Question #367

What does God mean by every one He loves He chastens and scourges?

What does God mean by every one He loves He CHASTENS, AND SCOURGES? What is the difference in these two words and how does God do these today?

The Answer:

The passage about which inquiry is made is Heb. 12:6 – For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. To understand the passage the context must be considered. The previous chapter is the great faith chapter of the Bible. As it concludes the author reminds the readers that these women and men of great faith did not receive the promise. In the last verse he assures them that God had prepared better things of “us” – Christians – and that with us the O.T. characters of faith would be made perfect or complete. Chapter 12 begins with that great connecter, “Wherefore” or “Therefore.” In view of these witnesses (chapter 11) they (we) should live a life of holiness with our eyes upon Jesus who is the author and finisher of the “greater things.” That which we shall see when we keep our eyes on Jesus in his having endured the cross and then sitting down at the right hand of the throne of God. From this we should be encouraged and enabled not to become weary or faint in our minds.

Following this language the writer begins his discussion of chastisement. He begins by reminding the readers that, unlike the Old Testament heroes of faith and unlike Jesus, they have not resisted unto blood in their striving against sin. Such resistance showed a determination, courage, and purpose not to yield. Of course, these are Jewish readers (Hebrews), and in verses 5-6 he reminds them of the Old Testament admonition found in Proverbs 3:11-12. The words reminded (or should have reminded) the readers that God still had a loving regard for them and treated them as his children. The words translated chastening refers to all of the training and discipline necessary to develop a child is all aspects of life, moral, ethical, and spiritual. The word translated scourges is a stronger term, meaning to beat severely with a whip. Some of that which they are called upon to endure will be severe.

In verse 7 the writer applies that passage to his readers – if they endure chastening it is a sign that God loves them and deals with them as sons. He uses the chastening for the spiritual growth of his children. They should understand this from the discipline that their earthly fathers used to train them. Indeed, the absence of discipline would mean that they were illegitimate children and not sons. V. 8. If we gave our fathers reverence even though they disciplined us for our earthly lives, how much greater reverence should be give to our Father who disciplined us for our heavenly lives by subjecting ourselves to him. V. 9. After all, he continues, our earthly fathers corrected us after their own pleasure while our heavenly Father corrected us for our profit that we might partake of his holiness. V. 10. No chastening is pleasant when it is administered, but we then recognize that it yields the fruit of righteousness.

V. 12 begins with another “wherefore.” From that which as been discussed we are to be strengthened, walk in the paths of righteousness, follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man can see the Lord, and be diligent lest we fail of the grace of God and a root of bitterness spring up within us.

While the Hebrews writer continues to develop this thought, this is sufficient to answer how God disciplines his children. While the question mentions “today,” it is not necessary to the question or to the answer. There is no reason to think that God deals differently with his children either in the manner or the extent to which he administers the discipline spoken of here or elsewhere in scripture. It is clear that that which the readers are called upon to endure is persecution. That persecution could be avoided if, instead of enduring faithfully, they renounced their faith, accepted the demands of the world, and walked in the path that leads to destruction. This language cannot be referring to the sufferings of this life that all men are called upon to endure, be they so-called “acts of God such as hurricanes or tornadoes, or sickness, pain, and death. If everyday issues suffered by all were in view one of two things would have to be true. It would either be impossible to distinguish between those who are God’s sons and those who are not, or else all men would be sons of God in the familial sense (not in the sense that God created all men). This type of suffering is shared by all and cannot be avoided except in the sense that not all suffer the same disasters.

In 1 Peter 4:16 Peter speaks of that type of suffering that is in view in Hebrews: “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” That type of persecution comes only upon Christians, and only upon faithful Christians. Those who bend to the winds of the world can avoid this present suffering, but at great cost. The remainder of Hebrews 12 describes that which is both possessed and received by the faithful who endure, and that which is received and possessed by those who fail to endure. See, Rev. 2:10.