People sometimes punish to exact judgment for past actions. God disciplines in order to teach and always in the interest of those whom he disciplines.
Max AndersGod is not naïve in the giving of His laws; He anticipates our disobedience even as He commands our obedience.
Max AndersThe heart that delights in God and longs only to see His glory advance will seldom be conscious of sacrifice. God in His wisdom asks that we first love Him and then live in keeping with that core value. He does not want His people to think of what they do as sacrificial, even though from the world's point of view it may be just that. Gratitude for grace of God will always be found near the center of the Biblical Christian's most powerful motivations.
Max Anders