I realise that not many people, including Christians, think of God’s rebuke and discipline as evidence of his love. Yet, that is exactly what revelation 3:19 states: the risen Lord speaking, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.”
However, the human’s nature is such that we hate being rebuked or disciplined. Hence, a pastor or prophet who rebukes and disciplines in God’s name does not attract crowds of people and tends to frequently lose church members.
It is important to understand that linking God’s rebuke and discipline to his love is the bible’s way of saying that God does it for our own good and spiritual safety.
God would not rebuke or discipline unless he sees us heading to destruction or having lost, or about to lose, our spiritual position, blessings or entitlements,…, or to warn us of imminent danger. The picture in mind is of a loved one about to fall down a cliff to her own death without realising it: How could I keep silent in such a situation?
See, the primary recipients of the words in Revelation 3:19 were the members of the church of Laodicea. They believed that they were rich; they had acquired wealth and did not need a thing (verse). This is a picture of a complacent, prayerless, not focused on winning souls and self-sufficient church.
What they believed seemed true to them, or may have been true from man’s perspective (in the physical realm) but the opposite was actually true about them from God’s perspective (spiritual). They were no match or threat to the Kingdom of darkness and were exposed to being invaded Satan. Spiritually they were hopeless and of no use to the kingdom of God.
Spiritually they were “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked”. That is a dangerous place for anyone let alone any church to be. Hence, the Lord Jesus rebuked them and called them to repent -that is, turn around 180 degree and go back to recovering what they lost spiritually- because he loved them.
Some us like to read parts of the bible that deal with God’s promises of blessings and protection, but we avoid the parts that deal with our weaknesses and shortcomings. We cannot handle being convicted, rebuked, and called to repent by the word of God. Yet, the latter we need more than the former because our weaknesses and shortcomings threaten our relationship with God and most often expose us to the thief (devil) who does not come except to steal, kill and destroy.
Unless God rebuke, discipline and call us to repentance, our spiritual weaknesses and shortcomings could lead us outside of His will for us and expose us to the destructive power of the evil one.
May God help us, in Jesus Christ’s name.
