How are we punished for our sins?

Beautyinsteadofashes · Jul 13, 2017

I don't know if I'm posting this in the right section. If I'm not I don't mean to be breaking any rules I just don't know where to put it.
A friend told me recently that she feels like the endometriosis she suffers from is her punishment from God for her sins, specifically he wants to do with lust and promiscuity. She has had surgery to remove the endometriosis, but still feels the pain. The only thing left to do is for her to have a hysterectomy. She and her boyfriend both really wanted to have children after they are married. She is worried she won't be able to and believes this is her punishment for a promiscuous past.
I know it is mentioned in the Bible that God does punish disobedience. And isn't sin disobedience? Therefore we do get punished during this Earthly life time for our sins? How does God punish us for our sins? Anywho comment please provide scripture to support your answer. Also please pray for my friend. She has such a big heart and would be a wonderful mommy. I wish I knew what to tell her. I have wondered myself if some of the bad things that have happened to me wer punishment for bad things I had done. I know we don't always deserve every good thing that happens to us. So it makes sense that not every bad thing would be a punishment.
If anyone knows any Scripture on this it would be a big help.
Thanks all.
Be blessed and whenever possible be a blessing.

Humble me Lord · Jul 13, 2017

I believe we do receive discipline from God in our lives, but many don't realize it. He wants us to live Holy lives and He does it out of love for us.
Proverbs 3:11-12 , Hebrews 12:5-11 ,
The Lords discipline is good for us, that He will be glorified.
So not so much a punishment, but more for correction. I know I have received my share of correction and deserved every bit of it, but it has drawn me closer to Him. James 1:2-4 ,
Praying for your friend and that God also shows her his great mercy, for when we obey his laws and commands, and submit fully to Him, He can and will do miraculous things in our lives.
God bless you and your friend

Daniel9v9 · Jul 13, 2017

Good question! I think many in our day believes that God does not punish in our age, but that's not what Scripture say. He always exercises His righteousness; even now, through government and nature. God punish, test and sanctifies us through many different means. That's not to say that ALL sickness is God punishing us for evil, but at the same time we should understand that it may be.

I think John 9:1-3 gives us some insight into this. Notice a couple of key points:
- It illustrates that it is possible for sin to be punished by illness, for Jesus does not reject the idea. There are many examples of this in Scripture, such as Nebuchadnezzar suffering mental illness, or Zechariah loosing his ability to speak.

- It illustrates that God can punish sins of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Him. Exodus 20:5-6

- It illustrates how the man could be punished for sins even from birth. Psalm 51:5

- However, in this situation, Jesus' response explains that this particular illness happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. And if we read the full context, they really do, and the story is rich in meaning and in declaring God's grace. (Scripture also illustrates this through examples such as Job)

In short, yes, it's possible that God can punish our sins in our lives now in order for us to repent, or to test us, or to keep us in line - from becoming proud. It's believed that Paul suffered from glaucoma in order that he shouldn't become conceited; that is, God allowed Paul to suffer a thorn in his side in order that he may always remember the Lord and be a servant. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

We can plead with the Lord to take the illness away, like Paul did three times, but sometimes we just have to say: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

bling · Jul 14, 2017

Beautyinsteadofashes said:
I don't know if I'm posting this in the right section. If I'm not I don't mean to be breaking any rules I just don't know where to put it.
A friend told me recently that she feels like the endometriosis she suffers from is her punishment from God for her sins, specifically he wants to do with lust and promiscuity. She has had surgery to remove the endometriosis, but still feels the pain. The only thing left to do is for her to have a hysterectomy. She and her boyfriend both really wanted to have children after they are married. She is worried she won't be able to and believes this is her punishment for a promiscuous past.
I know it is mentioned in the Bible that God does punish disobedience. And isn't sin disobedience? Therefore we do get punished during this Earthly life time for our sins? How does God punish us for our sins? Anywho comment please provide scripture to support your answer. Also please pray for my friend. She has such a big heart and would be a wonderful mommy. I wish I knew what to tell her. I have wondered myself if some of the bad things that have happened to me wer punishment for bad things I had done. I know we don't always deserve every good thing that happens to us. So it makes sense that not every bad thing would be a punishment.
If anyone knows any Scripture on this it would be a big help.
Thanks all.
Be blessed and whenever possible be a blessing.

Heavy question you ask.

First off: The word for punishment in scripture is the same word translated disciplining. I see very few times the Greek word should be translated punishment and most of the time it should be translated disciplining.

Gal. 6: 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Gal. 6:7 is often misused and abused, because Paul does not stop there but goes on to say: 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Paul says in Gal. 6:9 “we can give up sowing after the Spirit and loss the harvest”, but that also conveys the idea “we can give up sowing after the flesh and loss that harvest”. This is what I have seen in my life. I have not and do not plain on harvesting corruption (really hell).

If an unrepentant sinner sins and receives “bad” consequences those “bad” consequences are disciplining from God to bring them back to Him (this can be like the prodigal son ending up in the pigsty Luke 15). BUT once the Christian sinner repents they are forgiven and what happens to them afterwards is not the consequences of their sins, but opportunities. In other words: Where you are today and what you are going through is not the result of past sins, but opportunities for you to do good. Why does the Christian prisoner remain in prison after he has repented: it is for the good he can do there?

Beautyinsteadofashes · Jul 14, 2017

So the short answer is her endometriosis is not a punishment but discipline?
The question then becomes a lot more personal, why would my friend need to be disciplined for these particular sins? Surely many people have promiscuous or lustful pasts who do not get into mitosis or other illnesses that prevent them from having children. If this is her discipline, there must be some leson God wants her to learn from this or he wants to draw her closer to him using this. He may just be testing her faith.

Angel Wings 1288 · Jul 14, 2017

God doesn't punish people for sinning. It is instead the sinner who punishes himself with his transgressions. For example, if a person commits the sin of gluttony by constantly overeating everyday, particularly to excess, he or she will get obese and likely get a stroke or develop heart disease. God played no role in the glutton's severe health problems, meaning it wasn't God pointing his finger and making him or her die from a stroke or heart disease (that is, God didn't cause the "punishment"); it was the sin that caused those conditions.

Here's another example. Let's say a person continually commits the sin of sexual immorality and acquires an STD. It wasn't God who caused the promiscuous person to get a disease; it was the sin that did it.

We are ultimately responsible for our own conduct. Whether we choose righteousness or sin is up to us. And by no means will God cause willful harm to us for our sins—we do it to ourselves.

bling · Jul 14, 2017

Beautyinsteadofashes said:
So the short answer is her endometriosis is not a punishment but discipline?
The question then becomes a lot more personal, why would my friend need to be disciplined for these particular sins? Surely many people have promiscuous or lustful pasts who do not get into mitosis or other illnesses that prevent them from having children. If this is her discipline, there must be some leson God wants her to learn from this or he wants to draw her closer to him using this. He may just be testing her faith.

Most people do not accept God's Loving discipline positively, so hopefully she will. The "problem" is not with our physical health but with our Spiritual health and that is what concerns God first. Jesus forgave and than healed the person.

Beautyinsteadofashes · Jul 14, 2017

Angel Wings 1288 said:
God doesn't punish people for sinning. It is instead the sinner who punishes himself with his transgressions. For example, if a person commits the sin of gluttony by constantly overeating everyday, particularly to excess, he or she will get obese and likely get a stroke or develop heart disease. God played no role in the glutton's severe health problems, meaning it wasn't God pointing his finger and making him or her die from a stroke or heart disease (that is, God didn't cause the "punishment"); it was the sin that caused those conditions.

Here's another example. Let's say a person continually commits the sin of sexual immorality and acquires an STD. It wasn't God who caused the promiscuous person to get a disease; it was the sin that did it.

We are ultimately responsible for our own conduct. Whether we choose righteousness or sin is up to us. And by no means will God cause willful harm to us for our sins—we do it to ourselves.

Endometriosis is not an STD. It is when the lining of your... Cervix grows on the outside instead of the inside

Angel Wings 1288 · Jul 14, 2017

Beautyinsteadofashes said:
Endometriosis is not an STD. It is when the lining of your... Cervix grows on the outside instead of the inside

A red herring is not a fish. It's when the logic of your... head switches away the subject onto another.

Your response to me was disrespectful. I answered your question cogently and did a good job explaining my thesis, but you replied with a rude comment for no apparent reason.

If you didn't like my post for whatever reason, you didn't have to reply to it in the first place. There's no need to make condescending remarks which have no merit.

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How are we punished for our sins?

Beautyinsteadofashes

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Humble me Lord

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Daniel9v9

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bling

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Beautyinsteadofashes

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Angel Wings 1288

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bling

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Beautyinsteadofashes

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Angel Wings 1288

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