Hebrews 12: 5-6 says “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives”. Therefore, if you believe that you are loved by God, and indeed He surely loves you, then be ready to experience His discipline. For those who do not experience God’s discipline are deemed illegitimate children by God (Hebrews 12:8).
What does God’s discipline look like? The Scriptures teach that, God’s discipline produces circumstances, which we have to endure: “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? (Hebrews 12:7). The things we are to endure, for discipline’s sake, are described by the Scriptures as many kinds of fiery trials (see 1 Peter 4:12, 1 Peter 1:6-7; James 1:2-4). Again, God’s discipline is also described as something which can cause you to faint and loose heart if you don’t stand in faith and obedience (cf. Hebrews 12:5, Hebrews 3:12-19), and also as something that does not seem pleasant when we are going through but yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness in the end (Hebrews 12:11). By now, you may have realized that some of the fiery ordeal you are experiencing has got nothing to do with the devil, but with God merely treating you as one of His own. Even so, why do we have to experience the discipline of God?
The Bible has this to say: “…for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 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? 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” (Hebrews 12:7-10). And without this holiness no one shall ever see God (Hebrews 12:14). Being born again is not the end of our lives but the beginning of our lives in Christ. It is through the discipline of the Lord that we are made mature, perfect and complete, lacking nothing (see James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-5). All of God’s discipline is training for us, that we may fulfill our ultimate calling of being conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29; Hebrews 12:11).
In 1 Corinthians 10, the Bible gives the journey of the children of Israel through the wilderness as how God deals with His children. 1 Corinthians 10:11 says “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come”. Through this journey we are given a template for the Lord’s discipline. The Lord promised the Israelites deliverance from Egypt into the promised land, but they were faced with the red sea in front of them, and Pharaoh and his army pursing to kill and enslave them not long after they had left Egypt. While the people responded in fear and complained bitterly against Moses, Moses responded in faith: “But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent (Exodus 14:13-14).” And surely, God glorified His name by parting the red sea so that the people of Israel walked on dry ground, while the enemies of Israel drowned when they attempted to do same (Exodus 14:13-28). Again, while the Lord had promised them a land flowing with milk and honey, they were brought to a place in their journey where the very water they needed to drink to survive was bitter, and they again grumbled against Moses (Exodus 15:22-24). Again, Moses cried to the Lord, and the water was made sweet (Exodus 15:25). By these examples, we learn that from the place where God gives us His promises to the place where we actually inherit the promises, we go through a wilderness, where we experience the opposite of what God said (Rick Joyner). This is a place where our faith is tested. This is the place where we build faith and patience so that we can inherit the promises of God: “so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:12).
The greatest hindrance to being trained by the discipline of God and receiving His promise is walking in unbelief when those contrary situations to His Word and promises show up (see Hebrews 3:18-19). The purpose of God’s discipline is not so that we accept and succumb to the circumstances that are contrary to His Word and promises but that we exercise our faith to ensure that the very events of our lives change and line up with the Word and promises of God. This is how our faith is strengthened so that we have confidence and boldness at the appearing of our Lord (1 Peter 1:6-7).
To be continued…
Kwadwo Omari, PhD
© November 18, 2018.
Ayaya! Lord by your discipline, may I be made whole and complete, lacking nothing. By your discipline may I escape judgement but find your mercy!
Amen!!