Correction often is an expression of caring. If we are not disciplined by God then we do not belong to Him. Those parents who do not discipline or correct their children don't love them.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
Proverbs 13:24
"24 He who withholds his rod hates his son,
But he who loves him disciplines him diligently."
Hebrews 12:11
"For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."
Ephesians 6:4
"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."
Those children who resist the correction of their parents, fighting to disregard their counsel will be disciplined by God.
I once told my children it is better to be disciplined by me than for them to be disciplined by God later. My discipline is far less frightening than the discipline of the Lord when He deals with a rebellious heart. They didn't believe me, because the culture all around them mocked God's principles.
We are all trained by God through various trials. However when we have to go through training its far less emotionally draining than if we are rejected by God for rebellion.
When we are in training because we are obedient and he wants to grow us, we know He is going through with us. However, when God leaves us to our own consequences because of rebellion, He does not go through with us. He does not impart His strength to us to be able to withstand, we are on our own alone in our sin. After all isn't that what a rebellious person says to God? "I don't need you, nor do I want you." God does not play silly manipulative games with foolish people. When we tell Him we don't want Him He goes away.
Proverbs 12:1
"Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid."
James 4:2-4 "…2 You crave what you do not have. You kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God."
Notice the rebellious person turns to God in a crisis but they reject Him any other day of the week. God will not hear the prayers of these people.
Proverbs 1:26-28
"26 I will also laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your dread comes,
27 When your dread comes like a storm
And your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently but they will not find me,"
God hates to be mocked and then used when things get rough. He will not help those who hate Him every day of the week when things are easy but turn to Him when they want something.
Many of us know what this feels like. Our own children will turn their backs on us when we no longer have anything to offer them. When we have been giving all our lives and in return we received anger that we cannot give one more time, we lose interest in attempting to continue with them. This is normal and natural, God does this too.
Christ gave all He had, that is Himself to die a terrible death for those who were still in their sin. He offered us everything and all we had to do was admit our sinfulness and ask Him to come into us as our guide, our helper, our peace and joy. That's all, just believe Him and He comes in to do all the hard work in us for us. All we have to do is submit when He speaks. Its not hard, but we see the depth of stubbornness in those who will not be told by anyone what they need to do.
Romans 5:7-9 "…7 It is rare indeed for anyone to die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him!…"
The fool is angry over nothing and believes lies just to show they are in charge of their own life. Talk about cutting off ones nose to spite their own face.
Christ died for all of us while we were still sinners, when we trust Him He counts us as His children and then the sanctification begins. The trials and the learning commence and continue for a lifetime until He takes us home.
Those who do not trust Christ, those that are still trusting in their own strength, thinking they know better than God does, will be left to their own feeble and beggarly devices to muddle through. They may be able to carry on with out Him now, but when judgement day comes they will end up in hell. They then will have no control over their fate. All that control they thought they had will come to worse than nothing, it will be the eternal consequences of hell.
Revelation 21:8
"8 But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
2 Thessalonians 1:5-10
"5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you
7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.
8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might
10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you."
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