Paddle, switch, spoon…
If you were disciplined as a child with a good old fashioned whooping, what was the preferred method? Some got the switch, some got the belt, and some with a bare hand; but regardless of the method, most were clear on the message “Whatever you were doing needed to change”.
In the Bible, God would use His enemies to discipline His children. Whether it was the Assyrians, the Babylonians, or the devil himself, God was trying to make His message clear; “You must change what you are doing”.
How about today? Does God change?
The Apostle Paul shared a couple of examples of how to deal with those who rebel and sin:
- (1 Timothy 1:20) Hymenaeus and Alexander are two examples. I threw them out and handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God.
- (1 Corinthians 5:5) Hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
Paul said let Satan wreak havoc in their life, and they will learn to do right. Jesus taught in Matthew 18:21-35, that once again, the devil and his demons would be the source of discipline to correct bad behavior; and He said that person would be tormented until such a time that they were ready to submit to God’s way and obey (James 4:6-10).
If you are experiencing a chaotic life, make sure it is not because you are disobedient to God’s truth; if you realize that you have been in rebellion, it’s time to humble yourself and seek forgiveness (1 John 1:9). While not all difficulty is a direct result of personal sin, it is a way by which God can bring us to spiritual maturity (James 1:2-8).
Because God loves us greatly, He desires the spiritual best for us; and sometimes that means He will allow pain and suffering so that we can clearly understand and obey (Hebrews 12:6-11; John 15:1-5; Proverbs 3:11-12; Revelation 3:19).
May God bless YOU greatly today!
Pastor Mike