5/9/2025

A few days ago, I posted a YouTube video in which I discussed the concept of love in chastening. In this video, I discussed how God’s love often involves chastening, correction, and challenging emotions. It’s not easy being chastened and corrected, especially when it involves teachings that conflict with existing beliefs. Such teachings seldom elicit happy feelings.

In Proverbs we read:

11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

(Old Testament | Proverbs 3:11 – 14)

Here we are told that we should not despise chastening or correction. And yet, that is what most people do, especially when they are confronted with greater light and truth that conflicts with their existing beliefs.

Furthermore, we are taught that greater happiness is found through wisdom and understanding, or greater light and truth than we previously had.

Our happiness depends on our humility and meekness in embracing greater light and truth in the form of chastening and correction.

In Hebrews we read:

5 …My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

(New Testament | Hebrews 12:5 – 14)

The Lord places others in our lives with understanding and holiness that we lack. This is a vital manifestation of the love of God. We need to be meek and humble by giving honest consideration to what others tell us, even when their words don’t feel good.

All things testify of Christ, either of his truth and goodness, or of his strong reasoning against sin, false doctrine, and temptation. If someone has teachings that conflict with ours that we reject, then we had better be able to provide clear and honest reasoning as to why we disagree. If we reject the teachings of messengers based on cognitive dissonance alone, then we will find ourselves under grave condemnation every time, even if we are right. That is what he requires.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance… (New Testament | Galatians 5:22-23)

If love is a fruit of the Spirit, then we can expect grave chastening and correction until we have fully repented by becoming even as Christ is. Joy and peace come to those who are humble, meek, obedient, and faithful, having repented of their sins. Do not make the mistake of expecting joy and peace while still suffering from a guilty conscience.

The fruits of the Spirit, as they are often understood, are not the experience of those who are being chastened and corrected, but rather, the blessings of the faithful who have meekly submitted, repented, and been reconciled to God.

So many of us waste this time of probation by trying to convince ourselves and others of how good we are. This is a huge mistake. Most people seem to have no idea how incredibly wicked they are. This is especially true of the religiously proud. We would be far better off acknowledging before all the hosts of earth and heaven our own sins and wickedness, then tirelessly working to embrace all the correction we can get as we seek to fully repent and become true disciples of Christ.

One of Satan’s greatest deceptions is to convince the religious that they are somehow saved, even while they continue to sin. One of the great clues that this is happening is that they will refuse chastening and correction.

Jesus Christ commands us to believe in him, have faith in him, repent, be baptized in his name, receive all of his teachings (which are the gifts of the Holy Ghost), and be his faithful disciples.

Here is wisdom.