The Purpose of God's Chastisement (Outline)

Introduction

For the Child of God, it is a normal thing for God to bring chastisement upon our lives. Verse 8 says we are all partakers of God's Chastisement. Now, if we are all partakers then I think it's important for us to understand this common happening.

There is a big difference in God's Chastisement and the troubles that you might be bringing upon yourself due to ungodly living. How do we know the difference between unhappiness and trials due to sin and the chastisement or training that God maybe using to produce something wonderful in your life? God always has a reason for what He trains you with. Satan's trials never have productive reasons behind them. God's chastisement of a disobedient child always has training, spiritual education and righteousness as its purpose. It is for our profit (advantage, expediency).

The way you can recognize Godly Chastisement is to ask these questions: “If I am exercised (trained) by this situation, how will it make my life better? What lesson could I be learning from this? Is it making me a more holy person? Is it for my profit? Is this training yielding the peaceable fruit of righteousness?"

You see, God's chastisement is for our profit while Satan's trials are a by-product of an unholy life and are for our destruction and peril.
There is a difference in punishment (judge) and chasening (father). One is to uphold the law while the other proves love. There is one element which, if present, says that a person is saved and that element is Godly chastisement or chastening. So, how do we recognize Godly Chastisement?

I. The Reservation in Chastisement

Chastisement is reserved for God’s children, as stated in verses 5-9.

There is a big difference in chastening for disciplinary purposes and punishment. We are not talking about punishment at all. Hell is for punishment and anything short of hell is grace and involves chastisement.

II. The Preparation in Chastisement

How does chastisement serve as a preparation in serving the Father? It prepares us for holy living, as seen in verse 10.

Pleasure –dokeo - it seemed good to; it pleased God; it was determined for a purpose.

“be partakers” – metalambano – to accept and use.

III. The Transformation in Chastisement

What does God’s chastisement create in our lives? It yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness, as seen in verse 11.

Righteousness is the peaceable fruit of your relationship to Jesus. Your Christian justification produces the peaceable fruit of righteousness.