The doctrine stated: “And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto 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 chastens not? But if ye be without chastisement (discipline), whereof all (children of God) are partakers then are you bastards (illegitimate children, not truly converted), and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence (respect), shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live? For they truly for a few days (the days of our childhood) chastened us after their own pleasure (as they saw fit), but he for our profit (as God’s judgment is always perfect and totally appropriate), that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyful, but grievous, nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised (profited) thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God….” (See Hebrews 12:5-15).
Many have ignored the fact that when God chastens a believer there are two possible outcomes, not just one! There are two dangers with respect to the Father’s chastening: 1) To be without it, and 2) To refuse His correction. Notice the solemn warning given in that 15th verse of Hebrews 12 once again, “Looking diligently LEST ANY MAN FAIL OF THE GRACE OF GOD…..” We fail to benefit from the grace of God when we choose to ignore or reject God’s overtures toward us, when we find some sin more attractive than God’s fellowship! “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell severity (was shown), but toward you goodness , IF you continue in His goodness, otherwise you also shall be cut off” (Romans 11:22). Paul thundered that warning in writing to the Roman believers as some of them evidently thought the believer was secure in Jesus Christ regardless of how they lived or ignored God’s counsel. “Once in grace, always in grace” had surfaced among those even in the first beginnings of the church of God. “See that you refuse not Him that speaks. For if they escaped not who refused him that spoke on earth (Moses), MUCH MORE SHALL WE (New Covenant believers) NOT ESCAPE if we turn away from Him that speaks from heaven” (Hebrews 12:25). God help you to understand.
Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley