Tough Love
May 24th 2011 15:51
I have been studying in the Old Testament and have heard some people say that they think it does not apply today. My God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Concentrating on just the grace and mercy of the New Testament one could forget the way He corrects even those who love Him; not to mention the justice, righteous anger, vengeance and wrath He is still capable of. Salvation didn't limit Him; it just gave us a scapegoat to avoid receiving the full penalty of the law. Faith is a down payment, put very loosely, until we can make our claim in person at the throne of God that Jesus paid for us in full.
The sacrifices God’s people made to cover their sins in the Old Testament were to show their faith in the fact that they needed to be saved and that God would save them thru the Christ. It was meant to be a penalty not the penalty. The difference is in making a payment or paying in full. The faith of that salvation and the offering of a literal 'scape goat' was a down payment meant to illustrate the full penalty of sin which is death. It did not stop God from administering correction and allowing severe consequences for sin. It still doesn't today, and even more so with Christ in our lives. We not only have the same knowledge of what is expected of our behavior, but we also know the Savior and have heard His words. When we break the law as believers we may not go to hell, but we are laughing in God's face if we ignore the fact that it angers, hurts and taunts Him. He is still a jealous God and He will still allow even harsh correction in our lives. It’s called tough love. He invented it. It is just as prevalent in the New Testament as it was in the Old, we just tend to gloss over it or skip it completely.
Although I love to preach and write, I know that the Word of God can stand on its own. It is very clear. There are so many verses on this topic that even taken out of context the intended meaning is pretty clear, but I challenge you today to read them for yourselves. See what the Lord desires of you. See what He says about discipline, which our society often calls ‘punishment’. There is a difference. Punishment is supposed to be in proportion to the sin committed while discipline is meant to teach before punishment must be meted out. Discipline is a learning tool whereby a person in authority metes out a consequence in proportion to your perceived abilities. Discipline can even be harsher than the actual penalty for the offense. Ejection of team member for his final foul does not mean that foul was any worse than those preceeding it, rather the penalty increased due to the number of infractions.On the other hand, if the authority in charge deems any action to be a flagrant violation,( meaning intentional disregard for the standards set in place), the penalty is much harsher regardless of whether or not there were prior infractions. In discipline it is also allowable to take ignorance into account. In fully just punishment, even ignorance is not an excuse. (Especially since I have copied many of the verses and put them right here.)
Hbr 12:5-8, 11 NIV- And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. ... No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Rom 1:20 NIV - For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse
Deu 5:9-10 NIV - You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Exd 20:5-6 NIV - You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Exd 34:6-7 NIV - And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."
Num 14: 14:18-19 NIV - 'The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.' In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now."
1Sa 15:22 NIV - But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. The LORD replied, "I have forgiven them, as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth, not one of the men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times-- not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.
Mat 5:13, 17-19, 48 NIV - "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. ... "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen; will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ... Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Jhn 14:23-24 NIV - Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
Jhn 15:10 NIV - If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love
Jhn 14:15 NIV - "If you love me, you will obey what I command.
Rom 15:18 NIV - I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done--
Jam 2:26 NIV - As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Jam 4:17 NIV - Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
Rom 6:23 NIV - For the wages (payment earned and deserved for the actions taken) of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The sacrifices God’s people made to cover their sins in the Old Testament were to show their faith in the fact that they needed to be saved and that God would save them thru the Christ. It was meant to be a penalty not the penalty. The difference is in making a payment or paying in full. The faith of that salvation and the offering of a literal 'scape goat' was a down payment meant to illustrate the full penalty of sin which is death. It did not stop God from administering correction and allowing severe consequences for sin. It still doesn't today, and even more so with Christ in our lives. We not only have the same knowledge of what is expected of our behavior, but we also know the Savior and have heard His words. When we break the law as believers we may not go to hell, but we are laughing in God's face if we ignore the fact that it angers, hurts and taunts Him. He is still a jealous God and He will still allow even harsh correction in our lives. It’s called tough love. He invented it. It is just as prevalent in the New Testament as it was in the Old, we just tend to gloss over it or skip it completely.
Although I love to preach and write, I know that the Word of God can stand on its own. It is very clear. There are so many verses on this topic that even taken out of context the intended meaning is pretty clear, but I challenge you today to read them for yourselves. See what the Lord desires of you. See what He says about discipline, which our society often calls ‘punishment’. There is a difference. Punishment is supposed to be in proportion to the sin committed while discipline is meant to teach before punishment must be meted out. Discipline is a learning tool whereby a person in authority metes out a consequence in proportion to your perceived abilities. Discipline can even be harsher than the actual penalty for the offense. Ejection of team member for his final foul does not mean that foul was any worse than those preceeding it, rather the penalty increased due to the number of infractions.On the other hand, if the authority in charge deems any action to be a flagrant violation,( meaning intentional disregard for the standards set in place), the penalty is much harsher regardless of whether or not there were prior infractions. In discipline it is also allowable to take ignorance into account. In fully just punishment, even ignorance is not an excuse. (Especially since I have copied many of the verses and put them right here.)
Hbr 12:5-8, 11 NIV- And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. ... No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Rom 1:20 NIV - For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse
Deu 5:9-10 NIV - You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Exd 20:5-6 NIV - You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Exd 34:6-7 NIV - And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."
Num 14: 14:18-19 NIV - 'The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.' In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now."
1Sa 15:22 NIV - But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. The LORD replied, "I have forgiven them, as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth, not one of the men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times-- not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.
Mat 5:13, 17-19, 48 NIV - "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. ... "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen; will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ... Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Jhn 14:23-24 NIV - Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
Jhn 15:10 NIV - If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love
Jhn 14:15 NIV - "If you love me, you will obey what I command.
Rom 15:18 NIV - I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done--
Jam 2:26 NIV - As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Jam 4:17 NIV - Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
Rom 6:23 NIV - For the wages (payment earned and deserved for the actions taken) of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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