Discipline!

“For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He flogs every son whom He receives.” Hebrews 12:16

 If we are honest with ourselves, we don’t like to be corrected, let alone disciplined. When I was a child, I understood there were consequences when I was  disobedient to my parents. As adults, if we get pulled over for a traffic infraction we may receive a ticket. If someone breaks the law more seriously, it may cause the loss of their liberty by being sent to prison.

Our parent’s correction is more like God’s correction in the life of a Christian. A loving parent corrects for the good of their child. How much more does God, who loves us bring discipline in our lives when we sin?

The Hebrew and Greek words translated as “discipline”  in the Bible mean “instruction, training, rebuke, reproof, warning, and correction.” God disciplines those He loves because it instructs, trains, rebukes, reproofs, warns, and corrects us so we can mature in our faith in Jesus Christ. When a child turns 18 and leaves home they are not     under the authority of their parents. Parents roles change, and they become advisers and counselors.  That is not the case with Christians. As long as we are alive, we know that God will discipline us if we sin  because He loves us and desires for every believer to mature in our faith (Col. 1:28-29).   Christian discipleship is a lifelong learning process of following Jesus and His way of life.

Voddie Baucham commented on Romans 9:13, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” He said, “God showed His hatred or wrath towards Esau by not bringing any correction in his life, and He showed His love for Jacob   by the correction in his life.” Dear one, if you belong to Christ, do not fear correction. Embrace it, learn from it, and grow in your faith because of the love that God is demonstrating by bringing correction into your life.

Your shepherd,

Pastor Mark