Children Before the Father
As believers in Jesus Christ, we are justified before the Judge of Heaven.
We have received the imputed righteousness of Christ as a gift of God’s
grace. As a result, nothing can ever separate us from Him. However,
though our sin does not change the reality of our new found relationship
with God, it does impact our father/son or father/daughter relationship
with him. God no longer deals with us as his enemies because, by faith
in Christ, we have become his children; the siblings of Jesus (Hebrews 2:11) as well as his “friends” (John 15:15). God now deals with us “as sons” (Hebrews 12:7),
which means he loves us too much to leave us alone in our sin. Though
our “at peace” standing with God as our Judge is unchanging, our
peaceful fellowship with him as our Father is affected when we disobey.
This is because of his loyal love. He loves us too much to sit back and
do nothing when sin threatens to harm us. The clearest passage teaching
this is Hebrews 12:4-11.
In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to
the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the
exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly
the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the
Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he
receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating
you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated,
then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have
had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we
not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they
disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he
disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the
moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it
yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been
trained by it.
When God the Father chastens his children the goal is always
restorative—never punitive. To say it again, God does not punish His
children—He disciplines them. There is an enormous difference. Continue at Paul Tautges
As believers in Jesus Christ, we are justified before the Judge of Heaven.
We have received the imputed righteousness of Christ as a gift of God’s
grace. As a result, nothing can ever separate us from Him. However,
though our sin does not change the reality of our new found relationship
with God, it does impact our father/son or father/daughter relationship
with him. God no longer deals with us as his enemies because, by faith
in Christ, we have become his children; the siblings of Jesus (Hebrews 2:11) as well as his “friends” (John 15:15). God now deals with us “as sons” (Hebrews 12:7),
which means he loves us too much to leave us alone in our sin. Though
our “at peace” standing with God as our Judge is unchanging, our
peaceful fellowship with him as our Father is affected when we disobey.
This is because of his loyal love. He loves us too much to sit back and
do nothing when sin threatens to harm us. The clearest passage teaching
this is Hebrews 12:4-11.
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