

27:09 Now, it involves spankings where necessary to enforce lessons. It involves the giving of rewards where necessary. But again, it's that broader word of, of instruction with a specific goal in mind. Now, sometimes a part is described by the word that can be used for the whole.

27:30 Some context, you look up this word. If you have a Young's or Strong's concordance, you can do this on your own. And you'll see that the word means to spank. God says, I'll instruct you.

27:42 And the instruction is the rod in his hand. But other times, God says, I instruct you. There is no rod in his hands. Well, what are we to understand in this context?

27:53 Is God thinking here, my son despise not God's instruction in general? Or is he thinking of the instruction that comes more particularly with his rods of affliction? Well, I think the context shows that in this particular instance, though the word itself is the broad word, he's thinking of it in its bit more narrow perspective because of what it says. What follows?

28:20 Notice, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of his reproof. And then what word does he pick up in the explanation? Verse 12, for whom the Lord loveth, he not instructeth, but he reprooveth. Now, when the writer to the Hebrews picks up this passage, what part does he underscore?

28:43 He underscores that element of instruction that involves the disciplinary rod. So he says, no chastening for the present seemeth joyous. We had fathers of our flesh who chastened us as it seemed good unto them. So the chastisement in this particular context is what I am calling, and I've already used the term, God's afflictive dispensations.

29:11 They may or may not be with reference to specific sins we have committed. It may be, as in the case of Job, it wasn't sins he committed that brought the chastisement. It was the virtues present that God was determined to purify and to amplify.

29:34 In the case of Paul, it wasn't that he was strutting around proud as a peacock that God allowed affliction to come. You read 2 Corinthians 12 and God says what? I want to keep you from the sin of pride. Lest I should, be exalted over much, a messenger of Satan was sent that I might be kept consciously weak in order to prevent a sin.

30:00 Now you see what I'm emphasizing? The rod of correction upon a child always comes for wrongs committed.

30:09 But this kind of discipline is broader. It is God chastening and afflicting not necessarily or exclusively because we've done a specific wrong but because He has a specific goal in mind for us and even as His sinless Son could not attain that goal apart from afflictive dispensations though He were a Son yet learned the obedience through the things which He suffered. And so there is Job. And it's interesting that this is one of the few Old Testament passages that's quoted from another place in the Old Testament.

30:46 It's a direct quotation from Job 5.17. Despise not the chastening of the Lord. Paul with his thorn.

30:54 The Hebrews with the afflictions coming from the opposers of the gospel. There are the Corinthians chastised because of their abuse of the Lord's supper. There's Joseph in prison being chastised and afflicted and disciplined by God. Daniel in the lion's den.

31:12 Our Lord before His scoffing enemies. And throughout the Scripture we see afflictions and afflictive dispensations are part and parcel of the experience of the people of God. Those dealings that prick our flesh that jar our creature comforts that somehow upset the status quo that rock our little boat as it seems to be making its unsteady way to its desired haven. That's what the Spirit of God intends us to understand by the fact that we are the word chastisement.

31:51 God's afflictive dispensations. Well, what about the word reproof? That's our second question. The subject before us is not only chastening, but we're told be not weary of His reproof.

32:06 Now to us, a reproof is a sharp verbal reprimand or a verbal spanking, if you will. And with God, it involves the same thing. It is His correctness, collective communications coming to us by written word or by deed. God can reprove us both by word and by deed.

32:30 Often reproof is set as the parallel of the rod. Proverbs 29.15 where it speaks of the rod and reproof giving wisdom to a child. You have the similar usages in the book of Proverbs.

32:45 So then, put the two together and what do you have? You have the word chastisement. have God's afflicted dispensations in general and his corrective communications in particular and they comprise the subject matter of the text all right third question who is the author of these things and look back at the text and there is strong emphasis upon the author my son despise not the chastening of Jehovah neither be weary of his reproof for whom Jehovah loveth he reprove three times in these two short verses distinct references made to the author of these afflicted dispensations and these corrective communications they come from Jehovah and the moment we see the word Jehovah as the son and daughters of God we should think immediately not just of him who is El Shaddai that one who is God Almighty and all the other names by which he describes himself but that name Jehovah is the name by which he directs attention to himself as the great covenant keeping God the creator of heaven and earth

The Goal of God's Chastening: Holiness and Righteousness

34:06 who has entered into covenant with a people and has committed himself to be faithful to that people and to accomplish in them all of his gracious purposes and so it is Jehovah in a relationship to us as a father through the work of Christ who is the author of these afflicted dispensations and of these corrective communications now why does Solomon emphasize that for the simple reason that we are so accustomed to thinking in terms of second causes that we think like pagans and we think like atheists or we think like deists who say God made the world but then just left it to work out under its own scheme no no we are to think as true biblical theists that all things are under his hand he is working all things for the good of his people amen so we are to know that the author of these afflictions is Jehovah who stands in a relationship to us as a father when you say what practical implications does that have well we are going to deal with many of them in a subsequent message but let me just mention two very briefly tonight first of all you and I ought to be humbled that we need affliction

35:35 and correction we ought to be reminded that though our father has loved us from eternity chose us in Christ called us in time has sealed the covenant within which the blessings come to us in the very blood of his son there is still much imperfection in us imperfection that can only be dealt with by afflictive dispensations by corrective communications and so it ought constantly to humble us remember reminding us that we are sinners that we fall so far short of the standard of obedience and holiness set by our God himself but not only should we be humbled that we need these things we should be consoled and comforted that this Jehovah who is judge of the world is not dealing with us as a judge but he is chastening us as a father he could have damned us but instead he is disciplining us he could have crushed us but instead he is correcting us that's why he says my son despise not the chastening of Jehovah

37:00 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 God if you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ if you've been indwelled by the spirit and you call him father if you're being led of the spirit the author of these afflicted dispensations is you no matter how hard the rod may fall no matter how sharp the reproof may be it is ever and always the rod and reproof of a loving father never of an angry judge and only the child of God has that consolation fourth question as we deal with the subject before us is what is the goal of these things

38:25 and that's not dealt with explicitly in the text but it's so vital to our whole study and we're grateful that the question is answered in the little sermonette that the author to Hebrews gives us what's the goal of these things well you see chastisement and reproof are always there it's therapeutic and didactic that is they are to heal and they are to teach and to correct they are never judicial or vindictive they are not given to satisfy divine justice but to conform us to the divine image and there's all the difference in the world between those two things when God takes his rod in his hand to break the back of his enemies the impenitent who do not believe on his son who have not been born of the Spirit who have not been led of the Spirit it will not be a rod to teach them anything it will be a rod to satisfy the demands of his own justice the sinner has sinned and he must die but the goal of God in the rod that he lays upon the back of his children is never to satisfy his justice for on behalf of his children justice has been eternally satisfied there is no condemnation to those who listen to him for the last time but the goal of God in the rod that he lays upon the back of his children is to satisfy his justice

39:46 are in Christ Jesus. He said, it is finished. May I say it reverently? If the Father has two rods, one with which he would break the backs of all who believe upon his Son, one with which he would break the backs of those who ultimately do not believe, the first rod was broken over the back of his Son. He has it no more. It was broken on his back. And so, we must never, never think of the goal of God's chastisement as God's getting even with me because I didn't do what he wanted me to do. And that's in all of our hearts. That's why it's so easy to set up a system of penance and works righteousness because we feel better. The Lord spanked me. This is going to make me pay for what I did. My

40:34 friend, that's heathenish. That's Romish. That's not biblical and evangelical. No, no.

40:40 No, no. The goal of God's chastisement is to set up a system of penance and works righteousness God's chastisement is very clearly stated in Hebrews 12, 9-11. Look at it, if you will, please. The goal of God in these afflictive dispensations, in these corrective communications, here's the goal. Hebrews 12, 9-11. Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us and we gave them reverence. And I can't help but pause and say that's why there's such disrespect for parents. They've never chastened their children and they've lost all the respect of their children.

41:28 He says, we had parents that chastened us and we respect them. We're glad they cared enough about us to snap us into line. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed good to them. But now notice, but he for our profit that we may be partakers of his holiness.

41:57 All chastening doesn't seem pleasant for the present, but afterward yields fruit. And what is that fruit? Look at it. Even the fruit of righteousness. Take the two phrases. Partakers of his holiness, fruit of righteousness. That's the whole goal of God in his chastisement and in his reproving of us. And why is this so? Because that's the goal of redemption.

42:26 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. To transform us into his moral image. And when he returns, John states it so simply and beautifully, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Not only our souls and our minds. Not only our minds and our spirits. But it says he shall take the body of our humiliation and fashion it like unto his own glorious body. In the totality of our redeemed humanity we'll be like the Lord Jesus Christ. And so right here and now, all of God's afflicted dispensations, all of his corrective communications, his reproofs, have as their goal partakers of his holiness.

43:30 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.

44:00 The chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire. That's vindictive justice, meting out its just desserts upon the ungodly. God have mercy on you if you're part of the chaff and die in that state. But for his children, those fires are intended to function upon them as fire upon gold, to burn out the dross, to bring out the beauty and the intrinsic worth of that which is precious in itself. Oh, dear child of God, if you've had your mind all muddled up, thinking that somehow God was still getting even because you disobeyed, there was something insufficient in the sacrifice of his son and in the mediation of his son, may God purge those thoughts from your mind and give you to see that this is the goal of God in affliction. Now, by these four questions, I hope we've covered this second part of the book. The second area, we've seen to whom the command comes, the sons of God. The subject of the command is this matter of affliction and reproof. We've examined what they are, who is the author

Practical Implications: Folly of False Promises and Measures

45:14 of them, why they come. And the Lord willing, in our next study, we'll consider these specific directives. What are we to do with them? Well, it comes in two negatives. We're not to despise his chastening. We're not to be weary of his reproof. So what I want to do tonight is conclude with three observations that will launch into exhortations in the light of our present study. I felt it was better to break off here. We've had enough solid material to get our minds thinking biblically. Now we want to reduce it to some practical implications. And I have three. Number one, see the absolute folly of promising men, carnal ease and personal tranquility if they'll come to Christ.

46:02 See the folly of promising men, carnal ease and personal tranquility if they'll come to Christ. Now don't get me wrong. Christ does promise freedom from the tyranny of our sin.

46:25 Whom the Son makes free is free indeed. Free from the bondage of lust and of pride, being driven by materialistic goals. Being enslaved to jealousy and pride. Thank God there is in the gospel the blessing of freedom. Thank God Jesus said, come unto me and I'll give you rest. Rest from what? The tyranny of your own will. He says, take my yoke upon you and learn of me. The tyranny of your own thoughts. Thank God there is the blessing of true liberty from sin's bondage.

47:03 Slavery to my own ideas and my own will. Thank God there is the blessing of true liberty from sin's bondage. Slavery to my own ideas and my own will. He says, take my yoke upon you and learn of me. The tyranny of your own will.

47:08 He also invited men to come to a cross. And to opposition. And to hardship. You see carnal ease is not the mark of godliness but of ungodliness. You read the 73rd Psalm. This is what troubled the psalmist. He said, I look at the ungodly. That neighbor that never hops in his car and goes off to a place of worship on the Lord's day. That neighbor who's dishonest in his business. All his bills are paid. His kids are well. You look at the 73rd Psalm. You see that neighbor. He says, take my yoke upon you and learn of my will. He says, take my will. I look at the 73rd Psalm. You see that neighbor who's dishonest in his business. All his 73rd psalmist troubled the child of God many a man has known relative carnal ease and personal tranquility until he became a Christian and then God says now my son I want to start making you like my own dear son and I'm going to go to work on you and so he made a little furnace of affliction and he dumped him in it and then he forged a little rod of correction and he began to lay it on his back and then he began to frame some reproofs and he began to send them as arrows to the heart of that man I say it's dishonest it is unscriptural to promise men carnal

48:21 ease and personal tranquility in our gospel invitations I say to every impenitent sinner tonight you've offended God by your sins you are unlike God in your character and your guilt cries up to heaven that judgment come down upon you but God in his great mercy and infinite patience to sinners such as you says behold my son I sent him to die for sinners even the vilest of sinners I raised him from the dead I've set him at my own right hand believe on him and there is forgiveness you will come out from under the canopy of my wrath by my spirit I will give you a new heart and put my own life within you giving you power and desire to obey me but I'm going to take you in hand and I'm not going to let you go until I make you over into the very likeness of my dear son and in the process I may have to wound you I may have to hurt you but it's for your good that you might be partaker of my holiness for goodness and holiness are joined together in the purpose of God when man was perfectly holy he was perfectly happy misery was the result of his sin and the only way out of misery

49:50 is back into the way of holiness that's the gospel we preach thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins not just the condemnation but it's bondage and gradually it's pollution and defilement in the process of sanctification and one day from its very presence and it's in that process that there may be some pain but is it worth it the other alternative is the pangs of hell forever my friend you take your choice the pains of sanctification now or the pains of hell forever that's why Jesus said if it means even dealing with sin like cutting off a right hand or a right eye it's far better to pluck out the eye and cut off the hand than to perish in hell this is biblical doctrine and this business come to Jesus and everything will be fixed up and you'll be happy happy happy all the time time time is sheer heresy and downright dishonesty second observation see the absolute folly of making a shallow giddy joy the test of a man's sanctification if chastisement is part and parcel of real Christianity and Hebrews 12 says if you're without it you're a bastard in other words you're an illegitimate child you're not one may I say it reverently

51:17 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 the present seemeth joyous I've never once seen my kids when I've had to be spanking them looking up at me and smiling and saying this is great dad give me some more now the way some parents spank their kids they could do that I've had parents come to me and say well I've tried spanking it hadn't worked it was a little bit of flicking at the end of their fingers on their bottoms and it wasn't spanking no no when God begins to chastise and God reproves his reproves break the heart his rods of correction sting and it's never pleasant when you're under the rod

52:43 hence when people make the standard of sanctification a shallow giddy state of joy I say they are denying this glorious fundamental biblical truth you see the Christian is a constant paradox not only to the world but to himself perfectly happy blessed are they who mourn now how in the world do you get those two things together perfectly happy are they who mourn I'll tell you why because when I am most conscious of my own sin and failure I am most conscious of my own sin and failure I am most pressed to look to Christ in Christ alone and when I am most gazing upon Christ I am most happy though my happiness may have to break through the tears of my shame that's true Christianity and we must never make a shallow giddy joy the test of a man's sanctification let me show you how this has practical implications if some Lord's days you meet some of your brothers and sisters and they look a little heavy maybe you ought to remember maybe the rod's on and just say good to see you today and if they seem to be that way by the end of the day and the means of grace haven't lived then maybe it'd be right to say

54:10 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 weeping as carnally he says go weep with them rejoice when they rejoice when they're on hallelujah straight try to get on it with them when God's got them there where his rod is upon them you seek to enter in sympathetically third observation see the absolute folly of measuring grace by material prosperity physical health and personal ease see the absolute folly of measuring grace by material prosperity physical health and personal ease because many times as we shall see the affliction and the reproving take the form of God touching our substance

55:37 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 because his present cast of goodness has allotted health and wealth that he is less good if he takes it all away because if that's true then you see the virtuous man in Luke 16 was not Lazarus but Dives the rich man it was the godly man who sat at his gate full of swords and had the dog lick his wounds did God forget his child Lazarus is seen in Abraham's bosom he's a true son of Abraham he was saved by faith he was indwelt by the spirit he was led by the spirit of God he was the son of God has God let his sons lie at the gate of rich men and have dogs lick their wounds

57:05 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 him advice it wasn't of the friends that God said hast thou considered my servant Job there is not a just man upon the face of the earth as he is oh what terrible terrible tragedy has come in our own day by this equating of God's gracious blessing with material prosperity physical health and personal ease despise not the chastening of the Lord if you're a child of God mark it down that one of the essential and frequently known commodities

58:34 of your Christian experience is going to be God's afflictive dispensations and God's corrective communications now don't fight it just set settle in and say alright Lord now don't go around looking for it some people have always got that tendency they feel better when they're whipping themselves the Lord's got enough at his disposal to do the job adequately you don't need to help him some people have the martyr's spirit in this you see and no truth there's no truth but what it's liable to abuse and this is a delicate pastoral issue and I plead with you as the people of God pray that the Lord may enable you to see it in its balanced perspective if you're a child of God you're going to be afflicted what are those afflictions we've considered it together and I trust that God will help us and lead us in our understanding as we work our way through the text and consider next week God willing the specific directives to us concerning these things we are not to despise them and we're going to study together what it is to despise God's corrections his reproofs what it is to grow weary beneath them why do we do this how may we avoid this very practical stuff may the Lord be pleased to lead us and help us to walk in the light of him and I close on the note that the writer to the Hebrews began with

Conclusion: Bear the Rod, Flee the Wrath

60:02 when you think God's afflictions are too much he said you've forgotten him you've forgotten him you have forgotten him consider your blessed Lord who though he was the object of the Father's constant delight the darling of his own heart my son in whom I'm well pleased though he were a son yet learned the obedience by the things which he suffered fix your gaze upon him and you'll receive strength to bear whatever God knows you must bear in order to make you like his own beloved son and if you're not a Christian tonight what a terrible thing you are to know that for you God has no rod of correction only a rod of frightening wrath and judgment would to God I could paint the horror of it tonight and entreat you to flee the wrath to come and call upon the Lord Jesus Christ won't be easy he's got to break all those patterns that you've established in all those attitudes but it's for your good and one day when you stand in his presence and his work in you is done you'll say it was worth it all a little old

61:31 hymn that some of us sang in former days it will be worth it all when we see Jesus one glimpse of his dear face all sorrow will erase so bravely run the race till we see Christ let us pray