I see it a little different. I do agree in part with your opening thought.
If you think of "chastening" as punishment, you miss the point of Heb 12. In the Greek, the word translated "chastening" has to do with the kind of training or discipline associated with an athlete.
Christ not only experienced this discipline, in Heb 12 1-5, the author is giving us Christ as an example on how to deal with and accept this discipline. This "chastening" (read:discipline) has nothing to do the correcting of our lives because of sin, per se. The writer at Heb 12 is giving reason to the believer for continuing in the faith ( "... let us run the race with endurance, looking to Jesus .....").
It was the Incarnate Christ (in prophecy) that learned the lessons of life (Acts 2:28). That education came to Him, in part, as discipline or training. We look to Him for example. He became like us in every respect. Bad things equip us for the rest of our lives. Praise the Lord. No?
JD
-----Original Message-----
From: Judith H Taylor <jandgtaylor1@juno.com>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wed, 21 Sep 2005 21:37:56 -0400
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] ----- the chastening of the Lord -------
God doesn't slap anyone around JD ... the devil and his minnions are the ones who implement the curse
God's Word is already settled in heaven and we receive blessing or curses according to how we honor it.
Jesus was not being chastened by God; nor was he under a curse - because there was no sin to justify same.
Hebrews 12:3 is more of an indication of his perseverance .. believers are believers with or without a storm.
An attitude of gratitude is what reveals the saint and lack of same usually marks the sinner. judyt
On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 00:07:54 -0400 knpraise@aol.com writes:
I was reading in Hebrews 12 and it occurred to me that "chastening" as in "the chastening of the Lord" is not about God providing events to do the work of slapping his children around and getting them to walk a tight line. Rather, "chastening" is more rooted in Romans 8:28 and the revelation that God works all things for the good. Stuff happens. God uses it to teach lessons.The storms in the Gulf Coast are not about an angry God teaching His people a lesson. Rather, it is about a loving Father who sits down with His children and says, "Now, what lessons can we learn from this disgusting disaster?"Look to Hebrews 12:3. This passage on "chantening" begins with chastening of Christ at the hands of sinners. God did not author this event -- He used it ------- for the good of His eternal Son and for us all. When bad things happens, it is our call -- per passages such as Heb 12 - to look for the benefit as we partner with a loving heavenly Father."Chastening" is not the bad that comes our way but what we make of that bad circumstance. When we learn this lesson, we begin to be partakers of His holiness (12:10).If there is a lesson in those storms on the Gulf Coast, it is a lesson for those who are in partnership with Him -------------------- not for the pagan minded.Just a thought.JD
