1 Jan 2000

Are we still chastened by the Lord?

Submitted by theshovel
Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly versionSend to friendSend to friendPDF versionPDF version

shovelhead, are we still chastened by the Lord? i was wondering since we are now perfect before Him what would be the purpose? i know it ain't for sin since it is no longer an issue. it looks like one of the meanings of chastening is to instruct or teach. i can certainly see Him teaching me by the opening of my eyes but is he physically allowing things to happen in my/His life? really appreciate what you are doing and for your timely responses to my questions. rod

Hello Rod!

Yes, I think the mentioned "chastening" in the Bible refers to the fatherly aspect of God growing us up in Christ. Though I know that He is working all things together for our good, I also think it is futile to assume for a moment that we can look at what happens in our lives and figure out what He is doing.

I used to do that. But other than realizing that certain events in my life turned out strangely beneficial, I simply cannot speculate any more than that without forcing some kind of a formula. :) I think God works through anything and everything without having to manipulate little tragedies in our lives because He is not hindered by circumstances, though I fully believe He can and does perform whatever He desires.

For me, this means I don't have to wonder if the flat tire on my car, the illnesses I suffer, or the financial problems I face mean that He is somehow displeased with me OR that HE must be doing something in my life!! This is pure superstition.

I remember the "testimonies" about how certain tragedies or sets of events caused people to "trust Christ as their savior" and/or "dedicate their life to the Lord" because they believed God was getting their attention through it ... and we cheered and praised God. It's sad now to look back and realize the devastation brought about through that superstitious perception of God and his son!!

I can know, good or bad, that He loves me and is not thwarted by all that crap. He didn't bring us into a life that needs to be made better, but into a life that is connecting to everything I am and everything I do!

Jim

Related Content: 
discipline

Comments

David Larsen - April 7, 2010 - 6:40am

If you read the parable of the sower.
Matt Chapter 13 Jesus said if you can understand this you could begin to understand all parables. I think all things happen for the words sake. All things that happen are to see what is sown in your heart what you really believe and the world has a way of bringing that out.And when i say the word i am not talking about ink and paper and neither was Jesus. There is darkness coming on the whole world even now to see what is in your heart those that are rooted in Christ will stand all else will be washed away. Some may see this as chastening i see it as what we are here for.What a great time to be walking in the kingdom of God.

Dave.L

Visitor - April 7, 2010 - 8:21pm

Hi Jim,

What I have said and taught in the past has been that all things are under the Sovereignty of God, and since he is working all things out for the good of those who love him--those whom he is conforming to the image of his Son, and since he is going to complete the good work that he has started in us, i.e. bringing into actuality the reality of who we are in Christ, then that means that everything the happens in my life is either caused or allowed, and in someway fits his divine purpose. If he knows the sparrow that falls to the ground, and the hair that is numbered on the head, surely every momet of this life is filled with divine meaning and purpose. As you said, it is not our job to try to know every little thing that God is doing. It is our joy however to spend every moment getting to know Him! In that holy pursuit, it then becomes a fact that it doesn't matter where we are going in life, until where we are going no longer matters! What matters is living in Him, being loved by Him, and knowing only Him.

From your buddy in Nashville.

Tim

luvin - October 14, 2010 - 9:25am
Hi Jim! you said: ” He didn’t bring us into a life that needs to be made BETTER,..”-JM I have read this article communication of yours over the years and this statement always stood out to me. Yes and I know why now. For it seems to be a random statement without any relation to the subject of ‘chastening’. Yet I think you might have been stating the obvious actually. For how many of us have heard it said : “God wants to make your life better, He wants to give you a future and a hope”. While that does sound nice[it is basically a statement made in Jeremiah] it is a view of God and Life in Him from the perspective of the law. For God is not leading you as a blind man along in life in hopes that you will choose ‘better’ things for your self. He is not coming to ‘improve’ you or make you ‘nicer’ to others. He is not attempting to get you to see your false ways and ‘make a change’. He is living IN YOU! The fact that you bring up the fact that God is perfectly capable of doing things with or without our help really points that out. I mean how many of us can say that we ‘helped’ God in saving us?> How about being drawn to Him? Yeah I know it has been said that we ‘had to choose Him’ but, don’t they know that this was a simple statement made [originally] by those who were saved so radically that all they could put into words was ‘we HAD to choose Him ‘? For those were the types of phrases I used in describing the miracle that happened to me. Yeah I was aware of the fleshly way you could say that..but I knew what it was to ACTUALLY have it be [email protected] Adam

Add new comment

Random Shovelquote: Is Christ enough? (view all shovelquotes)

My question to you is this: Is Christ himself enough validation for you? source