Chastisement - Part 2

 Temple Baptist Church - 12-30-2025

1 Corinthians 10:1-15; Hebrews 12:5-13

 

Introduction:  The key verse of this portion of Scripture is found in verse 1:  “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant.” 

 

A.  I am spending a little more time on this subject because of its misunderstanding and importance.

 

1.  The Chastening of the Lord is put in a wrong perspective by both the world and the worldly believer.  It is treated as a bad thing!  It is treated as a punishment rather than a clarion call to wake up from your sleep in sin, a warning of impending danger.  The fire whistle downtown at the fire station warns of a possible tornado.  Blowing your horn at the driver ahead who is asleep at the wheel.

 

Romans 13:11-14  And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.  (12)  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.  (13)  Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.  (14)  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

 

2.  The World despises chastening because they are humanistic (the “god” of self) and unrepenting.  The world view is “If it feels good, do it, and it is nobody else’s business” what I do.

 

3.  The Worldly believer despises chastening because they do not understand the why and how of true love.  We live in the “darkness of this world,” and our eyes become accustomed to it.

 

B.  Before we get into the text, we need to set a biblical precedent that establishes a biblical principle.  To do so, we need to look at the first mention of “chasteneth” found in the Bible.  The word is found two times in this Old Testament text: 1) to draw a comparison and 2) to establish an action. 

 

Deuteronomy 8:1-6  All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers.  (2)  And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.  (3)  And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.  (4)  Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.  (5)  Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.  (6)  Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.

 

C.  The First Mention of “Chasteneth” appears in both Deuteronomy chapter 8 and is personalized in 1 Corinthians chapter 10.  Here we see chastening tied to Israel’s day, the Corinthians’ day, and to our day.

 

D.  In our text, we find the Lord faithfully exercising chastening to one and all.

 

1.  Israel was a nation of great privilege.  1 Corinthians 10:1-4 speaks of the blessings of salvation (salvation through sacrifice on Passover), deliverance from Egypt (a type of the world), deliverance from Pharaoh (a type of Satan), divine guidance, divine protection, and provision.

 

2.  Israel was a nation of great failure.  1 Corinthians 10:5-6 speaks of their failure in faith to go into Canaan and their rejection of the blessedness of God’s provision during the 40 years of wandering.

 

3.  Paul warns the Corinthian Church not to fall into the same trap of ingratitude and faithlessness as Israel.  1 Corinthians 10:7-10 warns the people of Corinth that the same God who chastened Israel was the same God who would chasten them.

 

4.  Paul prophetically warns us who live in these last days. 

 

1 Corinthians 10:11-12  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.  (12)  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

 

E.  In the First Mention of chastening, God gives an analogy so that His people understand the why and how of chastening.  He likes His chastening of Israel for their disobedience, as with the chastening of a disobedient child.

 

F.  I believe that every parent who loves their children chastens them “betimes.” 

 

Proverbs 13:24  He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. 

 

(Betimes – early at the task or at dawn.)

 

G.  We older people often speak of the love and respect that we had for our parents because they loved us enough to chasten us. 

 

H.  Great Privilege – Great Sin – Great Chastisement - Luke 12:48  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

 

1.  It can cost you a loved one – 2 Samuel 12:14  Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

 

2.  It can cost you your temporal blessings - John 21:3  Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

 

3.  It can cost you your health - Psalms 51:8  Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

 

4.  It can cost you your joy - Psalms 51:12  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

 

5.  It can cost you your life - 1 John 5:16  If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

 

J.  As a norm, chastening is preached as a negative thing.  When we correct our children, it is not only to punish, but to bring about fruits of righteousness in them.  God desires that His children grow up to love and serve Him.

 

K.  Hebrews 12:6-13 is a Full Mention Principle.

 

1.  The Exhortation Of Chastening – vs. 5

          2.  The Exercising Of Chastening – vs. 6

          3.  The Encouragement Of Chastening – vs. 6-8

          4.  The Example Of Chastening – vs. 9-10

          5.  The Effects Of Chastening – vs. 11-13

 

1.  Chastening Is A Sign Of God’s Love – “whom the Lord loveth” – It Is Positive Because It Is Done In Love And Not Hate!

 

Jeremiah 31:3  The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

 

2.  Chastening Is A Guarantee Of Son-ship – “every son whom he receiveth” – It Is Positive Because Is A Product Of Eternal Life!

 

2 Timothy 2:13  If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

 

John 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

 

3.  Chastening Is A Purposed Process – “if ye endure chastening”  “corrected” – It Is Positive In That It Removes Sin’s Penalty And Restores Spiritual Fellowship!

 

Romans 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

1 John 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

 

4.  Chastening Is A Progressive Process – “chasteneth…scourgeth” – It Is Positive In That You Can Turn Around At Any Time And Do Not Have To Continue In Chastening!

 

a.  The Valley Of Chastisement is a valley of our own making.  It is chastisement for sin. - James 4:17  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

 

Numbers 32:23  But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

 

b.  The Valley Of Chastisement is a valley whose depth is up to us.  It is according to our sin. - 1 Corinthians 11:30  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

 

1 Corinthians 5:5  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

 

c.  The Valley Of Chastisement is a valley whose length is up to us.  It is according to our hard headedness. - Hebrews 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  (Chastening turns into scourging.)

 

d.  The Valley Of Chastisement is a valley whose darkness is up to us.  In other valleys you find God’s blessing while in this valley you find God’s displeasure. - Hebrews 10:30-31  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

 

Hebrews 12:28-29  Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:  For our God is a consuming fire.

 

e.  The Valley Of Chastisement is a valley whose results are up to us. 

 

                    1) There can be continued and progressive punishment for sin.

                    2) There can be the restoration of the believer to a place of fellowship.

5.  Chastening Is A Blessing – “it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness” – It Is Positive In That It Produces Righteousness And Testimony In The Believer!

 

Job 5:17  Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

 

Psalms 94:12  Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;

 

a.  Chastening Removes Sin’s Penalty – (The wages of sin is still death!)

 

b.  Chastening Restores God’s Power – (Sin causes a loss of power with God!)

 

c.  Chastening Regains The God’s Victory – 1 Peter 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. (Sin brings about spiritual defeat!)

 

d.  Chastening Renews God’s Favor – (Favor is better than wrath any day!)

 

e.  Chastening Revives God’s Peace – (Isaiah 57:21  There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.)

 

f.  Chastening Re-establishes Worship – (Sin removes the worship of spirit and truth!)

 

g.  Chastening Re-affirms God’s Word – (What God promises God delivers!)

Chastisement - Part 1

Temple Baptist Church - 12-17-2025

1 Corinthians 10:1-15

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  “Moreover,” ties this passage with the preceding chapter, where Paul mentions becoming a castaway or being disapproved.  Getting into sin, or what we would refer to as getting out of God’s will, carries a more dangerous recompense than being “put on a shelf.”

 

B.  There is much to say concerning the chastening of the Lord in both Old and New Testaments, with one of the more comprehensive illustrations given in this particular chapter.  I want to take another quick look at James 1:14-17, which says:

 

“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.  Do not err, my beloved brethren.  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

 

1.  In James 1:14-15, We See The Workings of Sin - “Do not err, my beloved Brethren.”

 

Sin will take you farther than you want to go!

 

Sin will keep you longer than you want to stay!

 

Sin will cost you more than you want to pay!

 

2.  In James 1:17, We See The Compassion of the Lord - “Every good gift and every perfect gift.”

 

a)  The Compassion of the Lord - “good gift ... perfect gift” – Hebrews 12:6a - “Whom the Lord loveth”

 

b)  The Consistency of the Lord - “no variableness (His Person), neither shadow of turning (His Purpose)” – Hebrews 12:6b - “Every son whom he receiveth”

 

C.  Tonight, I want to take a look at the results of sin and chastening - 1 Corinthians 10:1-15: Israel came out of Egypt by faith, but they would not go into Canaan by faith.

 

Exodus 3:8  And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. 

 

1.  The Lord brought them out to take them in.  Many Christians are brought out of their sins through salvation, but through rebellion and unbelief, they never enter into Canaan’s land.

 

a)  Canaan - A Type of Victorious Christian Living.

 

b)  Canaan - A Type of Spiritual Maturity.

 

c)  Canaan - A Type of God’s Perfect Will.

 

2.  These individuals eventually become castaways and are under the judgment of God.  For God to bring us out, and for us to refuse to go in, is the utmost ingratitude. 

 

D.  Let’s look at the verses in light of Israel, the Corinthian Church, and those of us who live in the last days. 

 

1 Corinthians 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

 

1.  A Picture of Privilege – Verses 1-4.  Also, a divine privilege for the Corinthians and us.

 

a.  They Were All Under The Cloud – Divine Protection and Guidance – Verse 1.

 

b.  They All Passed Through The Sea – Divine Deliverance – Verse 2.

 

c.  They Were All Baptized Unto Moses – Divine Association – Verse 3.

 

They believed in the Lord and his servant Moses (Exodus 14:31) and gave themselves up to him as their leader and commander through the wilderness.

 

d.  They Did All Eat – Divine Provision – Verse 3.

 

e.  They Did All Drink - Divine Communion - vs 4  (that spiritual Rock)

 

2.  A Picture of Transgression – Verses 5-10.  Also, a possibility for the Corinthians and us.

 

a.  They Lusted After Evil Things - vs 6  Things God did not want them to have.

 

Numbers 11:4-6  And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?  We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:  But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.

 

b.  They Became Idolaters - vs 7  They put worldly things ahead of God.

 

Exodus 32:6  And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. 

 

c.  They Fell Into Immorality - vs 8 Gave themselves over to sexual sin.

 

Numbers 25:1  And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

 

d.  They Tempted God - vs 9  They questioned God’s provision and care.

 

Exodus 17:1, 6  And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.  Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.                 

 

1)  Doubted God's Word

 

2)  Doubted God's Man

 

3)  Doubted God's Message

 

e.  They Murmured - vs 10  God hates complaining and murmuring.  “In everything give thanks!”

 

Numbers 14:1-5  And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.  And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!  And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?  And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.  Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

 

1)  They Found Fault.  “And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron”

 

2)  They Sowed Discord.  “Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!”

 

3)  They Spoke Evil of God's Care.  “wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey.”

 

3.  A Picture of Chastisement – Verses 5, 12.  Also, a possibility for the Corinthians and us.

 

1 Corinthians 10:5, 12  But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.  (12)  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

 

a.  They Displeased God.

 

b.  They Missed Canaan.

 

c.  They Were Overthrown In The Wilderness.

 

Conclusion:  Great Privilege – Great Sin – Great Chastisement. 

 

1.  They Lost Their Service - Loss of Reward

 

2.  They Lost Their Hedge - Loss of Hedge

 

3.  They Lost Their Blessing - Loss of Joy

 

4.  They Lost Their Fellowship - Loss of Peace

 

5.  Also, a possibility for the Corinthians and us.

The Word of God and Chastisement

 Temple Baptist Church - 2-25-2024

Psalm 119:65-72

 

Introduction: Psalm 119 is broken down into 22 stanzas with each stanza represented by one of the 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Each stanza contains 8 verses with each verse beginning with the Hebrew letter that begins the stanza. An acrostic. A total of 176 verses elaborating upon the blessing of the Word of God and its intended work in the life of the believer. Absolutely the work of God!

 

A. Tonight, TETH ט – the 9^th letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

 

1. TETH is an interesting letter as it is another one of those with a double meaning.

 

2. It is what is called a paradoxical letter or, in our day, an oxymoron: two conflicting terms used together to convey a truth. TETH can mean bad or good at the same time. The letter looks somewhat like a woman great with child and the oxymoron is that pain is used to bring forth a beautiful child.

 

John 16:20-22 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. (21) A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. (22) And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

 

A sweet sorrow. A fine mess. A deafening silence. Clearly confused. Pretty ugly. Same difference. One of my favorites: jumbo shrimp. The list could go indefinitely but now we have an idea of what the Hebrew letter TETH does. It conveys conflicting thoughts that bring about a truth.

 

3. TETH is the least used of the 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Therefore, it will be easier to define using Scripture.

 

4. Example: The first use of the letter TETH is found in Genesis 4:1. In this verse, we find light that is good and darkness which is not that is not good. God divided the light from the darkness, thereby making a distinction.

 

Genesis 1:4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

 

5. Example: Though God is good, He ultimately controls both good and evil through potential and allowance He made both men and angels free moral agents, having the potential for both good and evil along with allowing them to make the choice.

 

Isaiah 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

 

B. The key word in this 9^th stanza is “afflicted,” found in these two verses: 67 and 71. In these two verses, we find that affliction is the result of chastisement! The oxymoron is that affliction brings about chastisement, which is not viewed as good, but brings about a desired end-result of restoration to God which is good.

 

C. A right relationship to the Word of God brings about acceptance and spiritual growth through chastisement.

 

1. Verse 65. The Psalmist commends God for doing both right and well in His dealing with sinfulness in the saint. This chastisement is according to Scripture and is both right and necessary. The New Testament example is this:

 

Hebrews 12:6-13 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. (7) If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? (8) But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. (9) 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? (10) (11) (12) Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; (13) And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

 

2. Verse 66. Chastisement is a “teaching moment” for the child of God. As our loving parents corrected us so as to make us good people and citizens, so our heavenly Father corrects us and is a sign of love.

 

Proverbs 13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

 

3. Verse 67. The Psalmist went astray before God chastised him but the chastening brought him back to obedience to the Word of God.

 

Hebrews 6:10 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.

 

4. Verse 68. The declaration that the parent who chastises his children is both good and doing a good thing.

 

Hebrews 6:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

 

5. Verses 69-70. When the unsaved saw the saint do according to the sinful, they denounced him by saying, “We knew his religion would not last. You see, he is just like us.” But the backslidden saint was not like them though his actions may have looked to be so. The chastening hand of the Lord was upon the sinful saint and turned him back to both obedience to and delight of God’s commandments.

 

6. Verse 71. Chastening, which seems bad was a good thing in the eyes of the saint. I thank God for a Dad and Mom who loved me enough to make me do right and developed within me what character that I have today.

 

Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

 

7. Verse 72. The chastened now fully understood the importance of obedience and the love of a loving God. The end result of chastening is to fully establish God’s Word and to mold the child of God in a godly manner.

 

Conclusion: I thank God for His chastening hand which brings about holiness and restoration to a place of fellowship!

A Proper Attitude Toward Chastening

 Temple Baptist Church - 9-25-2022

Psalm 6

 

Introduction.  As we go through the Book of Psalms, often I will give the biblical interpretation and then a practical application.

 

A.  I am not sure what the historical interpretation of this Psalm is, but we do know that the author was King David.

 

B.  From the first two verses of Psalm 6, we also see that the subject is the chastening of the LORD and David’s submission to it.

 

C.  David’s Plea – verses 1.  David pleads for God’s mercy in love instead of judgment in anger.

 

D.  David’s Predicament – verses 2-5.

 

1.  Verse 2.  David’s Physical Condition.  Possibly through fasting or sickness caused by sinfulness.

 

2.  Verse 3-4.  David’s Spiritual Condition.  Lacking the peace and presence of the LORD.

 

3.  Verse 5.  David’s Possible Condition.  David knew that the chastening of the LORD could bring death if not repented of and there be a change of lifestyle or spiritual condition.

 

1 Corinthians 11:28-32  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.  (29)  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.  (30)  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.  (31)  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.  (32)  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

 

E.  David’s Penitence.  Verse 6.  Loss of sleep and anguish of soul brought about the relief that was to be found only in the LORD.

 

F.  David’s Price.  Verses 7-8.  As king, most of David’s chastisement came in the form of his enemies, which were many, being given the power to get the upper hand.

 

G.  David’s Peace.  Verses 8-10.  The LORD heard, the LORD received, and the enemies conquered.

 

H.  Here is the application.  I do not know why David suffered as he did nor how long it took him to get to verses 8-10.  Two possibilities:

 

1.  Immediate confession and repentance.  Sometimes, the key to chastening is simple: just ask the Lord’s forgiveness and there is no lingering penalty attached to it.  This what we are more used to as, when we sin, we confess it to the Lord, forsake it, and cleansing and righteousness are instantly available.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:22-23  Abstain from all appearance of evil.  (23)  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

2.  Lack of confession and repentance.  At other times, chastening and return to the LORD become more complicated because of continuance.  With David, this was one of those times as he cries out to the LORD but is in a terrible condition because of his sin.

 

Proverbs 3:11-12  My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:  (12)  For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

 

Hebrews 12:5-9  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:  (6)  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  (7)  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  (8)  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.  (9)  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?

 

a.  Recognition of sinfulness.

 

b.  Repentance from sinfulness.

 

Proverbs 28:13  He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.