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Well, please turn with me in 
your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 3. Proverbs chapter 3. I'll read verses 11 to 12 and 
then pray. Proverbs 3.11, my son, do not 
despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest his correction. For whom the Lord loves, he corrects, 
just as a father the son in whom he delights. Amen. Well, let 
us pray. Father, we thank You for this 
text. We thank You for Your involvement in our lives, for Your sovereign 
government over us. And God, we know at times that 
means discipline, it means correction. So give us the grace and the 
help to receive Solomon's words here. Help us not to despise 
nor detest Your involvement, Your chastening hand in our lives, 
but help us to embrace it and to realize that You mean good 
in all that You do on our behalf. Again, forgive us for our sins 
and our transgressions, fill us with your Holy Spirit, and 
grant us the help now to receive, with thanksgiving, your glorious 
Word. And we pray through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Amen. Well, in many respects, this 
is a bit of a follow-up or a part two to the Wednesday night Bible 
study. If you were not present on Wednesday night, I think you'll 
still be able to follow the message. But essentially, we looked at 
the believer and trials in James chapter 1, verses 2 to 8. And 
essentially, James tells the people of God to count it all 
joy when they fall into various trials, knowing that the testing 
of your faith produces patience. God has remedial ends in the 
trials, the tests, and the difficulties that His people go through. And 
as we look at this particular text, we ought to recognize that 
there are times, not all trials, and not all tests, and not all 
afflictions, and not all things that we go through are directly 
connected to our sin. But there are those seasons or 
there are those times where God does chasten us, where God does 
discipline us, where God does correct us for our sin, and this 
text sets that forth. And so we need to understand 
what Solomon is saying. And I want to look first at the 
exposition of Proverbs 3, 11 and 12 right here in the context, 
but then secondly, the application of Proverbs 3, 11 and 12 in the 
book of Hebrews, in Hebrews chapter 12. Paul appeals to this to make 
the same point in a situation involving New Covenant Christians. 
Just at the outset, see how the authoritative, inspired, infallible, 
and inerrant Word of God speaks to the people of God. An Old 
Testament book like Proverbs is invoked as Holy Scripture, 
the voice of the living God to blood-bought children of our 
Lord Jesus Christ in the New Covenant. Let's look first of 
all at the prohibition and then secondly the reason under the 
exposition of Proverbs 3, 11, and 12. Solomon writes, My son 
do not despise the chasing of the Lord, nor detest his correction. I want us to see the context. 
Go back for just a moment to verses 9 and 10. He says, honor 
the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of 
all your increase. So your barns will be filled with plenty and 
your vats will overflow with new wine. Matthew Henry says 
his exhortation before, verses nine and 10, was to those that 
are rich and in prosperity. Here, verses 11 and 12, to those 
that are poor and in adversity. And as the Bible tells us, God 
is responsible for both prosperity and adversity in the lives of 
his people. So there is a prohibition given 
by Solomon. It's twofold and it's repetitive. And the repetition is to underscore 
the seriousness of it. Notice that he says, My son, 
do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest his correction. Eliphaz to Job in Job 5.17 makes 
the same point. Behold, happy is the man whom 
God corrects, therefore do not despise the chastening of the 
Almighty. Those friends didn't get everything 
wrong, it was rather the application, it was rather some of the implication, 
rather some of the practical exhortation given to Job. But 
in terms of their theology, Eliphaz is absolutely right, and he joins 
the ranks with Solomon to tell us to not despise the chastening 
of the Lord, nor detest His correction. Now, this is God's purpose or 
God's way in the lives of His people. The specific thing that 
Solomon tells us of is that chastening of the Lord. If you go back to 
the book of Deuteronomy, just so you can see that this is God's 
practice with His children in the Old Covenant, namely Israel. In Deuteronomy chapter 8 at verse 
5, you should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, 
so the Lord your God chastens you. And then again in Deuteronomy 
chapter 11, Deuteronomy 11, beginning in verse one. Therefore you shall 
love the Lord your God and keep his charge, his statutes, his 
judgments, and his commandments always. Know today that I do 
not speak with your children who have not known and who have 
not seen the chastening of the Lord your God, his greatness 
and his mighty hand and his outstretched arm, his signs and his acts, 
which he did in the midst of Egypt, the Pharaoh king of Egypt 
and to all his land. Moses, there, under God, is exhorting 
the people to faithfulness. And one of the things that God 
says is that, I'm not speaking to the children, rather, I'm 
speaking to you, those who have seen and witnessed the chastening 
of the Lord. This is God's way with His people. We need to be chastened. We need 
to be corrected. We need to be rebuked. We need 
to be reproved. And Solomon says, when this happens, 
we're not to despise it, nor are we to detest it, but we are 
to recognize God's sovereign purposes in it, one, for His 
glory, and two, for our well-being. Now, certainly we're going to 
spend some time later in Hebrews chapter 12, but also in Revelation 
chapter 3, the Lord Christ to the church in Laodicea says, 
as many as I love, I chasten. As many as I love, the church 
in Laodicea, that church that was neither hot nor cold, that 
church that was lukewarm, that church that the Lord Christ had 
threatened to spew out of his mouth. Nevertheless, he says 
he's come to them in that tone and in that manner out of love. It was born out of love. So Solomon 
says to us that we are not to despise, we are not to detest 
the very correction or the chastening hand of our God. Matthew Henry 
says it is the chastening of the Lord, which as it is a reason 
why we should submit to it, the very fact that it's called the 
chastening of the Lord, Henry says is an argument as to why 
we ought to submit. He says, as it is a reason why 
we should submit to it, and then he says parenthetically, for 
it is folly to contend with a God of incontestable sovereignty 
and irresistible power. In other words, you're never 
going to win anyway. Don't despise, don't detest, 
because this is God who is sovereign, who has brought this upon you 
for your benefit and for your remedy. He goes on to say, so 
it is a reason why we should be satisfied in it. For he may 
be sure that a God of unspotted purity does us no wrong and that 
a God of infinite goodness means us no hurt. It's a beautiful 
statement. God, a God of unspotted purity, 
does us no wrong, and that a God of infinite goodness means us 
no hurt. In other words, we can trust 
His purposes in our lives. Even if they sting, even if they 
smart, even if they hurt from time to time, the chasing of 
the Lord is good, and Solomon prohibits us from despising it 
or detesting it. Now, as we look through the book 
of Proverbs, you'll see one of two responses to correction. 
Typically it's with reference to children to their parents, 
but ultimately God stationed the parents over the children's 
lives, so when a child despises the correction of a father or 
a mother, in turn they are despising the very correction of God Most 
High. So I just want to scan through some of these Proverbs 
to show this twofold response to correction and to see how 
the good response is held out as the norm for the people of 
God. In other words, you're not to despise, you're not to detest 
it, but rather you're to embrace it and receive it and find what 
God would have for you in it and deal with it properly. But 
in terms of some general teachings with reference to correction 
given to people, notice in Proverbs 10 at verse 8. Proverbs 10 at 
verse 8. We'll look at several here. Again, just to underscore, there 
are one of two ways that we may go when we are corrected. Of 
course, Solomon says, when the Lord corrects us, when He chastens 
us, we're not to despise it, we're not to detest it. We're 
to receive it and we're to embrace it. Proverbs 10.8, the wise in 
heart will receive commands, but a prating fool will fall. Proverbs 10 and verse 17, he 
who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses 
correction, he goes astray. So you cannot find in the book 
of Proverbs any sort of blessing upon the person that rejects 
or resists good sound counsel. It will never come into your 
reading where Solomon says, it's a good thing to get a counselor 
and to have good things spoken to you, but go ahead and reject 
it. Go ahead and despise it. Go ahead and do something absolutely 
contrary to that or opposite. No. The blessed man is the man 
who receives correction. The blessed man is the man who 
puts these things into practice. Notice Proverbs 12, 1. Whoever 
loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is 
stupid. Proverbs 13 and verse 18. Proverbs 
13 and verse 18, poverty and shame will come to him who disdains 
correction, but he who regards a rebuke will be honored. Again, 
we're not teasing out all the implications of what happens 
if you in fact do reject, but just showing there's one of two 
ways that a person can respond to correction. You either receive 
it and are blessed, or you reject it and you are cursed. Those 
are the options with reference to correction. Notice in Proverbs 
15. Proverbs 15 at verse 5, a fool 
despises his father's instruction, but he who receives correction 
is prudent. Over and over again, emphasized, 
and brethren, as parents, as grandparents, we need to speak 
wisdom into our children's lives and tell them, if you despise 
the correction I'm giving you now, that is symptomatic of problems 
later. In other words, if you train 
them for insubordination in the home, it ought not to surprise 
you when they're insubordinate in the workplace. when they're 
insubordinate in society, when they're insubordinate across 
the board, when they're insubordinate to the true and living God, because 
you have trained them to be insubordinate. Brethren, it is our responsibility 
to take seriously the fifth commandment, not simply to hold it over our 
children as a threat that they better do what we're telling 
them, but to see in it our responsibility and our duty to enjoin upon them 
the necessity to obey their parents in the Lord, for this is right, 
and to honor their fathers and mothers. Notice in Proverbs 15 
at verse 10, harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way, 
and he who hates correction will die. It's pretty cotton dry there, 
isn't it? Well, what do you mean, Solomon? 
There's no what do you mean, Solomon. If you hate correction, 
you will die. That is as simple as it gets. Notice in Proverbs 15 at verse 
12, a scoffer does not love one who corrects him, nor will he 
go to the wise. And then in Proverbs 15, 31 and 
32, the ear that hears the rebukes of life will abide among the 
wise. He who disdains instruction despises 
his own soul, but he who heeds rebukes gets understanding. You see this commendation to 
be a correctable person, to receive what it is that the Lord has 
for you, to receive the chastening of God from his hand as something 
that is beneficial, something you're not supposed to rage against, 
something you're not to panic under, something you're not supposed 
to fret over, but rather you're supposed to, in the language 
of the Puritans, kiss the rod and submit sweetly to God's dealings 
in your life. Notice in Proverbs 19, Proverbs 
19 at verse 20. Listen to counsel and receive 
instruction that you may be wise in your latter days. Can you 
see that emphasis? It begins in the nursery. It begins when they're little. Listen to counsel and receive 
instruction that you may be wise in your latter days. Proverbs 
19, 27. Cease listening to instruction, 
my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. And then 
Proverbs 29 verse 1, he who is often rebuked and hardens his 
neck will suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy. It's a powerful statement concerning 
correction and the rejection of it or the despising or detestation 
of it. Again, that in the context of 
child to parent But when we come back to Proverbs chapter 3, the 
very argument that Solomon uses for us not to despise nor to 
test God's correction is the father-child relationship. The 
reason why God chastens us is not because he's a meanie. The 
reason why God chastens us is not because he's vicious. The 
reason why God chastens us is because He's our Father. That's 
the emphasis in Proverbs 3, 11 and 12. So you have the prohibition 
in the first part, verse 11, do not despise the chastening 
of the Lord, nor detest His correction. And then you have the reason 
in verse 12, for whom the Lord loves, He corrects, just as a 
father, the son in whom He delights. So when we come to this whole 
ordeal, how do we know if we are refusing correction? Well, 
we'll evidence it in a whole host of ways. One, we'll panic. Two, we'll rage. Three, we'll 
think hard thoughts about God. Four, we may not even interpret 
it as something from God for our good and our benefit. I was 
thinking about this as I was thinking about this particular 
text. James calling on us in the midst of affliction to ask 
of God for wisdom is absolutely beautiful. Now, James doesn't 
need Jim saying, good job, James. But in affliction, in testing, 
in trial, in chasing, don't we need wisdom? How do we know that 
this is of God? How do we know it's not a temptation 
of the devil? How do we know it's not something 
that just flowed out of our remaining corruption? We need wisdom to 
process the data. We need wisdom to go to the scripture. 
We need wisdom to be balanced and appreciate the work of the 
living God in our lives. We need wisdom to be able to 
navigate through these uncharted waters. We need the wisdom that 
James says, God is willing to give to all who ask. He gives 
it liberally and He will not upbraid us. He will not reproach 
us. He'll never mock you and say, why are you back for more 
wisdom? Why are you coming to me for more wisdom? This pleases 
God when His people ask for wisdom. When Solomon said, I want wisdom, 
the Lord Most High was delighted in that response on the part 
of Solomon. We need wisdom so that we're 
able to interpret properly the things that are going on and 
so that we are able to submit and we are able to learn and 
we're able to internalize the lessons that the Lord has for 
us so that we will come out the other side more and more conformed 
unto the image of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. We need that 
provision of wisdom to enable us to see that chastening is 
from God, to understand that it is for our good and to help 
regulate our passions. There was that quote from Manton. 
I didn't put it into these notes. But Manton says something about 
wisdom functioning in such a way as to control our passions when 
we're under these tests, when we're under these trials, and 
in this case, when we're under this chastening. You know, when 
you discipline your children, you don't allow them to flip 
out. You don't allow them to scream. You don't allow them 
to carry on like they're just losing it. No, they've got to 
submit. They have to go through it in 
a particular way. They have to understand the remedy 
that's involved in all of this, or the good that's involved in 
all of this, and the same is the case for the people of God. 
So the argument, or the reason, or the rationale for the chasing 
that comes to us, do not despise it, nor detest His correction, 
is verse 12. Whom the Lord loves, He corrects, 
just as a father the son in whom he delights. as I've already 
mentioned, Jesus, to the church in Laodicea. And I keep underscoring 
that, because if you looked at all those seven churches, Laodicea 
seems to be about the worst. I mean, they're neither hot nor 
cold. They have no clue of their true 
spiritual condition. I mean, they are a mess, and 
they don't know it. There's an obvious lack of self-awareness 
on the part of Laodiceans. You always think that the believer, 
if he's anything, he's self-aware. If he's anything, he's self-aware. 
He's wretched, and he knows it. He's not holy, and he understands 
it. He may not embrace it and like 
that, but the reality is he's somewhat self-aware. You get 
to that church in Laodicea, they didn't have a clue. In fact, 
you can turn there because I think it underscores the love motive 
even more so when we understand just how bad they were. Revelation 
chapter 3, verse We'll start at verse 15, I know your works 
that you are neither hot or cold nor hot. I could wish you were 
cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm 
and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Now 
please don't understand that Jesus would prefer you to be 
a complete atheist. That's not the analog. That's 
not what he's emphasizing. He's not saying, I want you to 
be hot, a vibrant, fervent, earnest Christian, or I want you to just 
be cold, a wretched, God-hating, God-despising atheist. That's 
not the point. The point is a lot simpler than 
that. Hot things in our mouths are good. Cold things in our 
mouths are good. Lukewarm things are terrible. 
That's the point, right? Nobody drinks a lukewarm cup 
of coffee. Nobody drinks a lukewarm cup 
of water on a hot day. You either want it cold or you 
want it hot. Not the water, the coffee. That's 
the point. Jesus is not saying, I'm much 
more impressed with outright atheism, so go ahead and pursue 
that. And there were nearby cities, 
there were nearby places to Laodicea, where I think it was Colossae 
had the cold refreshing water, and then Hierapolis had the hot 
sort of healing medicinal water. And so Laodicea basically didn't 
have their own water supply, so it had to be piped in. By 
the time the water got to them, it was lukewarm. They were symptomatic 
of their own city's water supply, and Jesus appeals to them on 
that level. So then, verse 16, because you are lukewarm and 
neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Because 
you say, here it is, lack of self-awareness, I am rich, have 
become wealthy, and have need of nothing. And do not know that 
you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. Could 
they have been more wrong? Could they have messed it up 
more completely than that? I mean, that's as bad as it gets. 
That is completely contrary and completely opposite what they 
saw themselves as and what Christ says they really are. You've 
probably seen that, those memes that say, this is how these people 
perceive us, this is how people perceive us, and this is how 
we really are. Well, they think they're godly and upright and 
holy and righteous. And Jesus says, I'm about to 
spit you out of my mouth. I am functioning the way the 
land of Canaan did. The land of Canaan vomited out 
the godless inhabitants from their midst because they were 
wicked. Verse 17, because you say I'm 
rich, I'm sorry, verse 18, I counsel you to buy from me gold refined 
in the fire that you may be rich, white garments that you may be 
clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed, 
and anoint your eyes with eye salve that you may see. As many 
as I love, I rebuke and chasten. It's almost incongruous, isn't 
it? You almost don't expect that response in verse 19. He's threatened 
to spit them out of his mouth. He has told them they are absolutely 
contrary to their own assessment of themselves, and yet this rebuke 
is born out of love. Why is it that we think any word 
that is harsh, any word that may be severe, is born out of 
hate? That is simply not the way it 
is. When you tell your child, don't 
put that knife in your body, that's said oftentimes with a 
tone that may be interpreted harshly, but you are saying it 
out of love, right? God does that. Jesus does that 
in this particular context. And he says, as many as I love, 
I rebuke and chasten, therefore be zealous and repent. So back to Proverbs 3, verse 
12, for whom the Lord loves, he corrects, just as a father 
the son in whom he delights. Matthew Henry says, it is a fatherly 
correction. It comes not from his vindictive 
justice as judge, but his wise affection as a father. Matthew 
Poole says, afflictions are not infelicities, but benefits and 
comforts, because they are testimonies of God's love, which is infinitely 
more desirable than any evil can be terrible. Let me just 
read that again, because I think there's a world of good theology 
in that statement. Because they are testimonies 
of God's love, which is infinitely more desirable, God's love, than 
any evil can be terrible. So God's infinite love is far 
more excellent than the worst evil is terrible. That's good 
theology. It may be because it's 5.45 on 
a Sunday night and you might not be as fresh as you may have 
been this morning. But if you internalize what Matthew Poole 
says here, you'll say yea and amen to the chasing hand of God 
Almighty. He says, they show God's purpose 
and desire and care to purge us from our sins and to make 
us fit for his presence and kingdom. Turn back to the book of Deuteronomy. 
We already highlighted the chastening of the Lord toward Israel in 
chapters eight and 11, but go back further to Deuteronomy chapter 
one. Deuteronomy chapter one. At verse 29, then I said to you, 
Do not be terrified or afraid of them. He's rehearsing the 
wilderness. He's rehearsing the Exodus and 
the wilderness wanderings. He's rehearsing how God had provided 
for them in those instances. Then I said to you, verse 29, 
do not be terrified or afraid of them. The Lord, your God, 
who goes before you, he will fight for you according to all 
he did for you in Egypt before your eyes. That's a fatherly 
function, isn't it? Fighting for his kids. That ought 
to be a no brainer for any father in here, any mother. You know, 
any woman that has children is like a mama bear when somebody 
comes to mess with those kids. She will fight for those children. 
A father will fight for his children. God does that. And then in verse 
31, and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God 
carried you as a man carries his son in all the way that you 
went until you came to this place. You see, that's how God acts 
toward his children. He is like a father to them. 
He fights for them and protects them. He defends them and cares 
for them. When they need to be picked up 
and carried through the wilderness, God the Father picks them up 
and carries them through the wilderness. You see, the analogy 
holds, not just in one aspect of chastening, but in the entire 
complex of God's dealings with his people. But chastening is 
a part. Discipline is fundamental. The 
fact is, is that we have sinned, and we need to be corrected. 
And Solomon's prohibition is that we do not despise it, nor 
do we detest it. Go back to Proverbs, and just 
an emphasis on the father, human fathers, emphasis in the discipline 
of his children. A father doesn't discipline his 
children because he hates his children. A father disciplines 
his children for the exact opposite reason. A father disciplines 
his children because he loves them. He doesn't want them to 
go astray. He doesn't want them to run amok. 
He doesn't want them to end up in hell. And so a good father, 
good mothers, discipline their children. There is remedial benefit 
involved. And if the father of the children, 
in terms of church, does this, it's for remedial benefit. It 
is for help, it is for good. Look at Proverbs 13 and verse 
24. Proverbs 13, 24, he who spares 
his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him 
promptly. If you being evil men love to give good gifts to your 
children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the 
Holy Spirit to those who ask? If we as fathers discipline our 
children, and that's born out of love, will not our heavenly 
Father who loves perfectly discipline his children? and it be born 
out of love? Absolutely. The chastening hand 
of God is an evidence and a manifestation of the love of God toward us. Proverbs 19 and verse 18. Proverbs 
19 and verse 18. Chasten your son while there 
is hope and do not set your heart on his destruction. See, it's 
not the case that parents discipline their children because parents 
are mean, because parents are vindictive, because parents are 
nasty and vile creatures. Certainly, parents possess those 
particular attributes, but for the most part, when they're dealing 
with their children, they try and exercise their pressure in 
love. And that's the emphasis from 
Solomon here. Proverbs 22, 15. Foolishness 
is bound up in the heart of a child. The rod of correction will drive 
it far from him. Why do you discipline your children? 
Because I don't want them to be a fool. Why do you discipline 
your children? Because I want them to succeed. 
Why do you discipline your children? Because I love them. That's the 
emphasis in the book of Proverbs. Proverbs 23, 13 and 14. Proverbs 
23, 13 and 14, do not withhold correction from a child. For 
if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat 
him with a rod. And notice what you do. You deliver 
his soul from hell. This does not mean salvation 
by the rod, but rather it means that you put God first in the 
raising of your children. What is most important is their 
never-dying soul. You are not going to kowtow to 
the prevailing wisdom of the age and engage in lawlessness 
with reference to parenting. You love your children, so you're 
going to parent them the way that God commands you to love 
them. And that includes chastening. 
That includes discipline. Proverbs 29.17. Proverbs 29.17. At the end of this study on Proverbs, 
you'll probably all be able to say, well, at least I know where 
Proverbs talks about disciplining children. That's a good thing. Proverbs 29, 17, correct your 
son and he will give you rest. Yes, he will give delight to 
your soul. So all of that to highlight that 
as earthly fathers discipline their children, it is born out 
of love. So when the heavenly father disciplines 
us, it is born out of love. Now let's turn to Hebrews 12 
to see a new covenant application of this passage to the saints. Hebrews chapter 12, the context. The believer is encouraged, exhorted 
to run with endurance the race that is set before us. Notice in verse 1, toward the 
end of verse 1, here's the exhortation. Here's what Paul wants the people 
of God to receive. Let us run with endurance the 
race that is set before us. That's the emphasis of much of 
the book of Hebrews. Many, many times, the people 
of God in the book of Hebrews are exhorted and encouraged to 
run, to be persevering, to be enduring, to be a people of patience, 
to be a people that fight, a people that go forward, a people that 
are engaged and earnest and run with endurance the race that 
is set before us. And then the apostle gives several 
incentives on this running. And the first incentive is, of 
course, the Lord Jesus Christ. The second is this cloud of witnesses 
that Hebrews chapter 11 is. And then thirdly, it's the Father's 
discipline. Verses 5 to 11 is an expanded 
treatment of Proverbs 3, 11, and 12. It is an application 
and appeal to that text in the context of new covenant Christians 
to tell them how they are to run with endurance the race that 
is set before them. When you are doing that, and 
chastening comes your way, don't despise it, don't detest it, 
but rather embrace it. Receive it and understand that 
this is God's will for you, for His glory, and for your well-being. So look at Hebrews 12, verse 
5. And you have forgotten the exhortation 
which speaks to you as to sons. The Old Testament speaks authoritatively 
to the New Testament Christian. Charles Bridges says, we must 
not overlook the Apostle's testimony to the divine inspiration of 
the book, showing the instruction throughout to be the teaching 
of our Heavenly Father to His beloved children. You see, the 
Hebrew Christians, these believers, had in fact forgot Proverbs 3, 
11 and 12. Notice what he says, verse 5, 
you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you, not as enemies, 
but as sons. See, this was a big problem with 
these people. They thought religion meant only 
good things, always. And the apostle says, you know 
better than that. There's hardships in this world, 
not only from without, but from within and from above. The Lord 
chastens, the Lord reproves, the Lord corrects. The Lord has 
a manifold way, a manifold, purposes in terms of, or uses or means 
rather, to keep you running with endurance the race that is set 
before you. And one of them is chastening, one of them is discipline, 
but these people had forgotten that. Now notice he appeals to 
Proverbs 3, 11 and 12, which speaks to you as to sons, my 
son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged 
when you are rebuked by him, for whom the Lord loves he chastens 
and scourges every son whom he receives." So he appeals specifically 
to this, and he assumes that the believer often forgets that 
there is a father-child relationship that obtains between the believer 
and his God. We need to understand that. The 
Word of God comes to us, it speaks to us, as to sons, adopted freely 
by the grace of God, granted faith and repentance, so that 
we may enter into the family of God, and therefore the Father 
is our Father. He is our father, brethren, and 
we need to remember that. So whatever comes his way or 
from his hand is for our good. Fathers don't give their children 
who are hungry stones. They don't give their children 
who are hungry scorpions. They give them good things. It 
may not be, you know, cakes and cookies and that sort of stuff, 
but they give them good things because there's that relationship 
that is born out of love. The author assumes that the believer, 
or what the believer often forgets, that the father disciplines his 
children. You see, when these things happen, the first response 
ought not to be, I can't believe that these things are happening 
to me. I just cannot believe it. Why can't you believe it? 
Have you ever read the Bible? Have you ever put your nose in 
the book? For anybody to ever say, I can't believe I'm experiencing 
such things in this world. My big question is, why would 
it have ever gotten to your head that that's the way things are? 
Why do you think you're in a Disney movie? Why do you think you're 
in a fairy tale? You think bluebirds are going 
to come and bear you up so that you can go to heaven with no 
hindrance, with no problem, with no pain, with no toil, with no 
suffering? That is not the emphasis in Holy 
Scripture. The Father carries us, to be 
sure. The Father also chastens us, and chastening, as the apostle 
will go on in a moment to say, in the time, the present, it's 
not joyful, but it's painful. It hurts, right? When you discipline 
your children, they don't typically have great big smiles on their 
faces. If they do, you're doing it wrong. If they do, you're 
doing it wrong. This is a painful process by 
which God conforms us more and more onto the image of his son 
who learned obedience through suffering. Christ learned obedience 
through suffering, certainly as those who are not Christ, 
we're gonna have to learn it in the same way. And the author 
emphasizes the particular thing that Solomon does in Proverbs 
3. My son, do not despise the chastening 
of the Lord. Don't despise it, don't balk 
at it, don't whine about it, don't grumble concerning it, 
certainly don't complain, and don't get angry or panic with 
God. Also, he says, nor be discouraged 
when you are rebuked by Him. Don't get discouraged about that. 
In fact, if you understand what the apostle is saying in this 
particular chapter or section, you will see that the very chastening 
hand of God is confirmation that you're a child of God. This is 
why you can kiss the rod, because it's an evidence of the Father's 
love for you. This is a token given by God 
Himself that you are not illegitimate, that you are a legitimate, blood-bought 
child of God, adopted into His family, entitled to all of the 
privileges and as well to the chastening that comes from the 
hand of God for the good of His people. Notice, he says in verse 
6, for whom the Lord loves, he chastens, he scourges every son 
whom he receives. And on this basis, he says, if 
you endure chastening, verse 7, God deals with you as with 
sons. For what son is there whom a 
father does not chasten? I love the way he just assumes 
this. I don't think he could assume 
this in our modern landscape. We don't ever want to ever inhibit 
a child from being anything that he or she wants to be. Brethren, 
it's our job to do that. If they want to be ax murderers, 
we need to step in and say, absolutely, positively not. We have a particular 
task that the apostle assumes. Notice that. If you endure chastening, 
God deals with you as with sons. For what son is there whom a 
father doesn't chase it? There's no such thing. It's like 
a unicorn. What son out there is there that 
a father doesn't chase it? If you withhold correction, or 
if you don't discipline your son, you hate him, according 
to Solomon in the book of Proverbs, but he who loves him disciplines 
him promptly. This is born out of love. We 
want the best for you, and this is why we're going to bring this 
discipline to bear on you. And God's way with his people 
is exactly and precisely the same. Notice in verse 8, but 
if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, 
then you are illegitimate and not sons. See, these are the 
kinds of texts where people can read this and say, you know, 
everything's been going pretty good in my life. I wonder if 
I'm even saved. Well, don't do that. You're saved 
because you believe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by the 
grace of God. If you're not presently suffering 
under the chastening hand of God, it probably will come. I 
don't know when, but most likely it will come. There is discipline, 
there is correction for all of God's people. If it's not there 
right now, don't go out and jump into some sin so that God will 
chasten you. Don't use that sort of logic. 
That's not what you want to get out of this sermon, please. Don't 
go and do vile things and say, well, you know, I needed to make 
sure I was not illegitimate. I wanted to make sure I wasn't 
a bastard. I wanted to make sure that I was really a participant 
in the family of God. Do you see the apostles' argument? 
This is part and parcel of what it means to be a child in God's 
family. You get discipline. You go to 
the woodshed, you get on a line, he corrects you. Why? Because 
he loves you. He scourges every son whom he 
receives. That's the emphasis of the apostle. The presence of divine chastisement 
is the demonstration of God's fatherhood. The absence of divine 
chastisement evidences that there is no fatherhood for that particular 
person. Now, that's not to say that unbelievers 
don't get, you know, pain and problems and difficulties and 
hardships, to be sure. But in terms of the family of 
God, there are those instances and seasons where the Lord Most 
High gives us these things. Now, notice what Paul goes on 
to do. He compares God as Father to our earthly fathers, verse 
9. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and 
we paid them respect. Isn't that what you do? If you 
don't, you need to. I mean, I guess if you're five, 
you haven't understood all the ins and outs. But when you're 
15 or you're 25, you ought to come back to your parents and 
say, thank you that you didn't leave me to myself. Thank you that 
you love me enough to chasten me. Thank you that you love me 
enough to correct me. Thank you that you love me enough 
to bring a bit of pain at certain seasons in my life so that I 
didn't go out and do the vicious, vile, wicked, wretched things 
that I would have done. Don't we respect fathers? that 
do their job? Don't we respect mothers that 
function in the capacity that God instituted for them? Of course 
we do. That's the emphasis of the Apostle. 
But notice what he does. He goes from the lesser to the 
greater. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the 
Father of spirits and live? If we respect earthly fathers 
who chastened us as they thought best for a season, shall we not 
praise God Almighty? Shall we not delight in God Almighty? 
Shall we not say that I have learned many things from this 
particular season to the woodshed and I'm thankful for the Lord 
for it? Have any of you, I don't want to have a show of hands 
or some group therapy session, but if you reflect upon your 
past, And you've gone through any difficulties or trials in 
your Christianity. You know you came out the better 
on the end, didn't you? You know that God's will had 
been done in conforming you further to the image of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. There's a book title called Grace Grows Best in Winter. A ship that sails goes much further 
in the tempest and storm than when the sea is calm. That is 
just a fundamental principle in God's cosmos. There are seasons 
and instances where God takes us to the woodshed with the expressed 
purpose of conforming us unto the image of his beloved son. 
And if our earthly fathers do that and we respect them for 
it, we ought to respect Yahweh for his infinite wisdom in treating 
us in like manner. Notice what he goes on in verse 
10 to say, for they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed 
best to them. He's given a bit of a hat tip 
to the imperfections involved in the human father. All of us 
as fathers have made plenty of mistakes. I don't think any of 
us as fathers would say, yeah, I carried out my role of disciplinarian 
perfectly. I found that balance. I found 
that sweet spot. And it was great. Nobody does that. We did the 
best we could. And we didn't always do it right. 
A lot of trial, a lot of error. But notice what the apostles' 
argument. For they indeed for a few days, from childhood to 
maturity, But then notice, as seemed best to them, but he for 
our prophet. So while the earthly father does 
it inconsistently, the earthly father does it imperfectly, the 
earthly father does it for a few days, God does it perfectly, 
God does it consistently, and God does it from cradle to eternity. God has this down. God knows 
what he's doing when it comes to chastening and to correction 
for his people. He has perfected it. Not that 
he has perfected it. I speak in the manner of men. 
God doesn't ever get better at anything. But in terms of its 
effect upon us, it is a perfect process that he engages in. And then notice how the apostle 
sort of summarizes the entirety of the argument here. Verse 11, 
he gives us this no-brainer. Well, back to verse 10. He for 
our profit that we may be partakers of his holiness. You see, that's 
the result. That's the end game. That's the 
purpose. Why does God do what He's doing? Because He wants 
us to participate in His holiness. He wants us to be conformed to 
the image of His Son. He wants us to go from this glob 
of, you know, unformed clay into a living embodiment of one of 
Christ's people. That's His purpose. And then 
He summarizes it in verse 11. Now, no chastising seems to be 
joyful for the present, but painful. Again, we don't necessarily laugh 
when bad things happen to us because God's purposes are being 
realized. No, it's not pleasant at the 
time. It's painful, it hurts, it stings, 
but it yields fruit. There's benefit, there's good 
effect that comes as a result of God's training. Nevertheless, 
afterward, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those 
who have been trained by it. That language of those who have 
been trained by it means it's not just a one-time shot. You're going to get one shot 
of discipline when you're, you know, four years into your Christian 
life, and that's going to satisfy for the rest of the time. No, 
you're trained by it. No earthly father treats his 
kids that way. Well, you know, you got the discipline 
once, now, you know, everything's corrected, and you just go on 
your merry little way. No, you're trained by it, and 
it's the same thing in God's school. We're trained by His 
chastening, by His correction. But it's not only that. We know 
that, right? I feel like I should qualify 
it. It's not all chastening. It's not all correction. It's 
great blessing. There's benefit. There's blessing 
and benefit in the chastening and correction. But brethren, 
there is a necessity for the training of God in this particular 
way, in this particular manner. So we see the exposition, Proverbs 
3, 11 and 12, a real live application. in Hebrews chapter 12, verses 
5 to 11. In conclusion, I want to highlight 
a few things for our consideration in a practical way. With reference 
to the chastening of God in the first place, correction is necessary 
in light of our remaining corruption. Chastening is necessary in light 
of our remaining corruption. Now, we are saved freely by God's 
grace. We believe the gospel by God's 
grace. We repent of our sins by God's 
grace. And we are in that state of having 
been saved. We are justified freely by His 
grace. And of course, justification 
then is the foundation place, or rather the next sort of phase 
is sanctification. And in that sanctification, that 
is where the Spirit is working in us to conform us unto the 
image of Jesus Christ. So justification is Christ's 
work for us. That's the status or the basis 
upon which we are accepted by God into heaven. But sanctification 
is a reality that always follows justification. And it's always 
the case that the Spirit is working in God's people to conform them 
unto the image of Christ. And as we move and live and have 
our being in this lower world, we face the reality of Romans 
7, 13 to 25. The good that I wish to do, I 
don't do. The evil I don't want to do, 
I find myself doing. We find the reality of Galatians 
5, 17. The spirit lusts against the 
flesh, the flesh lusts against the spirit. These two are contrary 
to one another so that you don't do the things that you want. 
That's a reality for God's people, isn't it? No one here should 
look surprised. You should have a yay and amen 
look on your face, right? You're all in Romans 7 and Galatians 
5 with me. It's not just me that has faced 
this remaining corruption thing, is it? Somebody give me a nod 
of confidence that you're well, okay. And then we sing it. I 
think you sang it this morning in hymn 429. Prone to wander, 
Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love. So how does God 
deal with us, his wayward sons, when we sin? When we express 
ourselves in terms of our remaining corruption, he chastens us, he 
corrects us. And you know what's really surprising? Is that it's not more severe. 
If you stop and think about it, in fact, Bridges makes this observation. 
He says, comparing our affliction with our sin is not the marvel 
that it is so light. It really isn't surprising that 
God corrects us or chastens us. What's surprising is that He 
doesn't do more, that He doesn't let us have it even more severely. 
And I'm not calling into question the infinite wisdom of God. I'm 
not doing that. I'm simply saying that if we 
understand our sin rightly, our remaining corruption correctly, 
it is intriguing that we're not more severely under the rod or 
chastening hand of God. Brother preached Psalm 130, verse 
three this morning. If you, Lord, should mark iniquities, 
O Lord, who could stand? What's he saying? He's saying 
that we're so bad. Now, remember, the man that penned 
that was David under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Now, certainly 
David had a few, you know, glitches or hitches in his road of sanctification, 
which I don't want to minimize, but David was a man after God's 
own art. David was an upright and holy 
man. David was conformed unto the image of Christ and yet David 
says if you should mark iniquities Oh Lord who can stand there's 
that scene in the book of Ezra Ezra chapter 9 where the people 
of Israel marry the pagans of the land and Ezra is basically 
confessing sin to God Almighty and he says and after all that 
has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt 
since you our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve 
You see, he understands correctly. If we got what we deserve, we 
would be in dire straits. Psalm 103, verse 10, he has not 
dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according 
to our iniquities. Or there's the prophet Jeremiah 
in the book of Lamentations. He asks the question, why should 
a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? 
I think the NASB captures it even better. Why should any living 
mortal or any man offer complaint in view of his sins? In other 
words, if you understand yourself rightly, how in the world, in 
God's moral cosmos, could you ever complain about any suffering 
or any hardship or any affliction that you might undergo? So correction 
is necessary in light of our remaining corruption. Secondly, 
by way of a practical application, correction confirms that we are 
the children of God. It's a blessed thing, isn't it? 
You want to know that you have legitimacy in the house of God? 
Well, again, first and foremost, it's faith in our Lord Jesus. 
It's believing the gospel. If you believe in your heart, 
confess with your mouth, you are saved. That's the beauty 
of Christianity. It's not a workspace religion. 
It's not a do better, try harder. And if you are successful at 
the end, then God will allow you entrance into his kingdom. 
That's not it. by grace alone, through faith 
alone, in Christ alone. That's legitimacy. But in terms 
of our lives of sanctification, the chastening hand of God, the 
correction that comes from him, evidences that we are legitimate 
children. We are co-heirs with our Lord 
Jesus Christ. Thirdly, correction is a necessary 
part of being the children of God. You get that, right? It's 
a necessary part of being the children of God. Every son he 
receives, he scourges. It's a necessary part of being 
a child of God. So therefore, we are forbidden, 
we are prohibited from despising it. We are forbidden from being 
discouraged by it, and we are forbidden from detesting it. 
We are to embrace what God has given and see His hand of mercy 
in it. Fourthly, correction is painful 
now, but it yields good fruit. That emphasis of the Apostle 
in Hebrews 12. Hebrews 12 is probably the best 
sort of application, best explanation of Proverbs 3, 11 and 12 that 
one could find. But in verse 11, I know chastening 
seems to be joyful for the present, but painful. Nevertheless, afterward, 
it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who 
have been trained by it. And I would add one other thing, 
comes from a different context, comes from a different place, 
but I would phrase it this way. Correction's pain now is significantly 
less than glory's joy later. Let me just repeat that. Correction's 
pain now is significantly less than glory's joy later. Turn to 2 Corinthians 4. 2 Corinthians 
4. Beginning in verse 16, therefore, 
we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is 
perishing yet, the inward man is being renewed day by day for 
our light affliction, which is but for a moment, that momentary 
light affliction. See, we're in the midst of it, 
we're steeped in it, and it seems like forever. It seems like all 
I ever do is suffer, all I ever do is get chastened, all I ever 
do is have affliction. Paul says, no, it's a momentary 
light affliction. It's passing. This isn't your 
eternal spot. This isn't your eternal lot in 
life. He says, our light affliction, 
which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding 
and eternal weight of glory. Correction's pain now is significantly 
less than glory's joy later. That's his emphasis. Verse 18, 
while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things 
which are not seen. For the things which are seen 
are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. So that's a perspective I think 
as the people of God we ought to embrace with reference to 
the Father's correction. But finally, in terms of the 
purpose of the Father, we ought never to forget that the chastening 
hand of God is born out of love. It's for love that He does this. 
It's for love that He corrects us. It's for love that whatever 
pain we are currently experiencing is there. Now, we may not always 
appropriate it at the moment like we should. That's why I 
think passages like these are helpful for reflection upon in 
the lives of Christians on a regular basis. But brethren, God's chastening 
of his people is born out of love. Secondly, the chastening 
of the Lord is characteristic of his paternal care for his 
children. Just as he carried Israel in 
the wilderness, so he chastened Israel in the wilderness because 
they needed to learn lessons. Just as He carries us now from 
day to day, so He chastens us now at times from day to day. 
Why? Because we need to learn the 
lessons. Thirdly, the chastening of the 
Lord is ultimately for our good. Go to Romans 8.28 for just a 
moment. Romans 8.28, probably the most 
popular among Christians. I think John 3.16 is probably 
the most popular among all people. But Romans 8.28 is a very popular 
and famous text, and well it should be. But notice what he 
says in verse 28. We know that all things work 
together for good to those who love God, to those who are the 
called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also 
predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He 
might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom 
He predestined, these He also called. Whom He called, these 
He also justified. And whom He justified, these 
He also glorified. What we might call the ordo salutis, 
the order of salvation, the golden chain of salvation. It's a beautiful, 
sort of display of what God does in terms of saving his elect 
by Jesus Christ. But notice in verse 28, we know 
that God, or all things work together for good to those who 
love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose. 
We know that because of what goes on in verses 29 and 30. 
We know verse 28 is a legitimate and appropriate implication from 
the reality that God foreknew, that God predestined, that God 
called, that God justified, and that God will glorify. If God 
is going to do that for His elect, then He's certainly going to 
work everything out for their good. That is a no-brainer. In fact, look at what He says 
in verse 32. He says, he who did not spare his own son, but 
delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also 
freely give us all things? If he didn't spare Jesus at Golgotha, 
is he gonna forget you on Thursday? If he didn't spare Jesus at Calvary, 
is he gonna abandon you in your time of need? Paul's argument 
is absolutely positively not. He argues from the greater, the 
lesser. If he delivers up his son for you, he's gonna deliver 
you on Tuesday. It's going to give you the grace 
and the help and the strength and the wisdom that you need 
to navigate through whatever circumstances you find yourselves 
in. And with reference to verse 28, for Paul to say, we know 
all things work together for good to those who love God. He's 
talking about bad things. We do not need to be convinced 
that finding bags of money work for good. We do not need to be 
convinced that sitting on a beach in Mexico is good. We don't need 
to be convinced that promotions at work are good. We don't need 
to be convinced of those things. In the context, he is essentially 
saying, we know that bad things, horrible things, terrible things, 
the worst of things work for good. To those who love God, 
to those who are the called according to his purpose. Well, how do 
we know that, Paul? Because He foreknew us, He predestined us, 
He called us, He justified us, and He will glorify us. If He 
has undertaken on our behalf to do all of that, then certainly 
whatever comes your way is ultimately ordained by God for His glory 
and for your good. There is great encouragement 
in the Bible for the suffering saints of Jesus Christ, for the 
suffering saints of God Almighty. The chastening of the Lord is 
ultimately designed to conform us unto Jesus, that we may share 
in His holiness, that we may yield those good fruits of righteousness, 
that we may indeed bear forth the blessed image of the Lord 
Jesus Christ in our lives. Well, as I said, part two of 
James 1, 2-8. James 1, 2-8 is another passage 
that I would encourage all of you, if you weren't there on 
Wednesday night, to get into that particular passage, to think 
through the doctrine of afflictions and testings and chastening that 
comes from God, and to realize, with Paul in Romans 8-28, that 
all these things work for good. All these things are ordained 
by God for the good of His people, to those who love God, to those 
who are the called according to His purpose. Well, let us 
close in a word of prayer. Father, we thank you for this 
word. We thank you for the encouragement that we have concerning your 
paternal care for your people. And we know that that does involve 
you carrying us day by day. And we know that it involves 
correction and chastening and discipline. And God, help us 
to not despise it. Help us not to detest that correction, 
but help us to reflect upon the love that you have for us and 
your design. in promoting Christ-likeness 
in each of our hearts and in our lives. I pray that you would 
go with us now, that you would watch over us in this coming 
week, that you would grant us grace to be faithful witnesses 
to you in this world. And we pray these things through 
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.