The Love Of God's Discipline

Conclusion

While our struggles in the face of trials and tribulations, persecution and being corrected by the Lord are not pleasant at the time the key to enduring and being sanctified through them is by perceiving them as one of God’s ways He chooses to spur one onto continuous transformation that reflects His holiness. Even when we experience the excruciating pain of being disciplined by the mighty hand of the Lord we are not to view it as the punishment of an angry God on a wicked sinner but instead as the loving, graceful hand of our sovereign Father who wants to impart His wisdom upon us so that we might be equipped and molded to do the divine tasks He has graciously assigned to us. In the face of His discipline we are to rejoice that we are not being treated like His enemies whom He pours out His wrath but instead as His child and heir, expected and empowered to do great things in His name! Since we respected our earthly fathers for their often-flawed discipline of us until maturity, how much more ought we respect our Father who art in heaven who in His perfect knowledge of us and eternal love promises to never stop correcting and molding us until we reach the entire sanctification which will only be consummated in the manifestation with Christ in His glory? The glorious truth is that while God’s discipline is not pleasant at the time we are to persevere and rejoice that our Father does so that we might share in His holiness and in turn we will receive a harvest of righteousness and peace! So, the next time the Lord’s hand feels like it is going to break you stop, repent, cast your eyes upon Jesus and let Him fill your heart with the glorious truth, suffering is not in vain because the Good Shepherd always does good to those who love Him!

Sources Cited

John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (1990–1999) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2007).

Paul Ellingworth and Eugene Albert Nida, A Handbook on the Letter to the Hebrews, UBS Handbook Series (New York: United Bible Societies, 1994).

R. Albert Mohler Jr., Exalting Jesus in Hebrews (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2017), Heb 12:4–11.

R. Kent Hughes, Hebrews: An Anchor for the Soul, vol. 2, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1993).

Donald Guthrie, Hebrews: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 15, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1983).

Raymond Brown, The Message of Hebrews: Christ above All, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988).

Peter T. O’Brien, The Letter to the Hebrews, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2010).

Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Heb 12:5–7.

Raymond Brown, The Message of Hebrews: Christ above All, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988).

Philip H Hacking, Opening up Hebrews, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2006).