Discipline Yielding Peaceful Fruit
Hebrews 12:9-11 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? 10 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. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
Children are commanded to obey their parents in Scripture (Eph. 6:4), and parents are commanded to discipline their children, that is, if they desire to please God and raise godly children. Since “foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him” (Prov. 22:15), and since “He who withholds his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently” (Prov. 13:24), godly parents must never “hold back discipline from the child, for although you discipline him with the rod he will not die. You shall strike him with the rod and rescue his soul from death” (Prov. 23:13-14). As a result of proper discipline, children learn to respect their parents and function properly in society.
The Hebrews author, after making this obvious truism, says, “Shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits and live?” If an adult can look back on his childhood and respect his parents for disciplining him accordingly, then a Christian should be able to recognize God’s discipline as divine love. For an earthly father merely loves his fleshly son through his own sinful nature. But the “Father of spirits”—contrasting earthly parents with the spiritual Father—loves far beyond what an earthly, sinful father is capable of loving. So if a sinful father can love his son/daughter through discipline, how much more so our loving God His children? “Shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?” (12:9). The implication here is that, if we do not submit, we might not live. This may very well be another allusion to Hebrews 6:4-8 and 10:26-27 where falling away from Christ entails eternal damnation with no chance to repent.
A father who loves his children will warn them, discipline them, and will test them to mature them into mature adults. That kind of discipline is transitory since childhood is transitory, but fathers who care enough for their children are appreciated for their efforts for a lifetime. Of course God’s discipline takes a giant leap beyond what temporary earthly discipline achieves. God disciplines His children to bring about their holiness, and holiness emerges from suffering and tribulations. But God is no sadist; He does not take pleasure in disciplining His children any more so than a father enjoys spanking his children. Chastening a child is desirable neither for the son nor the father, but its benefits are valuable. Those benefits for children include learning right from wrong, respect for authority, and most notably they learn about Christ and His salvation.
Truly, discipline is not something anyone enjoys, whether giving or receiving. As v. 11 teaches, it is scarcely enjoyable and mostly sorrowful. But the benefits are like a field producing crops at harvest time: discipline “yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” God’s discipline, though at times painful, produces righteousness in His children simply because He loves them.
Food For Thought
Someone once said in reference to discipline: “And so what do I say? I say let the rains of disappointment come, if they water the plants of spiritual grace. Let the winds of adversity blow, if they serve to root more securely the trees that God has planted. I say, let the sun of prosperity be eclipsed, if that brings me closer to the true light of life. Welcome, sweet discipline, discipline designed for my joy, discipline designed to make me what God wants me to be.” Wow! That statement can only come from a child of God who truly wants to be molded to God’s will. Let us learn to pray such a prayer so that we can molded daily after God’s own likeness through trials.
Children are commanded to obey their parents in Scripture (Eph. 6:4), and parents are commanded to discipline their children, that is, if they desire to please God and raise godly children. Since “foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him” (Prov. 22:15), and since “He who withholds his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently” (Prov. 13:24), godly parents must never “hold back discipline from the child, for although you discipline him with the rod he will not die. You shall strike him with the rod and rescue his soul from death” (Prov. 23:13-14). As a result of proper discipline, children learn to respect their parents and function properly in society.
The Hebrews author, after making this obvious truism, says, “Shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits and live?” If an adult can look back on his childhood and respect his parents for disciplining him accordingly, then a Christian should be able to recognize God’s discipline as divine love. For an earthly father merely loves his fleshly son through his own sinful nature. But the “Father of spirits”—contrasting earthly parents with the spiritual Father—loves far beyond what an earthly, sinful father is capable of loving. So if a sinful father can love his son/daughter through discipline, how much more so our loving God His children? “Shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?” (12:9). The implication here is that, if we do not submit, we might not live. This may very well be another allusion to Hebrews 6:4-8 and 10:26-27 where falling away from Christ entails eternal damnation with no chance to repent.
A father who loves his children will warn them, discipline them, and will test them to mature them into mature adults. That kind of discipline is transitory since childhood is transitory, but fathers who care enough for their children are appreciated for their efforts for a lifetime. Of course God’s discipline takes a giant leap beyond what temporary earthly discipline achieves. God disciplines His children to bring about their holiness, and holiness emerges from suffering and tribulations. But God is no sadist; He does not take pleasure in disciplining His children any more so than a father enjoys spanking his children. Chastening a child is desirable neither for the son nor the father, but its benefits are valuable. Those benefits for children include learning right from wrong, respect for authority, and most notably they learn about Christ and His salvation.
Truly, discipline is not something anyone enjoys, whether giving or receiving. As v. 11 teaches, it is scarcely enjoyable and mostly sorrowful. But the benefits are like a field producing crops at harvest time: discipline “yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” God’s discipline, though at times painful, produces righteousness in His children simply because He loves them.
Food For Thought
Someone once said in reference to discipline: “And so what do I say? I say let the rains of disappointment come, if they water the plants of spiritual grace. Let the winds of adversity blow, if they serve to root more securely the trees that God has planted. I say, let the sun of prosperity be eclipsed, if that brings me closer to the true light of life. Welcome, sweet discipline, discipline designed for my joy, discipline designed to make me what God wants me to be.” Wow! That statement can only come from a child of God who truly wants to be molded to God’s will. Let us learn to pray such a prayer so that we can molded daily after God’s own likeness through trials.
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Our mailing address is:
Harvest Bible Church
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Cypress, TX 77433
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