The Discipline of God

9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!

10Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.

11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

12Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.

13“Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

No discipline is pleasant when we are going through it.

But, later on, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace, not for everybody but for those who have been trained by that discipline.

Verse 7 tells us to “endure hardship as discipline.”

Is all hardship discipline?

Is all hardship from God?

What kind of hardship is this talking about?

Endure hardship = ὑπομένω hypomenō = Greek only has endure = to maintain a belief or course of action in the face of opposition, stand one’s ground, hold out, endure.

from hupó (5259), under, and ménō (3306), to remain. To remain under, to persevere, endure, sustain, bear up under, suffer, as a load of miseries, adversities, persecutions or provocations with faith.

Discipline = παιδεία paideia = the act of providing guidance for responsible living, upbringing, training, instruction; it is attained by discipline, correction.

to punish for the purpose of improved behavior; to punish, punishment.

Hebrews 12:4–6 (NIV84)

4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

The sense is that listeners are not yet in mortal combat with sin.

5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,

6because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

The discipline that we receive from God is the hardship we experience in our struggle against sin.

This is a spiritual battle that we will be engaged in throughout our whole earthly life.

The discipline required to fight this battle includes the hardships of strict training, endurance, correction, and sometimes punishment to keep us on the proper course that leads to holiness.

When we are being disciplined, we may not be experiencing any peace. It’s during those times that we may be tempted to find a quick fix to get out of the unpleasant situation we are currently experiencing.

A person may promise you peace and safety, if you do this or quote this verse.

Proverbs 6:23 (NIV84)

23For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,

Proverbs 6:23 (Tree of Life Version)

23For the mitzvah is a lamp, Torah a light, and corrective discipline the way of life,

“Correction and discipline will show you how to live.”

The corrections of = תּוֹכֵחָה tôkēḥâ = rebuke; an act or expression of criticism and censure.

Discipline = מוּסָר mûsār = a lesson intended to correct a moral fault.

The goal of musar is always a moral insight or a quality of moral character.

Musar is used only of authoritative correction and discipline, never of counsel such as one might offer a superior.

Musar is basically correction, whether by verbal rebuke or by physical punishment.

The corrections of discipline, “the chastisement of musar,” shows that musar is a verbal lesson that gives chastisement.

The way to = דֶּ֫רֶךְ derek = way, path, route, road, journey; conduct, way of life.

a course of conduct.

Life = חַי ḥay = the condition of living or the state of being alive; especially healthiness, happiness, exuberance, energy, vitality, and the like.

The rebukes of discipline comprise the course of conduct that leads to true life.

Hebrews 12:7 (NIV84)

7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

This battle for a disciplined life is the hardship as described in this verse.

Our struggle against sin is the hardship that we are to endure (Hebrews 12:4).

Hebrews 12:10 (NIV84)

10Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.

May share in = μεταλαμβάνω metalambanō = from metá, with, denoting association, and lambánō, to take, receive. To take a part or share of something, particularly with others, i.e., to partake of, share.

to receive as one’s share in or as one’s part of; to receive a share in, to have a share of.

have a share in; receive; to share (partake); to have, give, or receive a share of.

God disciplines us so that we may take part or have a share in or receive his holiness.

Holiness is separation from sin. There is only one kind of holiness, God’s holiness.

The only way we can be separated from sin and thereby partake of His holiness is that we accept His discipline as a son.

Positionally we already are holy, because we are justified. But practically our holiness is just beginning, which is the work of sanctification—making us holy.

Hebrews 12:14 (NIV84)

14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Holiness is of utmost importance. Scripture speaks of both a holiness which we have in Christ before God, and a holiness which we are to strive after.

We are made holy in our standing before God through Christ, and called to be holy in our daily lives.

Ephesians 5:25b-27 (NIV84)

25bChrist loved the church and gave himself up for her

26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,

27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

True salvation brings with it a desire to be made holy.

When God saves us through Christ, He not only saves us from the penalty of sin, but also from its dominion.

The whole purpose of our salvation is that we be “holy and blameless in his sight” (Ephesians 1:4).

Ephesians 1:4-5 (NIV84)

4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love

5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--

To continue to live in sin as a Christian is to go contrary to God’s very purpose for our salvation.

Walter Marshall, 1692: “What a strange kind of salvation do they desire that care not for holiness....They would be saved by Christ and yet be out of Christ in a fleshly state....They would have their sins forgiven, not that they may walk with God in love, in time to come, but that they may practice their enmity against Him without any fear of punishment.”

Holiness is not necessary as a condition of salvation, that would be salvation by works, but as a part of salvation that is received by faith in Christ.

Hebrews 12:11 (NIV84)

11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Discipline = παιδεία paideia = correction, chastisement; Training, discipline.

Discipline, παιδεία is divine chastisement; it is every kind of chastening that comes from God.

Not all discipline is punitive (punishment for doing something wrong).

Educative discipline also involves the endurance of rigorous exercises, which trains the mind, soul, and body.

Painful = λύπη lypē = sadness, emotional pain experienced when sorrowful or unhappy; grief; sorrow.

A state of mental pain and anxiety; sadness, sorrow, distress.

2 Corinthians 7:8-11 (NIV84)

8Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—

9yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.

10Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

11See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

The discipline of the Lord came in the form of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians admonishing them for the way they were handling the incestuous relationship of one of its church members.

This letter (God’s discipline) made them sorrowful to the point that it brought about a change of mind, metanoia or repentance, which lead to salvation, sōtēria, or their being delivered or preserved from God’s judgment.

Wolfgang Musculus (1497-1563): “That sorrow of yours, which seemed distressing and bitter not only for you but also for me, see how useful it was for you and what exceptional fruit of true repentance it has produced in you.”

Psalm 119:71 (NIV84)

71It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.

To be afflicted = עָנָה ʿānâ = to be caused to experience great unhappiness.

Jon Courson: When do we learn the Word? So often it’s when we’re going through tribulation or affliction. When things are going well, we have a tendency to cruise. It’s when things are coming down that we make time to open up the Book.

By faith in the Father, the child of God learns under affliction to speak words foreign to this world.

C. H. Spurgeon: There is no royal road to learning the royal statutes; God’s commands are best read by eyes wet with tears.

1 Corinthians 11:32 (NIV84)

32When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.

Believers are kept from being consigned to hell, not only by divine decree, but by divine intervention. The Lord chastens to drive His people back to righteous behavior and even sends death to some in the church (v. 30) to remove them before they could fall away (Jude 24).

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 (NIV84)

24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.

27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Goes into strict training = ἐγκρατεύομαι enkrateuomai = to exercise complete control over one’s desires and actions; to control oneself, to exercise self- control, self-control.

to keep one’s emotions, impulses, or desires under control, control oneself, abstain; exercise self-control in all respects.

to resolutely control one’s own desires (which would produce actions); especially sensual desires.

to practice abstinence.

This strict training is designed to keep the Christian’s emotions, impulses, and desires under control.

Training or preparation is essential to being a believer. Those who fail to train will not win the race or flourish as a Christ-follower.

Training necessarily involves discipline and, at times, pain.

Disqualification remains a risk until the race is complete. Christians are called to a lifetime of obedience to Christ, not to a season.

The faithful runner will be rewarded with an eternal crown (2 Timothy 4:8).

Philippians 3:10–16 (NIV84)

10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Press on = διώκω diōkō = to move rapidly and decisively toward an objective, hasten, run, press on.

to move quickly and energetically toward some objective; to hasten, to run, to press forward, to press on.

13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

Forgetting = ἐπιλανθάνομαι epilanthanomai = to forget (suppress); to dismiss from the mind; stop remembering.

Completely forgetting: Like a Greek runner completely forgetting his opponents whom he is leading in the race.

Just as a runner’s speed is slackened should he think of those behind him, and the thud, thud of their pounding feet, so the Christian’s onward progress is hindered should he dwell on the past full of failures and sins, full of heartaches and discouragements, full of disappointments and thwarted hopes and plans.

As long as a Christian has made things right with God and man, he should completely forget the past.

Straining toward = ἐπεκτείνομαι epekteinomai = to strain, stretch out; to exert effort or energy to the utmost; conceived of as extending or stretching out to the full length.

14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Press on = διώκω diōkō = (same Greek word but a slightly different sense) to press forward.

to pursue to a goal, to press toward a goal; to strive energetically for some purpose; to strive toward a goal, to press on with the purpose of.

A strenuous pursuit of a goal.

15All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.

16Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

The two terms “press on” and “straining toward” connote a single-minded attempt to reach a particular goal.

Strict training is what is required for one to press on to take hold of the goal to win the prize for which God has called you heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 12:11 (NIV84)

11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest (peaceful fruit, esv) of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

What does this mean?

Is this promise or a harvest for all believers?

To be continued…

Related Media

Related Sermons

Earn an accredited degree from Redemption Seminary with Logos.