RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-09-11	How Do I Know If I Am Being Disciplined By God
		How do we know when we are personally experiencing God's discipline? Jesus was disciplined and never sinned (He.5:8). Heb 5:8  though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. This does not mean Jesus stopped being obedient and then became obedient. By the statement, "He learned obedience" he means He moved as He grew from one degree of obedience to another. As He grew, the challenges became more difficult. He would experience a new kind of challenge, and He was obedient again. He is learning at each stage. Jesus took on these challenges through what He suffered. God ordained suffering in the life of Jesus to bring Him to the fullest expression of obedience. God's discipline is not simply because we have been bad, but includes stretching us in our faith. Job was described at the beginning to be an upright person and blameless. Yet God gave Satan permission to test his faith and love for God. Again, this happened to Job not because He acted in disobedience. It did at the end show he had some pride to deal with. We see him repent in dust and ashes (Job 42:6). Rom 2:4  Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? The kindness or goodness of God leads to repentance. This is another strategy God uses, besides spanking, to bring us to repentance. We do things we should not do. God sees defective things in our lives. He creates circumstances to help us get on track, or maybe a better direction. Often times God works on us in such a kind and loving way. Do you remember being mad at someone. And while you are mad you notice it is such a beautiful day. And the beautifulness of the day melts your angry heart. God loves you back into perspective. God could have caused some tragic event to get your attention. And He would have been right in doing so. But He chose to get our attention using a blessing and not a curse. That is sure grace. God is always disciplining us. That is, He is always creating circumstances that will help us grow. God can use things that are good, hard, and gentle toward us. Remember we are always loved (He.12:6). Heb 12:6  FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE CHASTENS, AND SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES." God disciplines those whom He loves. For God's children, no spanking is anything but an expression of love. There are those who have a hard time feeling loved by God. Maybe you grew up in a family where you never felt love. You never measured up, and were constantly criticized. So when we say God disciplines us in love, for you it may be difficult to embrace. Please remember God never feels contemptuous toward His children. A human dad can be sinful and mean toward you, but God never will. God never loses control. If He brings any kind of hardship into our lives it is measured, careful, loving, and wise. It is a loving application of His grace to our situation. God calls for us to have greater faith. And He creates the circumstances to do just that. It is assumed that when bad things happen to us it is always because we have sinned. This is not always the case. So how do we know we have sinned? The answer is to read your Bible. Do not base or conclude whether you have done something wrong based on how God is treating you. That can be confusing because sometimes He treats you far better than you deserve. Sometimes He spanks us to get our attention. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

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