With – or Without?

Hebrews 12:3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. 5 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; 6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives." 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 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? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Here we see Paul expounding upon what Jesus had to say to His disciples in John 15. When Jesus tells His disciples, “He is the true vine, and they are the branches,” He is speaking of the discipline and the devotion necessary to continue in relationship with Jesus Christ, in the manner He had also put forth in John 14:20, “At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”

There is, of course, more to this than meets the eye – and because of the invisible nature of relationship with God in the Spirit, Jesus provides the necessity of continuing to abide, and Paul provides the assurance of the discipline you will surely receive from your loving Father, but ONLY as you continue to ABIDE.

John 15:2” Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” Jesus had said in John 15:1 that “My Father is the vinedresser.” He is The Caretaker.

So here comes one of those challenging questions: “Are you with - or without?” “With or without what?” Discipline. Chastening. Rebuke. Redirection. Pruning. Cleansing. All of which comes when you have not resisted sin unto bloodshed. All of which comes when your fruitfulness is either minimized by your actions, or at an end by your laziness. Hebrews 12:7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

Are you with – or without?

- Pastor Bill