Why are we usually so afraid to be chastised or to chastise someone else? I personally find it very hard to tell someone that I think they may be wrong and I really don’t understand why that is.
The Bible tells us plainly in Hebrews 12:8
“But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”
It would appear that we should be offended if we didn’t receive chastisement but that isn’t the case.
I have to admit that my first reaction to chastisement is to retaliate. I tell myself that I am good or that I had prayed over the issue or made a reasonable decision or some other excuse but (woe is me) I still found myself under chastisement. In other words ole’ pride steps up and I get offended.
The Bible tells us in Hebrews 12:11
“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
Perhaps we will tell ourselves that we didn’t deserve the rebuke but does it really matter whether or not we felt it was deserved? In 1st Peter 2:20 the Bible tells us.
“For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.”
Anyway who is to say we were not deserving of the chastisement from our brothers? Again the Bible guides us through this reaction to chastisement.
“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 16:25
When my brothers in Christ offer Godly chastisement they are attempting to help me. When they offer Godly rebuke it means they cared enough to do it. As we have discussed, it is hard to rebuke a brother or sister. But if you are under Godly chastisement, that is chastisement based on the scriptures, then rejoice because God is dealing with you!
Of course it is so much sweeter to commend than to chastise, but chastisement “yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness”. So I would like to challenge each of us to practice chastisement, when it is based on the scriptures. This advice may seem strange in our world of hypersensitivity but we are not of this world but of the spirit.
Those that chastise must remember that unless the rebuke is based clearly within the scriptures then it becomes a meaningless and proud gesture of our own beliefs and not God’s.
Remember what the Bible tells us in Romans 14:4
“Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”
I suppose what it boils down to is studying the Word. How else could we possibly know when we should chastise and when we shouldn't?
Because most of us haven't studied our Bibles to begin with, our chastisement is usually nothing but our own pride and lustful desires blurting out in an angry attack on our friends.
If we don't know what we are talking about then we should begin by chastising ourselves. Then read the Bible (KJV) and pray and learn the ways of the Lord and drop our own ways.
The Bible tells us plainly in Hebrews 12:8
“But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”
It would appear that we should be offended if we didn’t receive chastisement but that isn’t the case.
I have to admit that my first reaction to chastisement is to retaliate. I tell myself that I am good or that I had prayed over the issue or made a reasonable decision or some other excuse but (woe is me) I still found myself under chastisement. In other words ole’ pride steps up and I get offended.
The Bible tells us in Hebrews 12:11
“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
Perhaps we will tell ourselves that we didn’t deserve the rebuke but does it really matter whether or not we felt it was deserved? In 1st Peter 2:20 the Bible tells us.
“For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.”
Anyway who is to say we were not deserving of the chastisement from our brothers? Again the Bible guides us through this reaction to chastisement.
“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 16:25
When my brothers in Christ offer Godly chastisement they are attempting to help me. When they offer Godly rebuke it means they cared enough to do it. As we have discussed, it is hard to rebuke a brother or sister. But if you are under Godly chastisement, that is chastisement based on the scriptures, then rejoice because God is dealing with you!
Of course it is so much sweeter to commend than to chastise, but chastisement “yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness”. So I would like to challenge each of us to practice chastisement, when it is based on the scriptures. This advice may seem strange in our world of hypersensitivity but we are not of this world but of the spirit.
Those that chastise must remember that unless the rebuke is based clearly within the scriptures then it becomes a meaningless and proud gesture of our own beliefs and not God’s.
Remember what the Bible tells us in Romans 14:4
“Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”
I suppose what it boils down to is studying the Word. How else could we possibly know when we should chastise and when we shouldn't?
Because most of us haven't studied our Bibles to begin with, our chastisement is usually nothing but our own pride and lustful desires blurting out in an angry attack on our friends.
If we don't know what we are talking about then we should begin by chastising ourselves. Then read the Bible (KJV) and pray and learn the ways of the Lord and drop our own ways.
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