The Bible is clear that God does correct (Hebrews 12:5). But why does He do it? What is the purpose?

Hebrews 12 shows us that God always corrects out of love. He corrects to help us become more like Him, so we can enjoy the happiness and blessings that His way of life brings.

“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (verse 6).

If we are to be sons of God, we must be corrected by Him at times. That correction is a sure sign that God loves us and is dealing with us as sons. God is building His Family!

“If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” (verse 7).

Paul goes on to show in verse 8 that if God doesn’t correct us, then we aren’t His sons. God is working to make sons for His Family. But that requires becoming perfect like God the Father (Matthew 5:48).

Every time God corrects you, it is to help you become more like Him! God is helping you become perfect! God corrects us “for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness” (Hebrews 12:10).

But this process requires that we accept God’s correction and work to make the needed changes.

Verse 11 shows that correction isn’t pleasant in the moment. But we can be encouraged by the truth that God’s correction yields the “peaceable fruit of righteousness.”

Hebrews 12:15 contains a serious warning: “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” If a person fights back against God’s correction, then they are in danger of becoming bitter.

It is important to understand and remember why God corrects. God corrects to help people become His sons. And the sons of God receive an incredible inheritance!

“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Romans 8:17).

Romans 8:14 points out that the sons of God are led by the Spirit of God. A mind that is led by God’s Spirit will humbly accept God’s correction and change to become more like Him.

Consider the example of Job. After a series of very difficult trials and correction, he said, “Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6). Job learned to accept God’s correction and really repent.

Then what did God do? “So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning …” (Job 42:12). God loved Job! He wanted to bless him, but He knew that Job needed some correction first.

Job’s correction wasn’t pleasant as he went through it, but look at the marvelous end! And God is offering us far more than just increased physical blessings. God is offering eternal life in His Family!

Paul taught the Hebrews a lot about preparing to enter the God Family. To understand more about this topic, request our free book The Book of Hebrews: What Jesus Christ Is Doing Today.