Why Does God Chasten His Children?

Consider the following passages:
Ps 94:12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law; (KJV)
Here, we see that the end of God's chastisement is to teach us. Just as we, as fathers, would lovingly teach our children what we expect (our law) from them. We do not discipline them for committing an act that they do not know is wrong; we teach them what is right and wrong. The very act of teaching can be viewed as chastisement. It is a serious time.

John 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. (KJV)
Here, we are told that chastisement (purging) is for our own fruitfulness. God never chastises simply because He can; His ways are far above our ways and His chastisement is always for our benefit.

Greater understanding of God's laws and increased fruitfulness would be two profitable gains.

Then he/she refuses to be taught and has a disregard for fruitfulness. I believe they are headed toward the commission of "the sin unto death" as were Ananias and Sapphira.

 

So at the point God took these two out of this life via death did they automatically become faithful and obedient, becuase they left this earth as unfaithful and disobedient.

 

As will most, if not all of us when we pass from this life.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. (KJV)

Of course they were "faithful and obedient" when they left this earth, assuming of course that they were saved. They had perfect knowledge when they stepped upon heaven's shore.
1 Cor 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. (KJV)

 

Absolutely, I believe the Bible teaches OSAS, I call it "eternal security."

 

Then you are merely a very deceived child of God who has been duped by Satan into believing that your earthly troubles are too big for your heavenly Father to handle, and you have foolishy decided to take matters into your own hands and have demonstrated a severe lack of faith. Nevertheless, you are still saved.

 

Excellent answer. :thumbs:

 

James, can you tell me if you believe that there is a single believer who has died having confessed ALL of the sins they ever committed? With your reasoning, no believer will be in the kingdom.

 

Think about what you have sown and that will certainly affirm that you will also reap. You have sown destruction to your earthly tabernacle, and you reap the loss of the years that God had given you to bring Him glory here on this earth. You lose your full potential for rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ. (That is where this is going, isn't it?)

I do not at all equate suicide with murder. As to who will inherit the kingdom of God:
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (KJV)

 

I don't think James is questioning about being saved. I think he's questioning about inheriting the Kingdom.

 

Okay Pastor Bob is the as will most your way of saying that everyone saved or otherwise is going to die disobedient and unfaithful? If not then who is the group that when they die will be considered faithful and obedient?

Do you consider yourself to be faithful and obedient? You quoted Paul. Was he faithful and obedient when he died?

Of course the flesh is disobedient and unfaithful because it is corrupted. But a saved individual has a new nature that battles the old nature. The Bible says we can be found obedient and faithful and having overcome the flesh, the world and Satan.

While I agree that the majority will die in disobedient and unfaithfulness (broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there be that find it and narrow is the way that leads to life and few there be that find it), there is a remnant just as there always is of faithful and obedient.

If we are faithful and obedient and overcoming then we will rule and reign with Christ. If however we are found to be disobedient, unfaithful and non-overcoming as in we walked by the flesh instead of walking by the Spirit then we will not rule and reign with Christ.

That passage doesn't address their faithfulness or obedience after the point of death.

I don't see a limitation in Scripture of killing being that of one person to another.

Exactly!! So what does that mean? Does that mean when we are made alive spiritually (saved) that we automatically inherit the kingdom of God? Well is it the name of the Lord (the King) that saves us? Or is it the death and shed blood of Jesus the Lamb of God Who died as our substitute?

It's the death and shed blood that saves, so calling on the name of the Lord is salvation for something else. And as you put it it is salvation for the kingdom.

So if we don't call on the name of the Lord we are not going to be saved for the kingdom.

 

1 Cor 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
(KJV)

A farmer may plant corn, and then by his negligence or lack of labor he may destroy the very crop he planted.

Absolutely.

When we enter heaven, we are raised in incorruption. I believe you have misapplied the passage in Galatians 6. What we sow to the flesh will be reaped as wood, hay, and stubble. What we sow in the spirit will remain as gold, silver, and precious stones.

 

I apologize, friend, but I cannot follow your reasoning here. You seem to ask a question and then answer it. I'm not sure what you are looking for from me.

 

The teaching is that everything we do for the Lord will be revealed for what it is actually made of. The day, in my opinion, is the day we stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ. (vs. 10 & Romans 14:10)

This would refer to someone who is saved, yet has no real regard for the work of God with the objective of giving God the glory. He serves God with selfish motives. His works will be burned up and he will be saved, not "by fire," but rather, "as by fire." In other words, he escaped eternal punishment by the slimmest of margins. He was "as a brand plucked from the fire."

There is no continuation of the same thought from verse 15. Paul has moved on to another issue. Remember, when Paul wrote this letter, we didn't have chapters and verses like we do today. The mere fact that these verses follow, is no indication that they are connected. The context, not a preconceived idea, must govern our belief.