18. A loving Fathers discipline
A loving Father”s discipline The next few verses bring out God’s purpose in discipline. ’And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction, then he showeth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded. He openeth also their ear todiscipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity. If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures: but if they obey not, they shall pass away, and they shall die without knowledge’.
It is most important not to confound the believer’s standing and salvation in Christ, with his walk and discipline at the hands of his Father. As to his standing in Christ, as we have seen, it is established for ever. To make that depend, in the least, on his works would be to deny the grace of God. But how much does depend on his walk with God. Not earthly prosperity — not worldly pleasures. The nearer we walk with God, the less we shall have of these. Witness the Apostle Paul, and all who will live godly in this present evil world. But who can tell how much our spiritual prosperity, how much the enjoyment of heavenly pleasures depends on a close walk with God. Certainly the question is put very strongly here; but it is God’s word. His blessed purpose in all our afflictions — in all His discipline and chastening, is, that we may be partakers of His holiness.
Think of what He has made us in Christ, and then say, ’Though I have been afflicted, was there not a cause?’ Was there not a tampering with some iniquity? And if God had not come in by chastening, might we not have gone on until He must have removed us by death. ’Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth’ (Hebrews 13:5-9). Who can tell, my fellow-believer, the blessed results of an entire surrender to God? What a shame for the believer to serve the world, the flesh, or the devil. Oh! the power of that word, ’And that he died for all, that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again’ (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). May that word henceforth go to your very heart!
What is to be the henceforth of your life and mine? Think of the love and claims of Christ. Would you have days of spiritual prosperity, and years of heavenly pleasures? Then let go everything inconsistent with a world-rejected, but heaven-glorified, Christ. Seek whole-hearted, obedient service to Him, in simple dependence on the Holy Spirit, having no confidence in the flesh.
I am persuaded it is of vast importance that you should at once seek real nearness of walk with God. You have sinned, and the fetters and cords made you cry out. And remember, the believer cannot touch sin without great bitterness of soul. Well, God uses that very bitterness in restoring the soul of the failing saint.
’But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them: they die in youth, and their life is among the unclean’. You say, ’If I were a child of God, surely I should not have all this trouble and bitterness’. This word shows you, if you were not a real child of God, but an hypocrite in heart, you would not have all this bitterness, but you would go on in sin until you perished for ever.