Chastening

Chastening

“And being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled [perfect].” 2 Cor. 10:6. The Corinthians needed to have a perfect attitude of mind concerning obedience before Paul would come and punish their disobedience. Therefore he waited before he visited them. 2 Cor. 1:23.

We can say that a person is in a bad state when he has to be punished; however, it is even worse when he cannot be punished. The Corinthians were in this state. Paul did not even have sufficient confidence in them that he dared to punish them. He had to give them time to be converted so that their attitude of mind could be perfected. Then it would not take much before he could punish them. In other words, you have to have a certain amount of confidence in a person before you can punish him. There are many people who feel neither chastisement nor punishment. Most likely they think that they are not doing anything wrong. Yet the fact is that their attitude of mind is far too bad for them to be chastened. You simply have to let them be. Of course, such people usually stay on the periphery, because they have a feeling that if they were to come any closer, it would get too hot for them.

Those who partake of chastening are genuine sons; their attitude is perfect. In other words, it is the disciples who have forsaken everything who are scourged. Heb. 12:6. That is why we read that we shall pay heed to the chastening—because it is our life—and not be discouraged when we are rebuked by Him.

Therefore, when you are shown this confidence that someone rebukes you and speaks harshly to you, do not be so foolish that you feel offended for several days and cannot even sleep at night because your honor has been touched. Rather be thankful and take it to heart so that you can be saved. “Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees . . . .” The tendency is to let your hands hang down when you are chastened. In other words, you give up the work for which you are being chastened, and you become inactive. Instead you should go to work with greater zeal and care since you have now received better guidance.

“But if you are without chastening . . . you are illegitimate and not sons.” Such people have the harlot as their mother. They can do almost anything and still believe that they are good Christians. They are so “liberated” that they do not feel chastened for anything. They think that they are past the state of being in “bondage”! But then they are not being made complete in all good works either, which is the goal and longing of all true sons. Heb. 13:20-21.