0845. The Child-Training of Christ's Love

The Child-Training of Christ's Love

"For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth" (Heb_12:6).

The word translated "chastening" carries with it much more than "stripes" and "rebukes" and "punishments." The word has, as its basic thought, "child training."

How the passage glows with a new light–"Whom the Lord loveth, He child-traineth."

1. God in child-training does not spare the rod. But every stroke of the rod is a mark of His love.

Heb_12:9-10 : "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? 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."

The earthly parent manifests his love by his use of the rod; because he is leading his children, by its use, out of their faults and into a higher and truer walk.

Few of us think of "chastening" as a mark of Christ's love; but, when we remember that "afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness, unto them that are exercised thereby," we begin to praise God for the faithfulness of His corrections.

2. God in child-training reveals to us how He is interested in our development and growth in grace and in the knowledge of Him. No parent ever marked the development of a child with more interest than our God marks ours. He has given us the "sincere milk of the Word that we may grow thereby." He has ofttimes led us through fiery trials that we might be purified thereby. He even counsels those He loves to buy of Him the gold tried in fire, that they may be rich.

Christ said to Peter, "Thou art Simon the son of Jonas; thou shalt be called Cephas, which by interpretation is A stone."

Thus, when Christ first called Peter, He undertook for Peter. He seemed to say–"I know all about you, Peter, I know your courage, your unbounding zeal; I also know your weaknesses; I know just how you will fail Me, deny Me and curse and swear; nevertheless, Peter, I take you and the responsibility of your child-training–"thou art * * thou shalt be."

It is always thus. The love that led and guided Peter; the love that allowed satan to sift Peter; the love that made Peter the stalwart son, and defender of the faith; is the same love that watches over and child-trains us.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR