sf1002 - When We Encounter God He Disciplines In Love (Hebrews 12 5-6)
Hebrews 12:5-6
Introduction
Summary Statements
God is perfect love. He proved His love once for all on Calvary.
God is just. His judgments are always right and fair.
God is holy and pure. He cannot tolerate sin.
We need to develop a healthy fear of our Holy God.
God knows we are missing out on the life for which He created us. Because of His love, God disciplines His people when we depart from Him and sin against Him,
Final judgments usually come after prolonged periods of sin without repentance.
God’s desire is to correct us so that we will return to Him.
When we do not judge ourselves and repent, He judges us. God’s disciplines will increase until He gets our attention.
God is merciful and patient.
1A. God’s Nature
1B. God is Changeless.
Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I do not change…
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
2B. God is Compassionate.
God is perfect love
1 John 4:8-9 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
God is gracious and merciful.
Jonah 4:2 …I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.
God is patient.
Nehemiah 9:31 Nevertheless in Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; For You are God, gracious and merciful.
Isaiah 30:18 Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
3B. God is Consistent
In His Holiness
Isaiah 5:16 But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, And God who is holy shall be hallowed in righteousness.
In His Justice
Psalm 51:4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight -- That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.
Romans 2:5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God
Psalm 9:7-8 But the LORD shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment. 8 He shall judge the world in righteousness, And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness
In His Righteousness
Jeremiah 9:24 But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD.
Psalm 33:4-5 For the word of the LORD is right, And all His work is done in truth. 5 He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.
2A. God’s Purpose in Discipline (Hebrews 12:5-11)
1B. God is motivated by His love for us (12:5-6).
True discipline is an act of love!
Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.
2B. God will only discipline His children (12:7-8).
No discipline - no relationship
3B. God’s discipline is for our own good (12:9-11).
Hosea 11:4 I drew them with gentle cords, With bands of love, And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them.
It produces life and holiness.
Discipline is painful.
Ø No pain, no gain!
3A. God’s Disciplines and Judgments Explained
1B. Two kinds of judgment
Eternal judgment
Rulings that separate God’s people to heaven and all others to hell for eternity
Romans 14:10, 12 …For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ….12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.
Temporal judgment
Correction and punishment that occur in this lifetime
2B. Two kinds of temporal judgment
Remedial judgment
Discipline or judgment intended to correct us and point us back to a right relationship with God.
Ø The discipline of the immoral man in Corinth (1 Corinthians 5:1-13)
Ø The discipline was effective (2 Corinthians 2:5-11; 7:8-13)
Final Judgment
Judgment or punishment which ends life or usefulness because of prolonged rebellion or severe sin.
Ø Final judgment on Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-5)
3B. Truths about God’s judgments
Judgment should begin with the people of God.
1 Peter 4:17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
Every deed, including hidden things, will be judged.
Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.
Jesus came to bring judgment.
John 9:39 And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."
God’s judgments are always right, true, and fair.
Revelation 16:7 And I heard another from the altar saying, "Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments."
God’s discipline is progressive (Leviticus 26:14-33).
4A. God’s Disciplines and Judgments Examined
1B. Examples of God’s disciplines and judgments
Natural disasters
Earthquake, volcano, hurricane, tornado, flood, fire, drought, hail, famine, insect plague, and attack of wild animals
Disease
Plague, wasting disease, fever, and leprosy
Human conflict or trouble
War, attack or defeat by an enemy, being taking into captivity or bondage, being ruled by those who hate, victim of crime, victim of immorality, bloodshed, increase in wickedness, broken human relationships, economic collapse
Whenever these things happen, God may be using them to discipline or judge a people.
Remember, no one is truly innocent.
2B. Ways God disciplines
God may refuse to hear our prayers (Isaiah 59:2).
God may withdraw the awareness of His presence (Psalm 13:1).
God may send a famine of hearing a word from the Lord (Amos 8:11-12).
God may remove the hedge of protection from us and those we love (Isaiah 5:5-6).
God may allow us to reap the full consequences of our own sinful behavior (Romans 1:24-31).
God may destroy or remove (Luke 19:43-33).
Application
As a result of God’s discipline, God’s people will cry out to Him for help. That is the goal of God’s discipline.
1. Why does God not take delight in the death of the wicked?
2. How is discipline a display of God’s love?
3. Why is God’s discipline progressive – increasing in intensity?
4. How can a person know whether something bad is a discipline from God or not?
5. How can a Christian distinguish between godly discipline and spiritual warfare? How important is it to know the difference?
6. In what ways, if any, do you sense that you or your church is being disciplined by God?