God Chastening. RCCG Sunday School Manual.

Memory Verse: if ye endure Chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not “. – Heb. 12:7. 

Bible Passage: Heb. 12:5-12 

Introduction 

To chasten is to correct or discipline someone, often with the use of some pretty sharp punishment for the purpose of moral improvement (Prov. 19:18; 23:13). We need to consider God’s Chastening and what He (God) as our Father expects from us in response to the chastisement we receive from Him (Deut 8:5). Note that chastisement is not meant for destruction. A parent chastises the child he it she loves (Prov. 3:12: 13:24). 

Lesson Outlines 

1. Purpose of Divine Chastening

2 Biblical examples 

Purpose Of Divine Chastening 

God Chastening is an expression of His love which He uses to check us and to ensure that as His children , we are living Right with Him. Though painful, it eventually yields the fruit of righteousness (Heb. 12:11). It is a test of true love: a corrective measure and not a punitive one (2 Samuel 7:14-15; Psalms 118:18). It is also to help us to grow and bring about revival in the church (Heb. 12:10). Divine Chastening brings about restoration in order for us to continually have fellowship with God and ultimately reign with him (Is. 26:16) .It is to prepare us as vessels unto honour for God’s use (2 Tim. 3:16-17).  We must not despise God’s Chastening as dear children lest we be condemned with the world.(Prov. 3:11; 1 Cor. 11:32). 

Biblical Examples

We need to consider some characters in the Bible that endured God’s Chastening and became better for it. They include:

1. David : God chastened him for committing adultery for Bathsheba and killing Uriah her husband. (2 Samuel 11:4; 16-17; 12:19-20,18-20). 

Nebuchadnezzar – God dealth with him for ascribing the glory due God to himself. He was later restored after acknowledging God as the Almighty (Daniel 4: 29-36). 

3. Moses- Moses was chastised for not fully believing God with regards to his calling and failing to observe the token of God’s covenant with Abraham ( Ex. 4:14; 24-28; Gen. 17:11). 

4. Paul- God chastised Saul for persecuting the church , bit he was restored as a chosen vessel ( Acts 9:1-16). 

5. Jonah – For attempting to run from his responsibility towards the salvation of the city of Nineveh, God made a fish to swallow him for three days and he repented (Jonah 1:1-4; 17;2:10;3:1-2). 

CONCLUSION

If we fail to yield to God’s Chastening , the consequences can be grievous. Let us learn from the examples of Eli (1 Sam. 2:30; 3:12-13;4:17) and King Saul (1 Sam. 15:26;16:1). 

QUESTIONS

1. Why did God chastise his children ? 

2. Mention five biblical Examples of people chastised by God. 

Action Point
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