In today's feel good Christianity, one would think this word is an oxy-moron. However, God in His infinite wisdom and committment in conforming us into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, will many times use chastisement for this very purpose.

When a person comes to Christ, they are redeemed by His blood, adopted into the family of God with all privledges of an heir because they are co-heirs with Christ. This principle position never changes because God is a God of covenant. That being said, He is also a God who uses fallen vessels for His glory and He will see to it that His children stay on the path that is marked out for them.

Let us now look to the word of God and see what it says about this topic of Chastisement and see how it relates to the child of God, the purpose and the benefit.

Hebrews 12:5-11 "And you have forgotten the exhortation that speaks to you as children, My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked of Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasten not? But, if you be without chastisement, whereof we are all partakers, then you are bastards and not sons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. Now, no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peacable fruit of righteousness to them which are excercised thereby."

I will attempt by the grace of God to extract the key points that the Holy Spirit would have us to learn, grasp and be subject to.The first thing to notice is that the Hebrews evidently were struggling as the writer tells them "you have forgotten (vs5)" . What was it they forgot? Obviously, that chastisement and rebuke (vs 5) were very much a part of being in the family of God. So the writer exhorts them to do two things; vs5 " despise not the chastening of the Lord," "nor faint when you are rebuked of Him."

Two things we are to initially do and that is; do not despise this chastening and do not faint. Obviously, it tells us that this can be a normal reaction. The first thing we want to think, or believe, is that God is not with us anymore, or that He has abandoned us. If we believe this lie, then fainting is the natural affect. We also see that at times this chastening can be severe, to the point that one might faint under it.

We must be able to grasp the next scripture to be able to survive this chastening and to not faint under it. Here is the great promise. vs 6 " whom the Lord loves He chastens." What is the first thing we see? That those the Lord loves He chastens. This isn't that He might chasten, but that He will in some degree every child of His. Not only does He chasten, but He "scourges every son (daughter) whom He receives." The idea of scourging comes from the Roman method of whipping criminals. It literally means to beat with a rod. Our Lord endured this at the hands of the Romans soldiers, ordered by Pilate. The whip was generally made out of leather thongs, weighted with sharp pieces of bone or lead, which tore the flesh of the back and chest.

Does that seem very pleasurable? NO!!! Yet, the Bible says this will be the lot of a child of God in some form, chastening and scourging. The promise is, that to those who are chastened, they are children of God and loved by the Father. Many, today talk of God's love and have imagined in their minds what it is and would never think that God would whip His children, yet that is exactly what He does. My friend this is a sign of sonship, not abandonment.

In verses 7-8 we see again the exhortation of being sons and daughters.  It says "if we endure chastening God deals with us as sons," and then goes on to say that "what son is there whom the Father chastens not." In verse 8 we see that if one is without chastisement "then are you bastards and not sons."

We will now look to the very purpose God has for this chastening. In verse 9 we see it is for "...being in subjection to the Father of spirits and live." God wants every area of our lives to be in subjection to Him and also promises that we will live. We will live not only through this season of chastisement, but live in freedom from sin, and live eternally with Him.

In verse 10 we see the Lord telling us "it is for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness." God wants us to be holy as He is holy and knows the benefits of this holiness. Then we see in verse 11 what this yields "the peacable fruit of righteousness to them which are excercised thereby." This is what the Lord wants from His children. That they walk in the peace that only He can give, which comes through holiness and subjection to Him.

So what are we to do during this season of chastisement? Well, we know not to despise it nor faint. That's fine and good, but how do we do this? The context of this passage tells us in vs 1-2 that we are to " lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily entangles us", "..run with patience the race set before us.." In other words, do not let this burden cause you to give up, nor allow sin to entangle you or cause you to stumble and the only way to do this is found in vs2 "Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." Look to what He endured on our behalf, vs 2 the cross, the shame, but has sat down at the right hand of God.

In verse three it tells us to consider Him (Jesus) and what he suffered at the hands of sinners, which, we were in that category before God graciously saved us. He goes on to tell us in vs 4 "that we have not resisted to blood, striving against sin."This, the Lord Jesus Christ did on our behalf and we will never face the wrath of God because of His great work on the cross for us.Therefore, let us continue to trust in Him and God's great love for us and as it says in verse 12 " ...lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; vs 13 "make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but rather let it be healed."

Many times it is only through the fiery trial of chastisement that we can see areas of our life that are not pleasing to the Lord. We are to bring this humbly before him and ask His forgiveness for the error of our way and ask Him to give us the power of the Holy Spirit to change and then by faith go and do it. The Lord would not have His children faint under this nor let the limb that is lame be broken, but rather healed. God wants to bring healing to this area of your life. Submit to Him and He will do it and you will receive the benefit of holiness and peace and praise God for it.

Phil. 1:6 "for I am confident of this very thing that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus." My friend this may go against many things that you believe about God and His love. However, we need to accept the teaching and align our wills and emotions with truth, then will come the freedom in Christ. Do not lose heart God is dealing with you as a child. Thank Him for it and rejoice for you are being made into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. Isn't this what you have prayed for? God bless.

P.S. If you are in need of talking to someone in regards to severe chastisement, please contact us and we will pray for you and help you according to God's truth.