XXIX. Отеческое Божие наказание

“My son! do not despise the Lord’s punishment, and do not lose heart when He reproaches you. For the Lord punishes whomever he loves; he beats every son whom he receives. If you suffer punishment, then God treats you as sons. For is there any son whom his father does not punish? If you remain without punishment, which is common to all, then you are illegitimate children and not sons” (Heb. 12:5-8). “Every punishment at the present time seems not to be joy, but sadness; but afterwards he brings to those who are taught the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Strengthen therefore your drooping hands and weak knees” (Heb. 12:11–12). “Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord, and teach from Your law” (Ps. 93:12). “If his sons forsake My law and do not walk in My statutes; If they break My statutes and do not keep My commandments, then I will punish their iniquity with the rod, and their iniquity with blows; But I will not take My mercy from them” (Ps. 89:31–34). “The Lord punished me by teaching me, but did not put me to death” (Ps. 117:18). Those who accept God’s punishments not with gratitude, but with anger and indignation, expose themselves to great troubles (Book 1 to Stagirius). We should not be embarrassed by the fact that others accept punishment more easily than we do, for for greater labor there will be greater reward (Book 1 to Stagirius). If some are not corrected by God’s punishment, it should not be attributed to God, but to their negligence (Book 1 to Stagirius). God's punishment is the healing of sins (On the earthquake). Often, when we sin, God does not quickly punish us for our sins, but gives us time to repent; and if we, thinking that our sin has already been atoned for, are negligent about our correction, then the execution of God befalls us there, where we do not expect it (Conversation 3 to the people of Antioch). God knows that the omission of execution for sins harms us no less than the sins themselves: this is why He punishes us - not for the sake of revenge for previous sins, but so that we will correct ourselves in the future (Conversation about the fact that the preacher should not be affectionate). He who, having sinned, does not accept punishment, is the poorest of all (Conversation 6 to the people of Antioch). The executions sent to us by God should be attributed more to His mercy than to anger, since He, as a caring Father, does everything for our benefit (Conversation 26 on the Book of Genesis, Chapter 8). The execution sent to sinners by God in the present age facilitates eternal execution in the next age (Conversation 26 on the Book of Genesis, chapter 7). God sends people a punishment for their sins that is much lighter than they deserve (Conversation on the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, Chapter 1). Look at this in the discussion about love for enemies, in the discussion about the narrow and wide path, in the discussion about temptation, in the discussion about patience. You might be interested in: