God's Plan with Men

Heaven ... forgive us

is faithful and just to forg

re chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastening, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us

eaven. If his children forsake my law and walk not in my judgements; if they break my statutes and keep not my commandments, then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless, my loving-k

. 6:14), and adopted as God's sons (Gal. 4:4-7), let the reader keep in mind that it is not concerning the sins of unredeemed men, whether professing Christians or not. God's plan

nder the law are adopted as God's children,-"God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."-Gal. 4:4, 5. God thenceforth deals with them as father with children, and not as judge with transgressors of law. Earthly children commit two kinds of sins against their earthly fathers; they sin u

thou shalt be saved."-Acts 16:31. John taught the believers (1 John 5:13), those who were redeemed from the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13), and were God's children (1 John 3:1, 2), "If we confess our sins he is faithful and just

:22. "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."-Matt. 5:18. John is writing to believers only (1 John 5:13), to those who are God's children (1 John 3:1, 2), and to them he says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins."-1 John 1:9. Men unredeemed, under the law, can never get rid

he thought that they are forgiven. If they are forgiven, why was there any need of Christ dying for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3)? But the real child of God can pray, "Our Father, ... forgive us our sins," and he is really forgiven. Why the difference? With the unredeemed, those yet under the law (Rom. 3:19), God is dealing as judge with v

chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him; for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastening, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastar

, those under the law (Rom. 3:19), are punished beyond this life, in the Day of Judgment,-"verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city."-Matt. 10:15; God's children receive their chastisements in this life,-"If ye endure chastening, God de

ke other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness, they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression; they speak loftily. They set their mouths against the heavens and their tongue walketh through the earth. Therefore, his people return hither, and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High? Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I say, I will speak thu

e sword and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house."-2 Sam. 12:9, 10. "And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die."-2 Sam. 12:13. God has but one way of putting away sin. "Apart from shedding of blood is no remission."-Heb. 9:22. "For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul."-Lev. 17:11. But God does not stop there. "Howbeit because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die."-1 Sam. 12:14. (Let the reader notice that God, foreseeing that people would ridicule the idea of God saving David, calls it blasphemy and calls those who do it "the enemies of the Lord.") David fasted and prayed for the child. On the seventh day the child died, "But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that

d he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chastise him with the rod of men, and with t

to the rock, struck it in anger. For this wilful sin, as a chastisement, God said to Moses, "Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto Mt. Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession: and die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as

is sure to fall. "If his children forsake my law ... then will I visit their transgressions with the rod and their iniquity with stripes."-Ps. 89:30-32.

not sons."-Heb. 12:8. He does not chasten this class; in Hell they will receive their punishment, but it will be just. God will treat no human being wrong. With some it may seem severe that God should chasten and scourge His children. That is not as severe as to send them to He

the law (Rom. 6:14), and would violate God's own principle, "Sin is not reckoned [imputed] when there is no law" (Rom. 5:13). (3) That would mean a child of God, redeemed and adopted (Gal. 4:4-7), and born again (1 Peter 1:23), born of the Holy Spirit (John 3:8), sent to Hell. (4) That would mean to make the Saviour unreliable and untruthful in His statements. "Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we no

of the law (Gal. 3:13), and adopted as God's children (Gal. 4:4-7), would be to let them continue to sin wilfully, and neither punish them beyond this lif

is life. That is God's plan with the redeemed, His own children; and however severe the chastening, He does it in love. In love He planned to adopt us as His children. "Having in love predestinated u

law (Gal. 3:13), be adopted as a child of God forever (Gal. 4:4-7), to be forgiven when you sin against your Father in Heaven and confess your sin (1 John 1:9); to be chastened when you sin wilfully (Ps. 89:27-34), and to spend eternity in Heaven with Him who lo

law of gravitation causes objects to fall toward the earth, He has no right and no power to make Elijah's body go up instead of down (2 Kings 2:11)? Does "the modern mind" absolutely know that God is now inactive and must remain inactive? "Dr. Mason Goode observes that worlds and systems of worlds are perpetually disappearing, that within the period of the last century no less than thirteen in different constellations seem to have perished and ten new ones have been created."-"Origin of the Globe." If God is active out in space, who shall deny Him the right or the power to be active on this planet? And if active on this planet at all, then in the individual lives of His children? And in His word, b

is child, but to have the disturbed fellowship restored. The unforgiven child is still a child, but will be chastened. It is fellowship of the Heavenly Father with the child that is restored by forgiveness, and is sought in forgiveness, and not a destroyed relationship. On this point hear James Denny in

rows and sufferings of God's children. But there is another purpose accomplished by some sufferings, in "that the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."-1 Peter 1:7. "And he shall sit as a purifier and refiner of silver."-Matt. 3:3. The silver is not to blame for the dross; nevertheless, it needs to be burned out. A child stole a piece of bread; the father chastised the child for it.