Bastards

One reason for many not caring for the old A.V. 1611 King James Bible, is its crude language…so they say. This was the same argument the people of Paul’s day used against his preaching. But though a perverted world uses such terms as vulgarities, the Bible presents them as descriptive. One modern dictionary gives the following definitions of the word: 1. Born of unwed parents; illegitimate 2. Not genuine. 3. Resembling a known kind or species but not truly such.

The writer of Hebrews tells the professing Christian’s of his day that when they sin, “If ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons.” In this twelfth chapter of the book of Hebrews, Paul goes on to say that such chastening not only proves our relationship to the Lord, but also shows our Father’s love to us, as well as making us partakers of His holiness. Therefore, it is not to be despised, nor should we grow weary when we are taken for a visit to the woodshed.

My mentor and dear friend was a man by the name of Joe Henry Hankins. He was the most compassionate and tender-hearted man I’ve ever known. Once after a sermon on how God spanks his wayward children, he was confronted by a woman who irritatingly told him she was a Christian, but lived like the world, and had never experienced God’s chastening hand upon her life. To which the old evangelist simply turned to our text and let her read it for herself. After reading it, she immediately left the church, telling people the awful name Dr. Hankins had called her; not realizing, as many reading this article, it is not I, but God Himself who calls you by this name.