We see a big contrast when a person understands that what is happening to him is of God; he will have a different view toward his experience. If someone hits me with a cane today, I may argue with him or snatch the cane from him. I may break it and throw it back in his face. I have not done him any injustice in doing this. However, if my Father chastises me with the cane, can I snatch the cane, break it, and throw it back? I cannot do this. On the contrary, we feel somewhat privileged that our Father would discipline us. Madam Guyon said, "I will kiss the whip that chastises me! I will kiss the hand that buffets me!" Please remember that this is the Father's hand and the Father's rod. This is different. If it were some ordinary experience, we would not miss anything by rejecting it. But this is no ordinary encounter; this is God's hand and God's chastisement, the goal of which is to make us a partaker of His nature and character. Once we see this, we will not murmur and complain. As soon as a person realizes that his Father is the one who is dealing with him, his feelings change. Our God is dealing with us as with sons. It is a glory that He disciplines us today.
Verse 8 says, "But if you are without discipline, of which all sons have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons." Remember that discipline is the proof that one is a son. God's sons are those who are disciplined by Him, and those who are without discipline are not His sons. A person has no proof that he is a son of God if he is not disciplined by God. The proof that one is a son is the discipline he receives.
All sons have become partakers of discipline. Every child of God needs to be disciplined, and you are no exception. Unless you are illegitimate, one who is adopted or bought, you must accept the same discipline! The apostle's word here is strong. All sons have become partakers of discipline. Do not expect to be treated differently if you are a son of God. All sons have become partakers of discipline. Everyone is treated the same way. Everyone who lived in Paul's time or Peter's time experienced this. Today this is true for everyone in every nation throughout the world. No one is exempted. You cannot take a way which no other child of God has ever walked. No child of God has ever taken a way that is free from discipline. If any child of God is foolish enough to think that there can be smooth sailing in his living and work and that he can be spared God's discipline, he is saying that he is illegitimate, that is, one who is adopted. We must see that discipline is the sign and proof that we are God's children. Those who are without discipline are illegitimate; they belong to other families and are not members of the household of God. If God does not discipline us, it means that we do not belong to His family.
Let me mention something that I once saw. It may not be that profound, yet it serves as a good illustration. Five or six children were playing rambunctiously together; their bodies were covered in mud. When the mother of three of the children came, she spanked her children on their hands and forbade them to dirty themselves again. After she spanked them, one asked, "Why did you not spank the others?" The mother answered, "They are not my children." No mother wants to discipline other people's children. It would be terrible if God did not discipline us! Those who are without discipline are illegitimate, not sons! We have truly believed in the Lord. Since the first day of our Christian life, chastisement has been coming our way. We cannot remain a child of God yet be spared discipline. We cannot receive the sonship of God without receiving chastisement. These two things go together. We cannot receive the sonship without accepting the discipline! All sons must be disciplined, and we are no exception.