Hebrews 12:6

Notice this: God is not dealing with us as sinners again, but as sons. … Now study this whole subject of fatherly chastening. Is not this chastening really perfect in its place, and applied to every son? I thank my Father for all the chastening I have known, for these forty years.

The Lord chastens those He loves. … The word draws two conclusions from this truth. … It will not be without a cause in me; it will never be without love in God. So I am not to despise it, because there is a cause in me that makes the holy God of love act this way; and I am not to faint, because it is His love that does it. It is a Father correcting a son He delights in.

This passage uses three words: chastening, rebuking, scourging. The last does of course mean a whipping, and the second means a reproof. But the first, though it may sometimes mean a beating, mainly means discipline in the sense of child-training. And note this: each of the other two words appears only once in these verses, while this one appears eight times. This is the main thought of the passage. We ARE children of God, and so we come under His training.

The Apostle speaks of chastening and scourging. The scourging may be more God's governmental dealing in rebuking and correcting for actual failure. The chastening is not necessarily for any sin, but rather to develop in us what is according to the nature of God, so that we may share in His holiness.

In the light of the New Testament, chastening may be sent as repayment, as we see in 1 Corinthians 11:30. But it may not be. In Paul's case — 2 Corinthians 12:7 — the thorn in the flesh was preventive, in case he should be puffed up and fall. Or again, it may be neither repayment nor prevention but education, as Hebrews 12 shows. The Father trains and disciplines His children, and even scourges them. But it is all in pursuit of His goal — "that we may share His holiness."

Does "scourging" look like "receiving"? Or "chastening" like "loving"? Certainly not in any other relationship, but it is exactly what marks a father's love for his son. First, it is true, came the Father's kisses of welcome. Then the BEST robe, then the ring and the sandals. Then the fattened calf, and the music and dancing. And afterwards — the rod. The rod does not taste like the kiss, but the same love that gave the kiss wields the rod.

It is very interesting to notice the character of these chastisements. They are persecution, scorn, hatred, the reproach of man. You say, if God would only lay me on a bed of sickness, I could bear it. If it were God who had done these things — but it is just the wretched malice of man. I cannot see Him in it. Well, faith sees God in it. … We bear these things. However much they seem to come from spite, envy, or hatred, we know they also come from a Father's heart, who permits them for our blessing.

Worldly prosperity and celebration, even when it is the fruit of God's care behind the scenes, is not always a sign of His approval. And affliction is not a sign of His disapproval. Job's case shows this even more clearly.