The Epistle To The Hebrews - Executable Outlines

Mark A. Copeland
3. What about “corrective” discipline today?
a. If God would use Providence to encourage Israel to repent before it was too late...
1) Would not the same God use Providence to chastise His erring children today?
2) Does He love us any less?
b. I know of no scriptural reason why God would not use Providence to bring about
events in our lives which serve to:
1) Wake us up
2) Cause us to reflect on our lives and our relationship to God
3) Encourage us to repent and turn back to Him if we are straying
c. There are several passages which suggest that God might bring some form of
“corrective” discipline if we do not heed His “instructive” discipline...
1) Some of the Corinthians had already begun to experience God’s chastisement,
which they could have avoided if they had “judged” themselves (by heeding His
word) - 1 Co 11:30-32
2) Jesus spoke of some way in which He would punish some at Thyatira that would be
evident to all - cf. Re 2:20-23
-- I therefore have no problem with the idea that God may choose to employ corrective
discipline in the form of national and even personal affliction
[My understanding of a loving God chastening His children is tempered by my understanding of “why”
He does this...]
III. THE “WHY” OF THE LORD’S CHASTENING
A. CERTAINLY NOT BECAUSE HE DELIGHTS IN DOING SO...
1. God found it necessary to bring judgment upon Israel - Lam 1:3-5
2. It was not something He wanted to do - Lam 3:31-33
B. WHEN NECESSARY, IT IS FOR OUR GOOD...
1. To correct us - He 12:9
a. Our human fathers do so, and we respect them for it
b. Should we not expect the same from the “Father of spirits”, and submit to it?
2. That we may be partakers of His Holiness - He 12:10
a. Our human fathers do it for what seems best to them
b. Our heavenly Father does it for a reason that far excels any earthly purpose!
3. That we may yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness - He 12:11
a. In the short term, the experience is unpleasant
b. But in the long term, we benefit by such “training”!
CONCLUSION
1. Whether “corrective” or “instructive” chastisement, it is always for our good...!
a. It may be grievous - He 12:11a
b. But it will produce “the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it”
- He 12:11b
2. “Corrective” chastisement can mostly be avoided...
a. By correcting ourselves - cf. 1 Co 11:31-32
b. Which we can do by taking heed to God’s Word - cf. Jn 15:2-3
Sermons From Hebrews 100