If God loves His children, why does He discipline those who try to follow Him?

Q: If God loves His children, why does He discipline those who try to follow Him? — G.D.

A: Just as a child needs correcting, so God’s children need correcting. The Scripture says, “‘My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.’ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? . . . No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:5-7, 11, NIV).

If, through carelessness or indifference, we ignore traffic laws, we deserve to be arrested and punished like anyone else. If we are unloving or unfaithful in our Christian life, we will pay for it with a guilty conscience or chastisement from God.

A Christian has tremendous responsibilities to his own family. He or she has a responsibility of loving each member of the family. Husbands and wives are to love each other, and submit to one another. We are to train our children in the way in which they should go. If we neglect these responsibilities we will suffer the consequences —perhaps not immediately, but later on.

We must not give Satan a foothold, but discipline ourselves to stay close to the Lord. He alone is our security, and we are to count it all joy knowing that God cares enough to correct us according to His wisdom and love. “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:2-3).

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)

©2020 BILLY GRAHAM LITERARY TRUST

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