- Jun 7, 2018
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This thought came to me this morning: What if God's punishment is just an expression of His Grace? Then I thought, hmm is it Grace or Love? Though can Grace go without Love?
Anyway here is a practical illustration:
If we were to compare a Parent-child relationship with a God-human beings relationship. God is the parent and we are the rebellious teenager.
If the rebellious teenager would do something bad (can be anything), then the parents would normally exercise discipline and may inflict a punishment for the teenager's action. Now, the teenager might view it as unfair, annoying or even evil. But in reality, the parent (usually) would inflict punishment (consequence of the teenager's action) for several reasons: Could be to teach a lesson, could be to demand the respect due, or to protect the teenager from worse consequences. It could also be a matter of life and death for the teenager or someone else. Now, we wouldn't see the parents as evil (again I'm talking about a punishment that fit the 'crime' not an extreme or unfair punishment), we would see it and the parent certainly sees it that way, as an act of love and care of the teenager or others involved.
I have heard a lot of people say that oh if God was a loving God He wouldn't allow this or that or even punish anyone but what if all He is doing is exercise Grace and Love through His perfect punishment (He is Perfection, Love and Grace incarnate anyway)? What if all He is doing is what the parents above are doing? And He does exercise it on a grander scale so the punishment can be an act of Grace and Love for either the one that is being punished or the one that is being saved from the further actions of that teenager.
Now, I do hope I am not confusing Discipline and punishment, or are the two inseparable?
I would welcome comments and scriptures about that I haven't researched anything on that yet but thought I'd write this down here and discuss
Anyway here is a practical illustration:
If we were to compare a Parent-child relationship with a God-human beings relationship. God is the parent and we are the rebellious teenager.
If the rebellious teenager would do something bad (can be anything), then the parents would normally exercise discipline and may inflict a punishment for the teenager's action. Now, the teenager might view it as unfair, annoying or even evil. But in reality, the parent (usually) would inflict punishment (consequence of the teenager's action) for several reasons: Could be to teach a lesson, could be to demand the respect due, or to protect the teenager from worse consequences. It could also be a matter of life and death for the teenager or someone else. Now, we wouldn't see the parents as evil (again I'm talking about a punishment that fit the 'crime' not an extreme or unfair punishment), we would see it and the parent certainly sees it that way, as an act of love and care of the teenager or others involved.
I have heard a lot of people say that oh if God was a loving God He wouldn't allow this or that or even punish anyone but what if all He is doing is exercise Grace and Love through His perfect punishment (He is Perfection, Love and Grace incarnate anyway)? What if all He is doing is what the parents above are doing? And He does exercise it on a grander scale so the punishment can be an act of Grace and Love for either the one that is being punished or the one that is being saved from the further actions of that teenager.
Now, I do hope I am not confusing Discipline and punishment, or are the two inseparable?
I would welcome comments and scriptures about that I haven't researched anything on that yet but thought I'd write this down here and discuss