Chastening

The text

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Hebrews 12:5–11 KJV

At a glance

Summary of the sermon

A major source of spiritual depression, Lloyd-Jones argues, is failing to grasp that God's chief purpose for His people is their holiness rather than their comfort. Salvation is God's work from beginning to end, and He will not leave it half finished. If His children will not learn from the positive teaching of the Word, He will teach them by circumstances — and that is chastening.

Chastening is training, not vengeance, and its absence would actually cast doubt on whether a person is a child of God at all. It comes through financial loss, illness (Paul's thorn, Thomas Chalmers' long sickness), persecution, bereavement, and sometimes through the withdrawal of the felt sense of God's presence, as with Job and with Israel in Hosea. Its purpose is always 'for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness'. It guards against spiritual pride — the thorn came after the vision of paradise — against self-confidence, against worldliness and against the smug self-satisfaction that rests on its oars.

Positively, chastening cultivates humility, heavenly-mindedness, meekness and a tender sympathy with others. The sermon ends with a searching application: if we know nothing of this kind of dealing we should ask whether we are sons at all; and if we do, we should see in it not the anger but the love of the Father.

Key points

• God's primary aim for believers is holiness, not comfort.
• Chastening is training, and it is the mark of genuine sonship.
• It comes through loss, illness, persecution, death, or a withdrawal of God's felt presence.
• It guards against pride, self-confidence, worldliness and complacency.
• Its fruit is humility, heavenly-mindedness, meekness and compassion.
• Never to have been chastened should prompt serious self-examination.

Illustrations the preacher uses

• Thomas Chalmers' year-long illness, which turned a brilliant lecturer into a gospel preacher.
• Paul's thorn in the flesh, given after his vision of the third heaven.
• Job, and Israel in Hosea, learning through the withdrawal of God's presence.

Related Scripture

• 1 Thessalonians 4:3
• Ephesians 1:4
• Philippians 1:6
• 2 Corinthians 12:7–10
• 1 Corinthians 11:30–32
• Revelation 3:19
• Psalm 119:71
• Hosea 5:15–6:1

For reflection and discussion

1. Has a hard providence — loss, illness, disappointment — ever served your sanctification in a way you can now see?
2. Which of the dangers named (pride, self-confidence, worldliness, complacency) do you most need guarding against just now?
3. How does knowing that God aims at your holiness rather than your happiness change the way you read difficult circumstances?