Grace Remix by Paul Ellis Read Free Book Online Page A

God-ordained suffering. In response to sin he whips us using trials and
    tribulations which he ordains to mortify the flesh and nurture faith. Scourging is not a one-
    off event, but something to be expected in the lives of his children.

    In other words, God scourges us repeatedly . Isn’t that wonderful? Sheesh. No wonder the lost
    aren’t running into church when we’re preaching stuff like that.

    It’s a misquote

    Look in the margin notes of your Bible and you will see that Hebrews 12:6 is quoting Proverbs
    3:11–12. It’s a direct quote copied from the Old Testament and pasted into the New. Let’s put
    the original Proverb and the Hebrews version side by side and see if you can spot any
    differences:

    My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
    Nor detest his correction;
    For whom the Lord loves he corrects,
    Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
    ~Original quote from Proverbs 3:11–12 (NKJV)

    My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
    Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by him
    For whom the Lord loves he chastens,
    And scourges every son whom he receives
    ~As reproduced in Hebrews 12:5–6 (NKJV)

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    GRACE REMIX

    The first three lines of the original Proverb are faithfully reproduced in Hebrews 12. But look at
    the last line and you will see that the copy is nothing like the original. The original quote has
    been changed. Am I saying the Bible is wrong? Not at all. My best guess is the problem was
    introduced during translation. (I’ll share some thoughts about this in my Word After.)

    Why you can be sure God does not scourge us

    In the Bible, the word for scourge appears in six other places. On each occasion it is associated
    with punishment inflicted by the unjust upon the just, such as Jesus or those who follow him.3
    Given this context, to say that God scourges his sons is tantamount to saying that a just God acts
    unjustly, which he doesn’t.
    In Biblical times, scourging was reserved for slaves and criminals, not sons and citizens.
    Paul was unjustly scourged yet he never said, “I was scourged for my good.” Instead, he
    resisted scourging (see Acts 22:25), as should every free man and woman.
    Hebrews 12 says God disciplines or trains us as a father. I don’t know any father, good or
    bad, who scourges his kids the way the Romans scourged Jesus. It’s a metaphor that doesn’t
    work at any level. God doesn’t train us with whips. He nurtures us (see Ephesians 6:4).
    However, there was one father in the Bible who was known for using whips and rods, and
    that was Solomon. We know he used the rod of correction because he tells us in Proverbs 13:24.
    Solomon evidently had old-school views regarding corporal punishment, yet even he didn’t
    whip his sons. He said whips were for horses (Proverbs 26:3).
    I’ve heard people say they won’t respond unless God whips them. That’s like saying, “I’m
    as dumb as a horse.” Renew your mind. You are not a horse! You are a beloved child of God.
    Others say “discipline implies punishment.” Not in the new covenant it doesn’t (see Isaiah
    53:5). Discipline implies discipling .
    Jesus met plenty of people in need of correction and discipline. How many of these people
    did he scourge? How many did he afflict with pain, sickness, trials, or suffering? None. If Jesus
    was ever going to whip someone, he might’ve whipped the Pharisees, but he didn’t.
    The suggestion that God scourges his kids with a flagellum is slanderous, ludicrous, and
    inconsistent. I am convinced that the author of Hebrews had a profound revelation of God with-
    no-whip. The picture he paints is of a good God sitting on a throne of grace who offers us grace
    and mercy in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). When we go astray God does not come after us
    with a whip, but he deals with us gently as a loving father deals with his sons (Hebrews 5:2).

    3 If you’re interested, here are the scripture references: Matthew 10:17, 20:19, 23:34, Mark 10:34,