Those I love, I rebuke... So Repent!

Dan A. Rodriguez Articles, Books, and Podcasts

There is wisdom from heaven right here. Yes, the kind that opens your eyes to the truth. This is even more important as we enter 2023. It is time to consecrate ourselves TOTALLY to the Lord. It is not time to have one foot in the Lord and the other in the world. It is time to be extraordinarily single minded and live right before God and people. The closer we get to the coming of the Lord, the more this is a must. Get the Word now. Get NOW the anointing, the oil of the Spirit. Get busy for the Lord doing His will, being a witness, and bringing salvation, healing, and deliverance to a lost and dying world.

Joy and blessing are here, so don't miss out on this important instruction.

Jesus warned and commanded the churches in Revelation 2 and 3. He praised their strengths and Godly activity- their works. but He held nothing back when telling them to wake up and repent.

“Wake up then, and strengthen what remains that was about to die, because I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Therefore, remember what you received and heard, and obey it, and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come against you” (Revelation 3:2-3 NET).

To wake up means that you get strength in the Lord, that you remember what you received and heard through His Word, that you obey it or act on it, and then REPENT if your actions are contrary to God and His Word. That is the wake-up call of the Lord! Jesus warned us that if a church doesn’t wake up that He will come as a thief in the night. They won’t know what hit them. It will be a bad day for them because they will not be ready for the coming of the Lord.

Please take a look at the parable of the ten virgins! (Matthew 25:1-13 NKJV) The five wise ones were ready to go and had the oil or anointing (or fire) of the Holy Spirit that brings holiness, consecration, deliverance, salvation, healing, prosperity, and victory in all realms of life! (Luke 4:18-19; Isaiah 10:27; Acts 10:38, 1 John 2:20, 27)

Here is what Jesus does because He loves you and me. Remember, that it is Jesus ministering and teaching here. It is not my opinion or idea. I am quoting to you what the Head of the Church said.

“All those I love; I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest (zealous) and repent.” (Revelation 3:19 NET)

The reason Jesus rebuked and disciplined these churches (Christians) in Revelation chapters two and three was because some were practicing evil things. “All those I love” will get rebuked and disciplined when necessary. Do you mean to tell me that LOVE will rebuke and discipline at times? Jesus loved believers so much that He exposed their sins for all believers to see through rebuke, discipline, and by commanding them to repent.

Repentance was not a suggestion then, and it is not a suggestion now. Love includes discipline, rebuke, and repentance. Get that straight in your thinking.

The message of “Jesus loves you” has been watered down so much that if Jesus rebuked or disciplined most folks, they would think it was verbal abuse and completely devoid of love.

Here is a message you will not hear often from the dead and traditional pulpits in America:

“Jesus loves you so much that He will rebuke, discipline, and command you to repent?”

That is my very good paraphrase of Revelation 3:19.

How much of that do you hear or read on social media or on dead church websites? How many times have you heard that from the compromised pulpits of the land? If Jesus rebukes and disciplines all those He loves, what is happening with all those that have not heard a rebuke and have not been disciplined by Him through their "loving" pastors or other "loving" spiritual people? They are missing out on a very real aspect of the love of Jesus Christ for His real and powerful church.

This message of repentance is extremely important in the love of Christ. Pastors, ministers, and preachers should love their flock by giving them warnings, and even rebuking them when necessary. Why should we be diligent to rebuke when necessary, to discipline, and lead people to repentance? Let me say it in the words of the apostle who wrote Hebrews (whom I believe to be Paul):

5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate (KJV and others translated “illegitimate” as “bastards”) and not sons. (Hebrews 12:5-8 New King James Version NKJV)

Isn’t that sweet that most modern translations soften the blow by translating “illegitimate” instead of using the harsher word “bastards”? The meaning is the same, but nobody takes kindly to being called a bastard!

Illegitimate children were traditionally called bastards, and in the Hebrew language they were called “mamzer”. If somebody called you a mamzer, they were probably looking for a fight! It was an insult to be called a mamzer – bastard, just like it is today.

The use of bastards in our text was meant to shock the reader, and certainly not to sugarcoat anything.

What did the verses above say? If we are not partakers of the Lord’s correction and discipline as children (chastening being the older English word), rebuke, and even scourging (serious spanking that starts in the spirit and only continues to be physical after people consistently refuse to repent), then we would be BASTARDS.

Should churches be only preaching sweet stuff that’s like cotton candy fluff? Is it right for the preaching be puffy marshmallow, weak, and sissified Christianity? No, preaching and teaching must be done of the solid meat or food of the Word meant to produce growth. (See Hebrews 5:12-14 in the AMP.) Even the milk of the Word produces some growth, but those churches concentrate on mush that is not fit for spiritual or human consumption! (1 Peter 2:1, 2) If fluff and cotton candy was all you ate in the natural world, you would eventually get very sick and drop dead. Could you imagine what is happening spiritually in some churches that only preach cotton candy and marshmallow Christianity? They are developing bastard children, and not real sons and daughters received by the Father. Is that something I came up with, or did Paul teach that in his epistles? We saw it in Hebrews, but where else do we see that expressed?

14 Do not be unequally bound together with unbelievers [do not make mismatched alliances with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial (Satan)? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said: “I will dwell among them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 17 “So come out from among unbelievers and be separate,” says the Lord, “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will graciously receive you and welcome you [with favor], 18 And I will be a Father to you, And you will be My sons and daughters,” Says the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Amplified Bible- AMP)

That entire portion of Scripture speaks to what I am writing to you about. God is interested in developing believers into sons and daughters of God that will take a stand against being bound to an alliance with unbelievers, partnering with lawlessness, fellowshipping with darkness, and agreeing with Satan! He is actively looking for believers that reject unbelieving ways and all idols! God is looking for those that will live separated from the junk of the world and refuse to touch the unclean trash heap of the world, the flesh, and the devil!

15 Do not love the world [of sin that opposes God and His precepts], nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust and sensual craving of the flesh and the lust and longing of the eyes and the boastful pride of life [pretentious confidence in one’s resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and with it its lusts [the shameful pursuits and ungodly longings]; but the one who does the will of God and carries out His purposes lives forever. (1 John 2:15-17 AMP)

The Father is looking to receive graciously into power and anointing sons and daughters! He is not looking for bastard children that want to do whatever the world does and whatever the devil wants, but those that will only seek to do the will of the Father.

The above is why Hebrews goes on to teach on why discipline, rebuke, and even some serious spanking are completely necessary for spiritual growth into sons and daughters of God that want to be used by Him to shake their world.

9 Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we submitted and respected them [for training us]; shall we not much more willingly submit to the Father of spirits, and live [by learning from His discipline]? 10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for only a short time as seemed best to them; but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 For the time being no discipline brings joy but seems sad and painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness [right standing with God and a lifestyle and attitude that seeks conformity to God’s will and purpose]. (Hebrew 12:9-11 Amplified)

Others preach the Word concerning salvation, blessing, healing, deliverance, or some variation of it, and that is excellent, but they do it without bringing correction and rebuke when necessary. That is not right and is missing a very important part of ministry to the people. Part of ministering and preaching God’s word is discipline and rebuke (2 Timothy 4:2).

Some say they are preaching only “encouraging” or messages of “hope” to their congregations. That is not enough. “Hope” or “heaven” preaching without this necessary element of discipline, spiritual spanking, warnings, and repentance is deficient and needs an “iron” supplement in the Spirit, because it is an anemic message. Jesus will rebuke and discipline you because He loves you, therefore, be zealous and repent! (Revelation 3:19) That is tough love, but it is necessary.

God help us learn that sometimes the love of Christ will demand rebuke, correction, spanking (that could get very physical when there is a refusal to repent), and heart-felt repentance that is demonstrated in real actions that are in accord with repentance! (See Acts 26:20 AMP.)

What should be our response? Say it and believe it, “Jesus loves me, so I receive His rebuke and discipline.” The rejection of that makes a person a real dumb-dumb. I am being nice about it. Proverbs cuts through the chase.

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof (1) is stupid (Proverbs 12:1 NET).

Jesus loves me, this I know, so I love discipline and true knowledge because I do not want to be like those that hate reproof and get stuck on stupid! As my Puerto Rico born (but staunchly American) dad used to say about right here in the old KJV English, “How readest thou?”

Wait a minute. What is “knowledge” according to the Scripture? Is “knowledge” profound revelation, revelation knowledge, penetrating insight, or deep understanding? Though those may be a part of it, knowledge refers to knowing God AND serving Him. Those that have knowledge of God forsake idolatry, immorality, and all that violates God’s moral commandments. Read the first six chapters of Proverbs to see that clearly taught.

The Hebrew language always understood “knowledge of God”, not as spiritual revelation or understanding alone, but as living for Him according to His Word-commandments. In other words, you know Him when you obey Him. Those that disobey Him and follow the world’s ways and practices don’t know Him, even though they call themselves Christians.

The Apostle John taught that truth.

3Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (1 John 2:3-6 NKJV)

THAT should be clear enough!

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NOTE:

(1) Brown, Driver, Briggs: correction, rebuke, chiding, chastisement, etc. See Strong’s H8433b for definition of this word “reproof.”

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The attached podcast is anointed, fiery, and truly eye-opening. It will shake you up down to your toes. I [preached this message at a church in Tampa in 2015. Let me know how this message affected you. Like it and share it!

Be mightily blessed through the anointing and fire of the Holy Spirit!

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Speaking of fire, let me let you in on some fiery food stuff. There may be hot sauce in Heaven, and chocolate! Please Lord!

Just for fun, here is a pic of my favorite chili paste and hot sauce.

I have tried MANY hot sauces, and so far, this is one of my favorites. It's hot and tasty, but they didn't make it weird or with odd tasting stuff in it. It is very good in my opinion. It's by "Pain is Good" products and it is HOT, but not so hot that you can't taste the food. Well, at least for me, but I like hot sauces to be really hot. Most I have tasted that said "hot" were at best mild for me.

There is another habanero hot sauce I like from Mexico, "El Yucateco- Salsa Picante de Chile Habanero". Good on the heat and tasty stuff.

I buy these in my neck of the woods in Florida at Publix supermarkets. I don't get kickbacks on any of this. Just sharing for fun.

Some of the hottest chile sauce I have ever experienced came from Mexico. I ate at a Mexican restaurant that had the generic hot sauce for its patrons, but the really HOT HOT stuff was available for those that knew to ask for it. I knew and asked for it, and man oh man, I really asked for it! Wow! The stuff was so hot that just a few drops was enough for a whole plate of food. Too much and you couldn't taste the food. When eating this stuff, out came profuse sweating and tears! My nose drained like a faucet and my face was red like a tomato! It was gross, but I couldn't help it with this stuff. This was made with some other kind of hot peppers. Definitely not made with habaneros, but some other peppers that were at least 10 times hotter. Glory to God!

Love you all in Christ Jesus!