WHY does God, as the heavenly Father, wants to chasten His children?
"for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and He scourges every son whom He receives." If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the father does not chasten? But if you are without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then you are bastards and not sons." Heb 12:5-9
The answer from the scriptures is simply that God wants to profit His children through pruning, trials and chastening so that our faith is tested and refined. Christ said that if we follow Him, we must deny ourselves and take up OUR cross and follow Him. In all our ways, looking unto Jesus Christ, acknowledging that He is Lord. We abide in Christ, trust and lean completely on Him. We must always remember that our Heavenly Father is the Holy, Holy, Holy God. In our walk with God, we must cast aside every weight (the love of and cares for this world) and strive against the propensity to sin which could easily side-tracked us. Practically, it is to constantly immerse in His Word and submit to the Holy Spirit indwelling. In our walk with Him, lest we be weary and faint in our minds , God allows and sends chastening and does pruning so that we may bear more fruits of the Spirit (John 15:2).
God as Heavenly Father loves and scourges every son (and daughter) whom He receives. God wants His children to grow up into "trees of righteousness" (Isa 61:3) and not remained as babes. As God's children, we must trust Him that "for whom the Lord loves He chastens". We have to obey, submit, receive and endure God's chastening as that is how God deals with His children.
God loves His children, here are the scriptural teachings on the purpose of His chastening and He has said it so clearly:
"Therefore since we also are surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right of the throne of God." Heb 12:1-2
For consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest you be weary and faint in your minds. You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. Heb 12:3-4
And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons, "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and He scourges every son whom He receives." If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the father does not chasten? But if you are without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then you are bastards and not sons. Heb 12:5-9
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For truly they chastened us for a few days according to their own pleasure, but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. Heb 12:9-10
Now chastening for the present does not seem to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who are exercised by it. Because of this, straighten up the hands which hang down and the enfeebled knees. And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed. Heb 12:11-13
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