‘Mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalists’ say that God is not chastising ‘the body of Christ’ .... because they-say chastisement was part of ‘Israel’s prophecy-program’, not ‘our mystery-program’. Since I have broken out of their mold, and ‘gone to the Greek’ (a ‘no-no’ among ‘mid-Acts-ers’) .... I found out they are wrong on this issue, too:
2 Tim 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable
for doctrine,
for reproof,
for correction,
for instruction (the Greek word [paideia], meaning the whole training, care, and education process including cultivation of mind and morals, commands and admonitions, and reproof and punishment .... for the purpose of increasing VIRTUE) in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect,
throughly furnished unto all good works.
The Greek word [paideia] is used 6 times and all of them are in the context of a father tutoring his children:
Eph 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture (the Greek word [paideia]) and admonition of the Lord.
During my nearly 30 years as a ‘mid-Acts-er’ .... I heard preachers strongly teach messages that God is not chastening believers today. When I saw that the same Greek word used in 2 Tim 3:16 for ‘instruction’ .... was used here in Hebrews 4 times regarding the ‘chastening’ of the Lord ---- I got a whole new understanding:
Heb 12:5-11 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening (the Greek word [paideia]) of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth (the Greek word [paideuo]),
and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening (the Greek word [paideia]),
God dealeth with you as with sons;
for what son is he whom the father chasteneth (the Greek word [paideuo]), not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement (the Greek word [paideia]), whereof all are partakers,
then are ye bastards, and not sons.
God provides assurance to us .... by knowing that He deals with us as His children .... rather than leaving us to ourselves and our own way .... just as an earthly father does:
9 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?
10 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.
Being corrected is not particularly pleasant .... but it is needful.
The discipline pays off later:
11 Now no chastening (the Greek word [paideia]) for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
The irony regarding the subject of chastisment for the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ is that ‘their own apostle PAUL’ ALSO said we are chastened of the Lord ---- but ‘mid-Acts-ers’ try to wrest out of believing it. They mouse around the verse, and in reality, deny its application for us, saying that God only ‘teaches’ us today as we read His word:
1 Cor 11:31-32 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32 But when we are judged,
we are chastened (the Greek word [paideuo]) of the Lord,
that we should not be condemned with the world.
God IS ACTIVE in our lives .... by chastening ....
so we will learn the lessons we need to know.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
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