Honestly, no there isn't. Remember that God so loves the world. "Whom he loves he also chastises" (Proverbs 3:12; Hebrews 12:6). So what is the chastisement he brings upon us to discipline us? Answer: Tribulation (which can include suffering inflicted by other people or being given over to our sin or being given over to the "beasts of the field" (i.e. satan's authority).
2 Samuel 7:14
I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands.
Hosea 6:1
"Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.
BUT...and this is the important part that show his love in complete view...God ALWAYS and CONTINUOUSLY encourages us to turn from our wicked ways; to repent and to turn back to him to avoid any worse disciplining. God's discipline starts off as a mild warning but as we continue to be disobedient he increases the severity, always sending word to us to stop what we're doing before something worse happens. God has operated this same exact way all throughout the pages of scripture. And I can attest to God operating this way in my life.
Because it's true. Perfect love casts out all fear. When we possess perfect love FOR God and FOR others we have absolutely NOTHING to fear from any judgment because we're not found to be disobedient or unfaithful to God. God's judgment isn't even a reality for someone who loves perfectly.
Yes I agree. Our love has to be perfect. This isn't talking about God's perfect love FOR us because that already was/is given to us in the form of his Son.
I think what's confusing, or maybe even hard to accept, for us is that God possess both (what I'll call) the "male" energy AND "female" energy. "Let us make man in our image...Male and female made he, them." The female is made in the image of God through her nurturing, submissive nature. But the male is also made in the image of God through his disciplining, dominant nature.
Unfortunately today, while the female energy is more easily accepted, the male energy is not as understood or valued as much anymore in today's world. I'd cautiously say it's under attack; seen as toxic and dangerous and essentially problematic and unnecessary. And I think we bring that outlook into the realm of God and tend to reject all that God has done prior to the gift of Christ. But is anything that God has established in the OT any different from what a father & husband would do in and for his house?
- He establishes the rules of his household...
- He sets and executes punishment to show he is VERY serious about obedience to his rules...
- He demands respect from his children and anyone who'd choose to enter into his household...
- He defends his household from any enemy seeking to hurt his family or those he protects within his walls, without hesitation.
This is what the male energy testifies to about God and yes it is scary, so it's easy to reject or dismiss it as done away because "if a mere man is this scary, how much scarier is the ALMIGHTY?" The thought is utterly frightening.
---
Meanwhile, the gift of Christ and his Holy Spirit shows God's nurturing side; "Submissive" even unto death, showing the female energy in purest form.
- Forgive
- Turn the other cheek
- Love your enemies
- Your sins are forgiven...Forgive others
- Mercy
- Grace
- I will send you another comforter.
- "Jerusalem would I not gather you as a mother hen gathers her chicks..."
...All of these things exemplify exactly what a wife and mother would teach or express to her children in her house. And truly, it's exactly what babies in Christ need (as you've been articulating on several threads). They need the nurturing, encouraging spirit of God to show that they're accepted and loved. But in order to properly grow into maturity from babes to adults "able to discern good from evil" (Hebrews 5:14) the disciplining, strict spirit of God is needed. Children still need to be told that "you will get in trouble if you don't heed and obey." They still need to know that there are consequences for their actions.
So we have one side fighting against lawlessness, while the other side fighting against legalism. Both are the male and female energies at work (respectively), but against each other...no different than any infighting between parents in today's households of who is "right". But on the spirit level I'm not talking about gender but energy, which is why we can have both men and women on either side arguing against the other's position.
- The female energy looks to care for children as they are now.
- The male energy looks to rear children into how they're meant.
- But together, both paint the full image and likeness of God.
Roman 1:20
"For the invisible qualities of God are clearly seen being understood by those things that are made so that man is without excuse."
---
Currently, you'll find me on the side fighting against lawlessness because that's what I feel God's calling me to do at this time because I see the majority of God's children not growing to discern good from evil. That's not to say this is the full picture or all that's going on, but it's what God has led me to see as a member of this body; my job may be particularly to remind folks of daddy's rules to keep his children in check OR to ignite babes who are ready for the next level in maturity. That's not to say other members of the body don't have equally important nurturing jobs, like talking about God's mercy and forgiveness. But like I've often expressed this is a journey towards the promised kingdom. If we're standing still we're not getting anywhere.
2 Samuel 7:14
I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands.
Hosea 6:1
"Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.
BUT...and this is the important part that show his love in complete view...God ALWAYS and CONTINUOUSLY encourages us to turn from our wicked ways; to repent and to turn back to him to avoid any worse disciplining. God's discipline starts off as a mild warning but as we continue to be disobedient he increases the severity, always sending word to us to stop what we're doing before something worse happens. God has operated this same exact way all throughout the pages of scripture. And I can attest to God operating this way in my life.
Because it's true. Perfect love casts out all fear. When we possess perfect love FOR God and FOR others we have absolutely NOTHING to fear from any judgment because we're not found to be disobedient or unfaithful to God. God's judgment isn't even a reality for someone who loves perfectly.
Yes I agree. Our love has to be perfect. This isn't talking about God's perfect love FOR us because that already was/is given to us in the form of his Son.
I think what's confusing, or maybe even hard to accept, for us is that God possess both (what I'll call) the "male" energy AND "female" energy. "Let us make man in our image...Male and female made he, them." The female is made in the image of God through her nurturing, submissive nature. But the male is also made in the image of God through his disciplining, dominant nature.
Unfortunately today, while the female energy is more easily accepted, the male energy is not as understood or valued as much anymore in today's world. I'd cautiously say it's under attack; seen as toxic and dangerous and essentially problematic and unnecessary. And I think we bring that outlook into the realm of God and tend to reject all that God has done prior to the gift of Christ. But is anything that God has established in the OT any different from what a father & husband would do in and for his house?
- He establishes the rules of his household...
- He sets and executes punishment to show he is VERY serious about obedience to his rules...
- He demands respect from his children and anyone who'd choose to enter into his household...
- He defends his household from any enemy seeking to hurt his family or those he protects within his walls, without hesitation.
This is what the male energy testifies to about God and yes it is scary, so it's easy to reject or dismiss it as done away because "if a mere man is this scary, how much scarier is the ALMIGHTY?" The thought is utterly frightening.
---
Meanwhile, the gift of Christ and his Holy Spirit shows God's nurturing side; "Submissive" even unto death, showing the female energy in purest form.
- Forgive
- Turn the other cheek
- Love your enemies
- Your sins are forgiven...Forgive others
- Mercy
- Grace
- I will send you another comforter.
- "Jerusalem would I not gather you as a mother hen gathers her chicks..."
...All of these things exemplify exactly what a wife and mother would teach or express to her children in her house. And truly, it's exactly what babies in Christ need (as you've been articulating on several threads). They need the nurturing, encouraging spirit of God to show that they're accepted and loved. But in order to properly grow into maturity from babes to adults "able to discern good from evil" (Hebrews 5:14) the disciplining, strict spirit of God is needed. Children still need to be told that "you will get in trouble if you don't heed and obey." They still need to know that there are consequences for their actions.
So we have one side fighting against lawlessness, while the other side fighting against legalism. Both are the male and female energies at work (respectively), but against each other...no different than any infighting between parents in today's households of who is "right". But on the spirit level I'm not talking about gender but energy, which is why we can have both men and women on either side arguing against the other's position.
- The female energy looks to care for children as they are now.
- The male energy looks to rear children into how they're meant.
- But together, both paint the full image and likeness of God.
Roman 1:20
"For the invisible qualities of God are clearly seen being understood by those things that are made so that man is without excuse."
---
Currently, you'll find me on the side fighting against lawlessness because that's what I feel God's calling me to do at this time because I see the majority of God's children not growing to discern good from evil. That's not to say this is the full picture or all that's going on, but it's what God has led me to see as a member of this body; my job may be particularly to remind folks of daddy's rules to keep his children in check OR to ignite babes who are ready for the next level in maturity. That's not to say other members of the body don't have equally important nurturing jobs, like talking about God's mercy and forgiveness. But like I've often expressed this is a journey towards the promised kingdom. If we're standing still we're not getting anywhere.
