Punishment and Chastisement

Punishment and Chastisement. They are the same act. They are in response to the same thing. But punishment and chastisement have a different meaning and purpose. The cause and effect appear to be the same, but they are not.

Trials and tribulations for the Christian are not punishment. They are punishment only for the unrepentant sinner.

Punishment is retribution, a painful retaliatory act for a wrong done. Its purpose is not to teach, improve or rehabilitate. Punishment is its own end.

Chastisement is a course correction. Its purpose is for the betterment of that person. By definition the New Testament word Chastisement (Greek root word “paideuo”) means to teach, instruct, to learn, or to nurture.

The same act or circumstance is punishment for the sinner, but a learning, growing experience for the Christian. Trials and tribulations are a growing experience, one that nurtures, fosters and strengthens a Christian in righteousness. Trials and tribulations are intended to educate, toughen and strengthen the Christian in the ways of God and in the way to God. Trials and tribulations solidify the Christian and mollify the strength and impact of sin.

This growing experience is not reserved for the young. In fact, Jesus all but guarantees us that as long as we are on this earth, we will have adversity all the days of our life.

Jesus said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16:33)

The greatest prophets, apostles and men and women of God, experienced some of the greatest chastisements. Not only for their growth and preparation here, but for afterward.

Some Christians go through a lot in life. But rejoice! It means God has you reserved as special and for something special. He is the potter and you the clay and He is molding something above natural. It’s supernatural!

Trials and tribulations in life are often times considered to be nothing but punishment by God. This we know not to be true. Take for example Job, who God himself described as, “none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man” (Job 1:8). This “perfect” man suffered some of the harshest and most severe experiences possible, from disgustingly horrendous health, lost wealth and all of his family and possessions stripped away from him in an instance.

All of these horrible things occurred in consequence of Job being perfect and upright, so the idea that the unrighteous are always punished and the righteous always rewarded while here on earth is simply not true.

Jesus makes this very point very clear, that there isn’t necessarily a correlation between the righteous and unrighteous person with earthly trials and tribulations being bestowed upon them.

“There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:1-5)

So, are we victims of fate? Do things just happen? Are there cosmic accidents? Do karma and kismet really exist?

“The Providence of God, as taught in Scripture, is opposed to fortune and fortuitous causes. By an erroneous opinion prevailing in all ages, an opinion almost universally prevailing in our own day—viz. that all things happen fortuitously—the true doctrine of Providence has not only been obscured, but almost buried….But whoso has learned from the mouth of Christ that all the hairs of his head are numbered (Matth. x. 30), will look farther for the cause, and hold that all events whatsoever are governed by the secret counsel of God.”

(John Calvin/Institutes of the Christian Religion/Book 1, Chapter 16, Section 2)

Stop and think about this for a moment. If fate, karma or kismet was real and did prevail, then that would mean that God was not in control. This we know to be impossible.

Why do good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people? First, let’s establish something here. Define “good”. Who, or what is a “good” person”.

“And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.” (Luke 18:18-19).

All are sinners. All have fallen from the grace of God. None are good. But it seems that everywhere we turn we see the sinner prevailing in sin!

“Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage. They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.” (Psalm 94:3-7)

All Christians, at one point in time or another, if not more often than not, have felt like Asaph when he said, “Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.” (Psalm 73:12-14).

There appears to be a vague line, some gray area of distinction between punishment and chastisement and the saint and the sinner. Sometimes everything seems to be upside down. The sinner prospers while the saint disparaged and punished.

But no, God is vested and invested in His saints, His children. He is not with everyone. Some people are not His children and never will be. Sometimes God uses these people as examples for His saints. God will use the bastard, those who are perpetually lost, to demonstrate Godly principles and power. Such was the case with Pharaoh.

“And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth. And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.” (Exodus 9:13-16)

The reason why God created and “raised thee up” Pharaoh, a man of untold earthly power, was to demonstrate God’s power and resolve.

“What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” (Romans 9:14-16).

In the above lies the answer. God shows mercy on whom he sees fit to show mercy. God will have compassion on whom He will have compassion. It is God’s choice to do as He sees fit and to whom He sees fit to do it with. This is why God’s children are called the chosen and the elect.

The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans makes it crystal clear that salvation does not come to “him that willeth, nor of him that runneth”. We can’t earn election. There is no will, desire, thought, deed or action that qualifies someone so as to be chosen. This isn’t a beauty pageant, scholastic test or some sporting event where you either win by highest score or picked due to attributes and talent.

No, our election is in God’s hand and will.

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33)

“Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.” (Psalm 65:4)

Now, back to the original topic, punishment or chastisement.

“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.” (Hebrews 12:6-8).

We have to identify trials, tribulations and adversities for what they are. These things for a child of God have our benefit as their intended goal. This is the purpose of problems. We have to understand the Father and son relationship and accept that we are in one. This requires humility, which humility is a natural by-product when we accept God as our Father.

“I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.” (2 Samuel 7:14-15)

We will have trials and tribulations in life and, “No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous” (Hebrews 12:11). But these are Godly pressures meant to separate the impurities from within us.

Repentance, in terms of self-examination and investigation for sin within can only accomplish so much. The weight of adversity can reveal inside what we ourselves could not discover on our own.

“Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law; That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. For the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance. But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.” (Psalm 94:12-15)

Bill Hitchcock