Discipline (Hebrews 12:5-11)
Hebrews 12:5-11 ……….. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, ……… God is treating you as sons. ………… If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. …………….For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.When a young boys baseball team travels to play in tournaments, the coach is responsible for maintaining discipline and order. This discipline teaches them to control their impulses and desires that tempt them to break the rules set by the coach. While there are consequences for breaking these rules, much greater consequences would result if there were no rules or discipline. Fathers are also called to discipline their children out of love and concern for their well being now and in the future. This discipline may seem painful at the moment, but children that have been trained and disciplined by their fathers reap the benefits for the rest of their lives. It does not take a multi-million dollar research grant for us to ascertain that children, who are not disciplined by their fathers or have no father, face serious problems in leading productive lives that take advantage of the limitless opportunity that our free society offers. One only has to look at prison and poverty statistics to see this truth. While secular activists and pandering politicians want to place the blame on society and everywhere else, the Bible is very clear about this truth. It is sad to see some religious leaders endorse every solution under the sun other than the need for fathers and discipline in the upbringing of children.
In Hebrews 12:5-11 God tells us that He disciplines the ones he loves. The discipline may start with the discomfort of a guilty conscience and a conviction of sin. If this does not turn a believer back to proper behavior, then the discipline gets stronger. This is painful for the believer, but the end result is the peaceful fruit of righteousness that results from the training of God’s discipline. This passage is clear that God’s discipline is only given to those he has called to be conformed to the image of Christ. Others are given over to pursue and participate in their desires as they see fit.
Praise God that he gives the elect the gift of tough love. God’s discipline benefits believers just like a father’s discipline benefits his children. Let us pray that our society would get back to the Godly principle of tough love rather than blaming the results of an undisciplined society on everything other than what God’s word reveals to be the true problem.
posted by jazzycat at 9:58 PM
7 Comments:
I agree with both aspects of "discipline" that you mention.
1 Timothy 4:7 “discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.”
June 08, 2007 11:35 AM
Great post Wayne. It's so sad (and maddening) to see the people in the church refuse to discipline their children. I have to bite my tongue SO much when I'm around these parents.
June 09, 2007 2:10 AM
Wayne,
Now a days, at least here in Canada, children are taught in school at a very early age that spanking is a no-no and if it happens they can go to their teachers. Children's Aid may then be called. Parents are afraid to use this sort of discipline and then you get the parents that feel they can reason with their children istead of setting down rules. I see more and more children running their parent's lives, and it is sad.
Prov. 13: 24 He who spares the rod hates his son,but he who loves him is careful to discipline him
Prov. 22:15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him
Children who aren't disciplined grow up rebellious, have no respect for authority, and as a result obviously won't be readily willing to obey and follow God.
God uses discipline to teach us and lead us down the right path.
Prov. 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom, But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.
I know there are situations where there is abuse and It sickens me when this happens. But, God does tell us not to spare the rod and there are some situations that we should not spare it. The outcome should be, where it brings honor to God because it is still done in love and to teach a child what is righ and what is wrong in the eyes of the Lord.
Being a parent is big job but can be a God Honoring duty if we follow what the bible teaches parents to do.
Cristina
June 09, 2007 5:02 AM
Jonathan, Dawn, and Cristina,
Thanks for all the good comments.
I think this passage points out the benefits of discipline for children from their parents and for Christians from God.
Since children are fallen and have a sin nature, they will head down a wrong path if not disciplined. As I heard Dr. Dobson say one time, they will attempt to be in charge and parents must thwart this hostile takeover or they will be in charge. This does not necessarily mean corporeal punishment, but it means establishing with children that the parents are in charge.
It is amazing that some seem to think that children should have a right to making their own decisions. IMO children should only have such authority as granted by their parents.
June 09, 2007 10:27 AM
Wayne, I am curious, have you ever had any back and forth with those who hold to Free Grace Theology on the subject of discipline? I am curious because I am wondering how they can hold to their theology and be consistant and take this verse seriously.
June 09, 2007 10:48 AM
Douglas - I was wondering that very same thing.
June 09, 2007 11:27 AM
No, I have not had any exchange over this particular verse that I recall. It is a passage that pretty much refutes their theological foundation. However, they are awfully good at spinning passages in a different direction. But they have to be, since there is so much Scripture that runs counter to their position.
June 09, 2007 5:06 PM
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