CHASTISEMENT

29 FOR he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.
31 FOR IF WE WOULD JUDGE OURSELVES, WE WOULD NOT BE JUDGED.
32 BUT WHEN WE ARE JUDGED, WE ARE CHASTENED BY THE LORD, THAT WE MAY NOT BE CONDEMNED WITH THE WORLD."
1 Corinthians 11:29-32 (NKJV)

• God's chastisement or discipline takes various forms. He chastises or disciplines with different things.

• When chastisement or discipline of God is talked about, It does not mean God would descend and come in the physical form to flog or cane an individual believer who has erred. He simply may deny the person some benefits or blessings, or things He had earlier promised or planned to do for him or her.
• Chastisement or discipline might also come in the form of a sickness or one affliction or the other.
• God is all powerful and all knowing, He does things according to His infinite wisdom and knowledge.

• In our text the Corinthians believers who ate the Lord's supper unworthily were afflicted with sicknesses and some of them even died.

• This shows to us that a sickness or an infirmity could be a chastisement or discipline from God. If a believer did wrong, God might permit him or her to be chastised or disciplined or afflicted with sicknesses.
• Your disobedience to God's express command can give a place to the devil to operate in your life. An inroad to the attacks of the enemy, the devil, could be created through a believer's disobedience.
• In such a sickness, medical assistance, as in, the application of medicine would not help; because the attack or sickness came as a result of rebellion or whatever sin.
• The Scripture in the passage says: "IF WE WOULD JUDGE OURSELVES, WE WOULD NOT BE JUDGED" (1 Corinthians 11:31 NKJV). In a situation of such, the believer who is concerned would have to do the needful, repent and right his or her wrong, and there would be a change—the sickness or infirmity would be healed.

• Most of the things suffered by a number of believers are meant to call their attentions that they might judge or correct themselves on whatever they are doing that is, or may be, annoying to God.

• Many believers would still see God as unjust or wicked because of what they are being allowed to go through. Instead of them to deduce or try to know what the affliction infers, they rather would be blaming God or be angry with Him.
• Some believers are offended with God. But the truth is, God is always right! He cannot be wrong! And He is just, there is no unrighteousness in Him! Instead of being offended with God, you supposed to plead and ask Him to show you where you had gone wrong or what you had done wrong. You do not fight with God!
• What you did not know, or least expected, that God will correct or disagree with; is what He does at times. This is where patience or endurance comes in!
• Note: there are some basic signs that should be found in a believer's life and he or she should not outgrow such. They are: trembling, reverential fear, that is, a state of constantly fearing God and contrition.
• When a believer outgrows these things, thinking, he or she has grown and mature, believing they have seen more light, or more enlightened now, such a person Unknowingly had retrogressed.
• There should be no level of maturity that takes these basic attributes away in a believer's life. In fact, having these attributes in your life is a sign of brokenness or spiritual maturity. Whoever exhibits these signs or attributes is a mature believer!

• Consequently, constant chastisement or discipline should be part of a believer's life. A believer who is not constantly or regularly being reproved; chastised or disciplined, is not walking with God.

• Whoever is walking intimately with God would always be reprimanded or rebuked, corrected, and chastised or disciplined.
• Also, such a believer would always do whatever he or she wanted to do with fear and trembling (1 Corinthians 2:3). Not the fear or trembling of human beings, but of God.
  a. Such a believer would always be conscious of God.
  b. Such would always want to know the mind of God on whatever he or she is doing or about to do.
• A believer who is carefree and does things as he or she wants or likes has not gotten there, such does not know or understand yet, about what is being shared here.
• A believer who walks as It is being shared here always trembles at the Word of God (Isaiah 66:2). The consciousness of such a believer is always on knowing God's Will or mind on whatever they wanted to do or wherever they wanted to go.
• Why are they living such a life? They do, because they know that If they missed it, or If they circumvented or bypassed God in their doings, in whatever they wanted to do; the consequences would be severely great—they would be chastised or disciplined.
• Knowing that chastisement is not always a thing of Joy (Hebrews 12:11), thus, being circumspect and watchful and cautious, with trembling, would be the right thing for them to do in whatever they wanted to be involved in—in all their walk with God.

• The principle shared here might look strange to some, and some other people might not want to agree with It, but it is a normal life; a submissive life, which God wanted every believer to live.

• It is about submission and unwavering commitment to God and whatever He has in plan for an individual believer to do or go through.
• This life, such a pattern of living, as expatiated in this teaching, is a choice life. It would not be forced on you, however, you might be made to be willing: "FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU BOTH TO WILL AND TO DO FOR HIS GOOD PLEASURE" (Philippians 2:13 NKJV).
• You would not need to compare yourself with other believers you see around who might not be living such a life. It would seem these other believers do things at will, without any trembling, and they impulsively do things without necessarily asking God whether they should do it or not.
• They live a carefree life and they live according to their own plans and Wills, based on the goals set for themselves, without minding to know if God had any contradictory plan to what they had planned for themselves.
• Comparing yourself with such believers would cause you to miss your God-given plan or where you are going or ordained for. Jesus Christ is the ultimate standard that every believer ought to look up to and live after (Hebrews 12:2), and not any man or human.
• Comparing yourself with someone or looking at the person as your standard, the Scripture says you are not wise (2 Corinthians 10:12).

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.

• Should there be any ailment in your body, receive your healing now in Jesus' name.
• Whatever is not planted in your body that might be working against your wellness and good health, such is rebuked and completely uprooted in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
  Peace!

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!