A Contentious Faith?

When God disciplines a person or group of people it is with the purpose of bringing them back into relationship with Him.  The discipline may seem severe but that is only because it is in response to the severity of their wrong actions and attitudes.  God is not capricious, acting with no particular purpose.  His motives are always to glorify His name and restore people to him.  So when it appears that what is happening around us is discipline from God we need to understand His purpose, our role, and how He may bring us through this tough time.  My contention is that we are either now in or about to enter significant and prolonged discipline because of the actions and beliefs of our nation.  Like the nation Israel before us we can submit to this or fight it.  If the nation as a whole does not submit it is still possible for individuals to be saved.  Israel is our example as discussed in the books of Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

The following pages provide first a summary of different aspects of this issue and then details from different perspectives.  Please keep in mind the context, are we talking about God disciplining a nation or group and how He delivers individuals or are we talking about Him disciplining an individual and His methods here.  These two cases are different and the Father's actions and purposes in both may be very different.  My God be the one who speaks to you and not me, remember the Bereans of Acts 17:11, receive teaching with a ready mind but check everything against what God has revealed in the Bible.

So, what does it mean for a nation to undergo discipline?  Can we as individual believers have hope for the outcome for us or our nation?  Is this the same as an individual being disciplined by their heavenly Father?  In either case we are not talking about how God deals with non-believing individuals.

This is the first question we need to ask ourselves when hard times are upon us.  Look up 1 Peter 4:12-16 and then follow along here.

Victory over adversity or opposition is reserved for those who are in fellowship with God, seeking His will and ways and desiring to be more Christ like.  This does not mean a person is perfect, nor anything close but it does reflect a heart that relies upon God and not its own strength.  Victory in this battle is not the same as being delivered through discipline taking place around you.  Please consider this ...

When the Father’s Holiness and Justice are no longer tempered by His Patience, and His discipline falls upon a nation, is there any hope for the individual?  Barring the rare national repentance exhibited by Nineveh at Jonahs reluctant preaching there is hope for the individual, but in a way we likely won't expect nor would necessarily be glad to have.

A church is departing from the faith and our loving Father disciplines them, not to punish but to get them to see their error and return to fellowship with Him.  In doing so the church is restored, individuals regain their freedom in Christ and the Father is glorified.  What does the Bible say about the individuals role and their hope, even if the ideal outcome is not realized and the church continues in disobedience?

Life is crashing in around you, God seems distant, wisdom cannot be found and comfort left without a word. Has a person departed from Biblical Doctrine and our loving Father is disciplining them so that they will confess their sin and return to fellowship with Him or are our circumstances the result of our poor decisions, natural and right consequences, or perhaps these are trials which are designed to test our faith and increase our reliance upon Him? What does God teach us in His Holy Word?

Posted November 27, 2011