聖經的重要信息：管教--神的管教方法
羅馬書八章8至17、28、29節
8而且屬肉體的人不能得神的喜歡。
9如果神的靈住在你們心裡，你們就不屬肉體，乃屬聖靈了。人若沒有基督的靈，就不是屬基督的。
10基督若在你們心裡，身體就因罪而死，心靈卻因義而活。
11然而，叫耶穌從死裡復活者的靈若住在你們心裡，那叫基督耶穌從死裡復活的，也必藉著住在你們心裡的聖靈，使你們必死的身體又活過來。
12弟兄們，這樣看來，我們並不是欠肉體的債去順從肉體活著。
13你們若順從肉體活著，必要死；若靠著聖靈治死身體的惡行，必要活著。
14因為凡被神的靈引導的，都是神的兒子。
15你們所受的，不是奴僕的心，仍舊害怕；所受的，乃是兒子的心，因此我們呼叫：阿爸！父！
16聖靈與我們的心同證我們是神的兒女；
17既是兒女，便是後嗣，就是神的後嗣，和基督同作後嗣。如果我們和他一同受苦，也必和他一同得榮耀。
28我們曉得萬事都互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處，就是按他旨意被召的人。
29因為他預先所知道的人，就預先定下效法他兒子的模樣，使他兒子在許多弟兄中作長子。
信息分享
然而神的兒女中，確實有部分有這個傾向。因此，神的引導便是要祂所有的兒女改變，讓他們的生命被模造成基督的模樣。
神用甚麼方法引導祂的兒女呢？首先，祂已經為我們樹立了榜樣（來十二2）。就讓我們定睛在耶穌身上！
其次，就是藉著祂的話語來教誨。正如詩人說：「你的話是我腳前的燈。」（詩一一九105）
此外，還有聖靈的內住和教導。「祂要引導你們明白一切的真理。」（約十六13）而且，神使用各種方式，使萬事互相效力，叫我們得著益處和長成神兒子的模樣。
那麼，我們的痛苦經歷呢？它是不是神管教我們的方法之一？是的，神確實會藉著苦難來管教我們，但並非所有苦難都是為了管教。
有些苦難是一種特權和榮耀，例如為主殉道，或為主受苦。
我們若要身體健康，就要遵循某些規則，否則便會引發種種病痛。
有些苦難能夠展示神的恩典，讓信徒藉此向人見證神的保守大能。
是的，神的慈愛管教有時使我們感到痛苦。當神要帶我們返回正道時，許多人有此經歷，神有時使我們身體衰弱，以致我們能靜心聆聽祂的管教（參詩卅二1-7）。
但我們必須緊記，神的每個行動都是出於對我們的愛。在天父心中，每個兒女都同樣寶貴。我們應該為此而感恩。
GREAT WORDS OF THE BIBLE: CHASTENING - God's Method of Discipline
Romans 8:8-17 and 28, 29
8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Message
God may have some who tend to be like that. But the very purpose of His training is to change and mould the life of every one of His children into the recognizable likeness of Christ.
What is involved in God's child-training? First, there is the example of his Son's life. (Hebrews 12:2) Let us fix our eyes on Jesus!
Then there is the instruction of God's Word. 'Your word is a lamp to my feet.' (Psalm 119:105)
There is also the guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit. 'He will guide you into all truth.' (John 16:13) Plus many other ways in which God wants to make everything work together for our good so that we might be conformed to the likeness of His Son.
What about suffering? Does God ever use it as a means of discipline? He does, but not all suffering is for that reason.
Some suffering is a privilege and honour, for example, the martyrs who have died or been tortured for their faith.
There are rules of health, which if you break them, will in turn cause you problems.
Some suffering brings about an exhibition of God's grace and is an example to others of God's sustaining power.
Yes, there is suffering that is part of God's loving discipline. Many have experienced it as God seeks to correct us. Sometimes He has to bring us low physically in order for us to listen to Him spiritually. (Look at Psalm 32:1-7)
But remember His every action is motivated by love and we ought to be very thankful that He is our loving Father to whom every child is exceptionally precious.