Hi G. Driggs,
I think you make a good point, so I looked to see what Ray has said about 'prison.' The first excerpt is from the article 'Gehenna Fire Judgment.' The second excerpt is from the article 'The Sermon On The Mount is for You.'
http://bible-truths.com/lake16-D4.htm -----------
"For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world."
And we all know what chastening is. We know that Jesus uses His spiritual "judging," spiritual "council," spiritual "Gehenna fire," and spiritual "prison," to chasten us and correct us and perfect us.
v
v
"For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment unto the Son" (John 5:22).
And so, The Judgment, the High Council, Gehenna fire, and prison, are the Judgments of Jesus Christ, and no one else. They are His SPIRITUAL JUDGMENTS. And since they are spiritual, few indeed, have even a clue as to what they are and how they are administered. Jesus said if one of His disciples is angry with a brother, they would be in danger of the Judgment. Judgment (Gk: krisis-Tribunal, justice, divine law). Jesus has such a tribunal:
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad" (II Cor. 5:10).
http://bible-truths.com/lake16-D3.htm -----
The first four judgments of Jesus in His Sermon revolve around "brothers" in Christ who "do the will of God." And even calling a brother "you fool," will bring judgment of Jesus on your life. But what about the last one-"prison?" Does Jesus put us in prison? Yes, He certainly does. I can personally vouch for this one, and maybe you can too. Sometimes we are put into a position where we just can't get out. There IS NO WAY OUT. We will physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually struggle for a way out, but there is no way out. You are in spiritual prison! And Jesus ONLY has the keys.
These four examples of Christ's judgments in His Elect can come in so many varied and over-lapping circumstances that it may be impossible at any given time to tell exactly which if any of these God is using for your benefit at any particular time. Jesus' personalized uses of judgment, high council, Gehenna, and prison, are obviously geared to fit each individual according to each needed correction.
I do believe, however, that those of us who have been experiencing Jesus' judgments in our lives, can attest to the fact that we can now recognize many of these "strange" things in our lives, as being judgments from God. Have you never experienced a "FIERY trail" such as Peter reminds us of? (I Pet.4:12). As badly as we want these trials to be over, we nonetheless, need to be reminded that these trails are good for us, producing "patience"&"righteousness."
Here is a Scripture that I continually remind myself and others of, when life gets a little hard to bear:
"Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby" (Heb. 12:11).
--------------------------------------------
mercy, peace and love
Kat