One of the young men in our church read this passage last night, and I thought it would be good for me to think about it some more, in the context of child rearing.
And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:5-11
I’m thinking about it in relationship with Proverbs that talk about the pleasantness of discipline, such as this:
My son, do not lose sight of these—
keep sound wisdom and discretion,
and they will be life for your soul
and adornment for your neck.Proverbs 3:21-22
Is the Hebrews passage talking primarily about corrective discipline? If so, how should the statement that discipline is not pleasant at the moment affect my own corrective discipline? Maybe I’ll comment later, but it’s been a good thought for meditation.
May God’s Holy Spirit lead me to a correct understanding of discipline as taught in His Word.
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