Punishment Here On Earth

Leviticus 26:40-42: If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; 41 And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: 42 Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.

British Family Bible on Leviticus 26:41: And that I also have walked contrary unto them:

If they be sensible that all the miseries they have endured come not by chance; but were the just punishments sent upon them for their sins. -- Patrick.

Uncircumcised means hardened and impenitent. Circumcision betokens the mortifying and casting off of vicious appetites and affections. It is usual, both in the law and prophets, for those, whose vicious appetites and affections are not thus subdued and mortified, to be described under the character of uncircumcised in heart or ear. -- Dr. Berriman. -- they then accept of the punishment if they humbly acknowledge that they deserved all the punishment inflicted on them.

Family Bible Notes on Leviticus 26:41:

Accept of the punishment; feel and acknowledge that God was just in punishing them, and humbly submit themselves to his disposal.

John Wesley*s Notes on Leviticus 26:41:

If they accept of The meaning is, if they sincerely acknowledge the righteousness of God and their own wickedness, and patiently submit to his correcting hand; if with David they are ready to say, it is good for them that they are afflicted, that they may learn God*s statutes, and yield obedience to them for the future, which is a good evidence of true repentance.

Matthew Poole*s Commentary on Leviticus 26:41:

The meaning is, if they sincerely acknowledge the righteousness of God, and their own wickedness, and patiently submit to his correcting hand, and would rather be in their present suffering condition than in their former sinful, though prosperous estate; if with David they are ready to say, it is good for them that they are afflicted, that they may learn God*s statutes, and obedience to them for the future, which is a good evidence of true repentance.

There are two basic things that we can get from God here on earth, justice or mercy, punishment or forgiveness. The Lord does not always reserve those things until this life is over. Some individuals refuse to accept God*s just, fair and corrective punishment. They refuse to be corrected. I believe that there is a moment in many of their lives when they have refused God*s correction so often, so firmly and so finally that His corrective punishment becomes eternal condemnation. Unrepentance is like a shell that keeps forgiveness from reaching all the way to an unrepentant heart. The wrath of God abides on that heart and will forever.

John 3:36: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

When a sinner repents (accepts God*s correction) the wrath of God ceases to abide on him.

Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The fact that we are all sinners who sin is not the final problem. Rejecting God*s forgiveness and correction is the final problem. Without correction, forgiveness at its best could only last until the next sin and would not really be God*s kind of forgiveness. It would not be eternal. God*s corrective forgiveness reaches into our hearts and corrects the sinners that we were in our hearts. It also forgives and begins correcting the activities, the sins.

Luke 6:45: A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Jesus has the ability to correct the hearts and lives of men.

2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Without His correction anything and everything else is useless.

Galatians 6:15: For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

If someone refuses to receive the Jesus who will correct them, they do not receive the true Jesus.

We must understand that He doesn*t make us new creatures in our flesh in the same instant that He makes us new creatures in our hearts. The moment He makes us new creatures in our hearts, a battle begins that will last until the day our body dies or until the Lord comes. Until then our flesh will always be an enemy of God. Until then God gives our hearts power to control our flesh.

Romans 8:7: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Pastor McBay said it this way:

When I got saved, my flesh didn*t get saved.

The Apostle Paul described the battle this way:

1 Corinthians 9:27: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Philippians 2:13: For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

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