Holiness Part 2 Chastening

It is through God’s chastening that we might be partakers of His holiness. 

"Furthermore 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? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness." - Hebrews 12:9-10  

What is chastening? 

The first meaning is “to train children”, “to be instructed or taught, to learn,” “to cause one to learn.” (From: Thayer's Greek Lexicon) 

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;" - Titus 2:11-12 (The word for chastening is translated in this verse as “teaching.”) 

The second meaning of chasten is “to chastise.” This includes, “to chastise or castigate with words, to correct, of those who are moulding the character of others by reproof and admonition.” (Castigate is to reprimand, scold, rebuke). 

The following verse does not contain the word chasten, but appears to fit the description of the above definition. 

"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." - 2 Timothy 4:1-4 

"In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." - 2 Timothy 2:25-26 (The word for chastening is translated here as instructing). 

It also includes, “in bibl. and eccl. use employed by God, to chasten by the affliction of evils and calamities.” Thayer’s includes the following verses with this meaning of chasten.  

"But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." - 1 Corinthians 11:32  

"As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;" - 2 Corinthians 6:9

 

"For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." - Hebrews 12:6 

"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." - Revelation 3:19  

Chasten also has the meaning, “to chastise with blows, to scourge: of a father punishing a son, Heb. 12:7, 10; of a judge ordering one to be scourged Luke 23:16, 22, [(Deut. 22:18)].”