Marsha's Musings: Peaceable Fruit of Righteousness (Hebrews 12:7-11 NKJV)

If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 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? 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. 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. (Hebrews 12:7-11 NKJV)

Who likes to recieve discipline?  Raise your hand!  Hmmm. I don't see any hands in the air! Scripture validates those feelings. "...no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful....".  However, I see several things here:

1.  God's chastening gives me assurance of salvation. If I am not chastened or disciplined by God, then I am not His child. Therefore, because He chastens me I know I'm His child.

2. If we paid respect to our earthly fathers in response to their discipline, shouldn't we pay even more respect to God when He disciplines us? Yet we cry out against Him, shake our fists and demand, "Why?!"

3. He chastens us to move us towards holiness. The trials reveal what is in our hearts so that we can work on mortifying sin.

4. It's reward is the peaceable fruit of righteousness. The fruit of righteousness is peaceable.  Outward righteousness that doesn't come from the heart but rather obedience to legalistic standards is not peaceable. It is finger pointing, proud, and causes discouragement in others. The fruit of true righteousness is peace.