Cancer Blog #26
By Brian Zimmerman
Begun on July 31, 2021
Email: dyingman1@yahoo.com
My Dying Words
Entry #26
February 21, 2022
“27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. 30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.” (1 Corinthians 11:27-32)
“4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; 6 FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.” 7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom [his] father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He [disciplines us] for [our] good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. 12 Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble…” (Hebrews 12:4-12)
Paul warns the Corinthians in his first letter that if they examine (I take that to be the meaning of “judge”) themselves, they could avoid God’s examination as His examination of their sin would involve discipline. Discipline is no bad thing as it permits us to avoid something worse, viz., being “condemned along with the world.” The writer of Hebrews agrees with such an assessment of discipline. It is a fundamental prerogative of sonship. To be a son is to be disciplined so that we might grow in holiness, obedience to the Lord.
Death, as Paul makes clear in the Corinthian letter, may be a part of that discipline. That is how I have chosen to view my terminal diagnosis, as a sign of God’s fatherly love to help me to grow in godliness. Some may view that form of discipline as unnecessarily harsh, even cruel, but I would disagree. All discipline is to a greater or lesser degree sorrowful. But, as Paul makes clear elsewhere, nothing happens to us by accident:
“28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to [His] purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
That verse is quite often mistakenly taken to mean that when bad things happen to us, God will always turn them around and make all turn out right. But, I don’t think that’s Paul’s meaning at all. That verse comes at the end of his discussion of the Spirit helping us in our weakness and praying for us “with groanings too deep for words” (vs. 26). The following verse encourages us with the hope that tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, or sword, indeed even when we are slaughtered like sheep, we will be more than conquerors; in fact, not even death, can separate us from the love of God in Christ (vss. 35-38).
So, once again, death is not to be dreaded or feared, even if God is visiting us in death with His hand of discipline. Death can be used in that discipline to protect us, to keep us from condemnation with the world. Or, it might be used to purify us:
“2 ‘But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness. ‘” (Malachi 3:2-3)
“11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. 12 Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that [the limb] which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.” (Hebrews 12:11-13)
So, if you have been given a terminal diagnosis, rejoice! Now is the time for the painful discipline to train you and to yield righteousness in your life. Help others also under discipline to be strong and courageous. Walk the path God has laid before you, and do not falter or fail. You will be glad in the end that you did.
Next: Death and Its Effects on Our Plans for Life