Discipline with Justice

Let's face it. It is hard to know how to punish someone who does wrong, but they do need to be punished for what they did. This is true when we punish a child for doing something that was relatively harmless all the up to punishing a person who takes the life of another person. There is always an element of justice that is involved in the decision, and all of us, as humans, have difficulty being totally just in what we do. Only God can discipline  us with complete justice.

God promised His people that He would do just that after they had sinned by worshiping idols. They were sent into exile for their sins, but then the exile time came to an end. (Jeremiah 46:28) "Do not be afraid, Jacob, My servant, for I am with you," says the Lord. "I will completely destroy the nations to which I have exiled you, but I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you, but with justice; I cannot let you go unpunished." We can see God's process for helping us here.

Discipline can be mild or severe. It can be positive or negative discipline. God means for His discipline to teach us a lesson, so we do not commit a sin again and again. Yes, there are some sins that call for the death penalty, like God gave the nations where the Jews went to exile. However, that is only a small part of discipline. Most of the time God disciplines us with a just punishment that makes us see our sin and repent. Then, God affirms our repentance, so we have motivation to do the right thing the next time we are tempted. This is discipline with justice.

I know that a lot of people would rather just be able to ask for forgiveness and not be disciplined. God knows that is not what we need. He can't let us go unpunished. That would be an incentive to sin again. No, God gives us the right punishment every time, and He holds us accountable for what we do the next time we are tempted. Like He told His people in this verse, He is with us. He loves us, and He cares. That is why He disciplines us. He knows that sin harms us and those around us. Therefore, let's accept God's discipline well, be thankful for His help, and learn to do His will. That is God's way to help us out.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 47-51.