Jump to content

Love is corrective: Difference between revisions

No edit summary
Line 17: Line 17:
:''“My child, pay attention when the Lord corrects you, and do not be discouraged when he rebukes you. Because the Lord corrects everyone he loves, and punishes everyone he accepts as his child.”
:''“My child, pay attention when the Lord corrects you, and do not be discouraged when he rebukes you. Because the Lord corrects everyone he loves, and punishes everyone he accepts as his child.”


:''Endure what you suffer as being a father’s punishment; your suffering shows that God is treating you as his children. Was there ever a child who was not punished by his father? 8If you are not punished, as all his children are, it means you are not real children, but bastards. In the case of our human fathers, they punished us and we respected them. How much more, then, should we submit to our spiritual Father and live! Our human fathers punished us for a short time, as it seemed right to them; but God does it for our own good, so that we may share his holiness.American Bible Society, The Holy Bible: The Good News Translation, 2nd ed. (New York: American Bible Society, 1992), Heb 12:7–10.<ref>American Bible Society, The Holy Bible: The Good News Translation, 2nd ed. (New York: American Bible Society, 1992), Heb 12:5–10<ref>
:''Endure what you suffer as being a father’s punishment; your suffering shows that God is treating you as his children. Was there ever a child who was not punished by his father? 8If you are not punished, as all his children are, it means you are not real children, but bastards. In the case of our human fathers, they punished us and we respected them. How much more, then, should we submit to our spiritual Father and live! Our human fathers punished us for a short time, as it seemed right to them; but God does it for our own good, so that we may share his holiness.American Bible Society, The Holy Bible: The Good News Translation, 2nd ed. (New York: American Bible Society, 1992), Heb 12:7–10.<ref>American Bible Society, The Holy Bible: The Good News Translation, 2nd ed. (New York: American Bible Society, 1992), Heb 12:5–10</ref>


:''Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Re 3:19.</ref>
:''Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Re 3:19.</ref>
Line 27: Line 27:
Any parent knows the intense displeasure and irritation that comes from another adult trying to discipline their children.  It is completely inappropriate for me to apply "corrective love" to God's children.  And like a human parent, he would take extreme displeasure when someone tries to discipline his children, particularly when they do it in a way that is anything but loving.
Any parent knows the intense displeasure and irritation that comes from another adult trying to discipline their children.  It is completely inappropriate for me to apply "corrective love" to God's children.  And like a human parent, he would take extreme displeasure when someone tries to discipline his children, particularly when they do it in a way that is anything but loving.


Try this next time you are in the local mall.  Go up to a child that is acting like a brat, and give him a good paddle on his behind.  Do you think his parents will turn to the little urchin and say:
'''Try this next time you are in the local mall.  Go up to a child that is acting like a brat, and give him a good paddle on his behind.''' Do you think his parents will turn to the little urchin and say:


:''“You see what happens when you act this way in public? Strangers spank you.”<ref>Thor Ramsey, Comedian’s Guide to Theology, a (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2008).</ref>
:''“You see what happens when you act this way in public? Strangers spank you.”<ref>Thor Ramsey, Comedian’s Guide to Theology, a (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2008).</ref>