Based on Proverbs 29:1 (New King James Version)
“He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”
Many have contemplated the issue of whether or not God punishes. And with that, many have developed their own opinions regarding this. But, in order to answer this issue even more clearly, we need to make a more precise question, and that is: Why does hardship happen? And as an answer to this question, we need to go to the Bible to be able to see God’s point of view, which is the only one that really matters because our opinions vary and they really don’t have any impact on the present, and even less, in the world that is to come. We need to guide ourselves by something stable and lasting, not by something unstable and temporal; that today is here but is gone tomorrow. And since we are referring to God, and if we believe in God as the Almighty Judge of the universe, then we need to assume that He is behind everything, both what is good, as well as He allows for bad things to happen, the things that we see as difficult. If we read the Scriptures, it shows in every place that He is the One that allows everything.
Now then, if God is behind everything, and He is Righteous, then we need to try to understand the “why”, for our own good. Because if we also understand who the God of the Bible is, then we understand that He is the wisest and Supreme Being of the universe. There is an answer for everything when it has to do with a being like God. So, the answer has two parts, because in general, the issue deals with two types of people: the people that have yet to know the Lord personally, and the people that belong to the Lord, because both of them experience difficulty, and for reasons related to sin, in one way or another.
The first type has to do with the unconverted. The Lord allows for difficult things to happen in the unbeliever’s life because unfortunately, that’s the only recourse that is left for the person to see that they need God, since the obvious is not working, like the magnificence of creation, the universe, the stars, the planets, and even their own person, for it is written: “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.” Psalm 139:13-15. And also, as it is written: “I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.” Hosea 5:15. Almost no one surrenders to the Lord the easy way, not even because of His sacrifice. Almost all of us have come to Him because of some sort of difficulty or pain. And so, difficulty has a good purpose for the unbeliever, and it is related to their salvation. And if they surrender before it’s too late, they will find eternal salvation through Christ Jesus. The Lord wants for all of us to be saved.
The second type of person has to do with the person that has accepted the Lord, or at least, the person that thinks that they have done so. And this is the most controversial because many believers do not want to accept the truth, that God does discipline, punish, and even judges, which is what determines both a person’s temporary and eternal state. Let’s see first what God taught in the law of Moses (which is in the Bible) about what needed to happen with children that were rebellious, as it is written: “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and who, when they have chastened him, will not heed them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city, to the gate of his city. And they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones; so you shall put away the evil from among you, and all Israel shall hear and fear.” Deuteronomy 21:18-21. So then, if God’s grace would not have come through Jesus Christ, there would be many dead children today, because there is too much disorder.
Now then, if we are believers, and we have accepted the Lord in our lives, we have been made children of God, and He treats us as such. And this is what the Word teaches: “For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.” 1 Corinthians 11:31-32. And it also teaches us this: “And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.’ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?” Hebrews 12:5-9. Therefore, if God treats us like children, He will then allow for many things to happen, whether they are associated with the consequences of our own actions, or in a different manner, but something will happen, but with the end to correct and establish again a person on the right path. God desires our good here and in eternity.
And we need to elaborate even further, “why is it necessary that a believer be corrected when on the wrong path?” And the answer is: “Because if they insist on practicing sin, nothing good awaits them, and they can suffer even far worse consequences in eternity.” As it is written: “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who ‘will render to each one according to his deeds’: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.” Romans 2:5-11. And it is also written: “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21. And so, if a child of God persists in living a sinful lifestyle, and they harden their neck, they will not inherit the kingdom of God.
In summary, the Lord makes this calling to both the unbeliever and the believer: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19. So, do not harden yourself because sooner or later, you will be broke—irreparably. Does it not make better sense to change, before it is too late? Lord bless! John