Sons of God, Disciplined to Partake

" 8But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9Furthermore 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? " (Hebrews 12: 8-9)

If we do not receive correction in our lives, then we are not sons, but bastards, which specifically means that we do not have fathers.

Yet that is not the case for us:

"17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (Jojn 20: 17)

and then

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Romans 8: 15)

and also

"And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." (Galatians 4: 6)

Why would we not want our loving Father to see us grow and change for the better?

What exactly was the source of the disciple for the Hebrews? The writer shares:

"

1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." (Hebrews 12: 1-3)

 

Many of the early Hebrew Christians were thinking about going back to Judaism, or still sacrificing animals, because they did not like the rejection and persecution they faced. As fallen men, we are also prone to doing more, rather than believing more.

 

But we are called to believe, to walk by faith, and to have no confidence in our flesh.

 

Still, we should not worry about growing in grace, nor fear the reproach of men:

 

"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (2 Peter 1: 4)