Does God punish you?

locabouthair

Well-Known Member
I've heard some people say yes and I've heard some people say no.

If you know a person who has always treated people badly, would you say that this person would eventually be punished by God?

There's a scripture in the Bible that says if you give generously to others, you will be blessed, so if thats true, the reverse would mean that if you're selfish you wouldn't be blessed? So would God be punishing you?

What do you think? I really don't have an answer. My mom always says God's going to punish you if you aren't good to people.

If anyone can post scriptures I'd appreciate it:yep:
 
He could...but most times the consequences personal actions do the job of punishing ourselves when we need a kick in the butt.

Galations 6:7-8. Is the scripture that comes to mind.

eta: 7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that naturewill reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Thanks for responding. The bolded is what my SO said, the consequences of our actions may make it seem like we're being punished by God.
 
I'd call it chastize rather than punish because He is our Father. Chastizing gives a child a chance to learn the lesson to not repeat mistakes. However I agree with Lylddlebit that we put ourselves through punishment through the consequences of our wrong choices and it's His grace and mercy that the predicaments we put ourselves in doesn't completely destroy us.

I will say I have always witnessed ugly, eventually pay for their ugly.

.
 
I agree with Lylddlebit and SvelteVelvet, consequences do punish you. While the word punishment is used w/r/t God's dealing with us in some passages, we see more about Him disciplining us.

Hebrews 12:4-11 talks about how God disciplines us as his children.

And the word "discipline" comes from the word "disciple" = "follower of a teacher". Discipline comes from a belief in what the teacher has to offer and not out of fear of punishment. There's a book I listened to recently called The Shack and I think you should all listen to it. (I have started buying audio books coz I can get through them while I drive since I seem unable to find time to sit and read nowadays. The Shack sort of shows you the difference between a God who works by control and threats from the God we serve who works from a point of love. At first the book might seem like it's blasphemous but if you just open your mind and let it reveal the character of God to you, it's truly a wonderful book. I recommend the audio book coz I don't think I would have enjoyed the teaching if I had just read it and not heard the "actors".

The concept of punishment vs discipline isn't easy to grasp but maybe these articles help:
http://www.parentstoolshop.com/HTML/tips6.htm
http://extension.missouri.edu/extensioninfonet/article.asp?id=2100
 
Nonie, I read The Shack and while there were some points of the book that could be considered blasphemous, I totally read it with an open mind. Overall I felt it conveyed the nature of God's love and how He, Christ and the Spirit relates to us and walks with us through life beautifully and very close to how it really feels to know God and have a relationship with Him.
 
I believe so. I know from personal experience that He punishes ME when I get out of line, but as someone else said, I call it chastisement.
 
What about the scripture that says "vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord"?

I take this to mean when someone does something to us, do not pay evil for evil. Pray for that person and put the situation in God’s hands. If it involves law enforcement then get them involved rather than taking matters into your own hands.

I had a choice to pay evil for evil many times.

However, I’ve learned that God can reach, teach, and get through a person more than I could. I would make matters worse and end up hurting myself in the process. Like others have mentioned it’s more of a chastisement.

Jesus has paid the price for our sins so I don’t think God is going to immediately strike someone down for messing up. He gives us a chance to redeem ourselves through Him. However, we may have to suffer some consequences but we are not utterly destroyed.
 
What about the scripture that says "vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord"?
If someone hurt His children (usually to the point when the person is ready to sin to get revenge), He will take care of the problem.

A married couple we are friends with were robbed in their home at gunpoint and the wife nearly had a breakdown. The husband knew the three guys (one was a neighbor who had set them up) and dealing out death was on his mind. He said God told him He had it. As ridiculous as the husband thought it was (he had no idea about this passage), he put it in the Father's hands.

Within three months, the neighbor was shot dead. One is in jail, nearly beaten to death as the police waited for the beaters to finish. The last one got kicked out of his gf and her mother's place, tried to get his stuff but her brother shot him in the face, and ended up on Judge Mathis, being sued for damages by the gf and mother.

The husband still thanks Our Father for showing him that He always has a better plan and His wrath still exists.
 
I can't comment on The Shack personally because I haven't read it, but I did come across a review of the book a few months ago on Got Questions.com:

http://www.gotquestions.org/The-Shack-review.html

Great review. Thank you! :yep: Indeed, if one doesn't know God, the Shack can both show them a side of Him they didn't know, but could also mislead because of the points highlighted. I think for me, I enjoyed the book because I could dismiss some things as fiction and hold onto those I know are echoed in the Bible. I didn't take everything literally, but rather saw the love and warmth of God and as someone who loves psychology, the way Mack viewed God in one extreme and how that was reined back by being shown another side he didn't know I thought was really neat. I didn't lose anything I already knew about God from listening to the book, but perhaps a new Christian would do well to get to know God from the Bible before listening to fiction that might confuse.

Thanks again, Hair_Rehab for that accurate review.
 
God is a just God. He does in no way let evil slide.

He has put what many call the law of reciprocity in place, as mentioned above, you will sow what you reap, be it good or bad. The Bible also tells us that God chestizes those he loves and since He so loved the world...that must mean that he chestizes all...(now the way he chestizes us varies Hebrews 12).

Vengence is mine...basically tells us to leave it to the judge to mete out the punishment, dont try to punish people for the evil they do towards you. Besides, I would rather have God (all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful) give that person exactly what HE knows they need rather then me (limited, prideful, powerless me lol) try to dole out consequences.

There are also times in the Bible where it points out that Gods wrath was kindled against a person or nation.
 
He could...but most times the consequences personal actions do the job of punishing ourselves when we need a kick in the butt.

Galations 6:7-8. Is the scripture that comes to mind.

eta: 7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that naturewill reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
:yep: Amen and amen! That is the first scripture that came to mind. The spiritual laws that God has put in place dictate this. You sow what you reap. That's why that misleading book The Secret caught on like wild fire. It's why others have and will too. Satan is crafty enough to mix a little truth with his lies. The truth of the matter is good actions produce good consequences whereas bad actions produce bad ones. Period. Turn around time varies but what is time to an eternal God?
I'd call it chastize rather than punish because He is our Father. Chastizing gives a child a chance to learn the lesson to not repeat mistakes. However I agree with Lylddlebit that we put ourselves through punishment through the consequences of our wrong choices and it's His grace and mercy that the predicaments we put ourselves in doesn't completely destroy us.

I will say I have always witnessed ugly, eventually pay for their ugly.

.
Exactly! Man, I love God!:heart:
Heb. 12:6
6For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Psa. 94:12
12Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;
Prov. 3:12
12For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

If someone hurt His children (usually to the point when the person is ready to sin to get revenge), He will take care of the problem.

A married couple we are friends with were robbed in their home at gunpoint and the wife nearly had a breakdown. The husband knew the three guys (one was a neighbor who had set them up) and dealing out death was on his mind. He said God told him He had it. As ridiculous as the husband thought it was (he had no idea about this passage), he put it in the Father's hands.

Within three months, the neighbor was shot dead. One is in jail, nearly beaten to death as the police waited for the beaters to finish. The last one got kicked out of his gf and her mother's place, tried to get his stuff but her brother shot him in the face, and ended up on Judge Mathis, being sued for damages by the gf and mother.

The husband still thanks Our Father for showing him that He always has a better plan and His wrath still exists.
Wow! We don't rejoice in stuff like this :nono: but God is not mocked. We live in a world where God has been watered down and feminized almost by many. We forget he is righteous. We don't like to be reminded that (many) disobedient children die early. Nor do we want to accept responsibilty for our lack of instructing them cause then we have to start living right ourselves. Many will bury their kids. The bible talks about shame and heartache to mothers and the swift and painful deaths of children who meet this type of end. They don't die peacefully.:nono: All have multiple chances to get it together before we meet our final end. Some will choose not to.:perplexed

God is a just God. He does in no way let evil slide.

He has put what many call the law of reciprocity in place, as mentioned above, you will sow what you reap, be it good or bad. The Bible also tells us that God chestizes those he loves and since He so loved the world...that must mean that he chestizes all...(now the way he chestizes us varies Hebrews 12).

Vengence is mine...basically tells us to leave it to the judge to mete out the punishment, dont try to punish people for the evil they do towards you. Besides, I would rather have God (all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful) give that person exactly what HE knows they need rather then me (limited, prideful, powerless me lol) try to dole out consequences.

There are also times in the Bible where it points out that Gods wrath was kindled against a person or nation.
Amen again! He is. To do anything else would make him a liar and if there was any lie, that would negate the entire bible and Christianity altogether.

There was a time when God winked at sin (or did not act immediately b/c he knew the offender was acting out of ignorance- Acts 17:29-30) but with all of the resources available now...:nono:
A few more passages on punishments and discipline from God I like.
Psa. 37:25
25I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
Rom. 6:23
23For the wages(payoff, end result) of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All sins when repeatedly practiced w/o allowing God to correct us, will result in death. Whether it is swift or prolonged. Death non-the-less. The mind, spirit, or body may go first but eventually (permanent) soul death.
We are living under grace right now but at the end of all time, not just a certain age, GOD who reveals himself as the ultimate and final judge (in Revelations 20) will handle business.

Rev. 21:8
8But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

27But nothing unworthy will be allowed to enter. No one who is dirty-minded or who tells lies will be there. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life will be in the city.
27
Nothing dirty or defiled will get into the City, and no one who defiles or deceives. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life will get in.
 
If someone hurt His children (usually to the point when the person is ready to sin to get revenge), He will take care of the problem.

A married couple we are friends with were robbed in their home at gunpoint and the wife nearly had a breakdown. The husband knew the three guys (one was a neighbor who had set them up) and dealing out death was on his mind. He said God told him He had it. As ridiculous as the husband thought it was (he had no idea about this passage), he put it in the Father's hands.

Within three months, the neighbor was shot dead. One is in jail, nearly beaten to death as the police waited for the beaters to finish. The last one got kicked out of his gf and her mother's place, tried to get his stuff but her brother shot him in the face, and ended up on Judge Mathis, being sued for damages by the gf and mother.

The husband still thanks Our Father for showing him that He always has a better plan and His wrath still exists.


I laughed all through this post. God forgive me but, :lachen:
 
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