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Encounter Messages  /  Once Saved, Always Saved? What the Early Christians Never Said  /  Discussion Questions
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Question 2
Hebrews 12 says the Lord chastens those He loves, and Jesus says the Father prunes the branches that bear fruit. What do these pictures reveal about God's heart toward His children when discipline is painful?
Another way to ask: God corrects those He loves and prunes branches that bear fruit. What do these pictures tell us about how God feels toward His children when correction hurts?

Direct Answer

Discipline shows God's love and acceptance. He deals with His children as sons and trains them toward more fruit and righteousness.

Support from the Message

- Daniel says discipline is no sign of rejection. It is proof that God accepts us as children and is training us. - Hebrews 12 says the Lord chastens those He loves, and it calls those without chastening illegitimate and not sons. - Chastening feels painful for the present, yet afterward it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness in those trained by it. - In the vine picture, the Father prunes the branches that bear fruit so that they bear more fruit. - Running the race means expecting to be pruned as branches and chastened as sons.

Discussion Follow-up

The transcript does not spell out what chastening looks like in each life. Where have you seen painful correction produce fruit that you can now be thankful for?

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