THE LORD DISCIPLINES THOSE HE LOVES

Passage: Hebrews 12:4-13

Key verse: 6

NIV

God Disciplines His Children

4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.(A) 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not lose heart(B) when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,(C)
    and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”[a](D)

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.(E) For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline(F)—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits(G) and live!(H) 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.(I) 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace(J) for those who have been trained by it.

12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.(K) 13 “Make level paths for your feet,”[b](L) so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.(M)

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Footnotes
  1. Hebrews 12:6 Prov. 3:11,12 (see Septuagint)
  2. Hebrews 12:13 Prov. 4:26
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ESV

4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

(A)“My son, (B)do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
    nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For (C)the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
    and chastises every son whom he receives.”

7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. (D)God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, (E)in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to (F)the Father of spirits (G)and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, (H)that we may share his holiness. 11 (I)For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields (J)the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

12 Therefore (K)lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and (L)make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint (M)but rather be healed.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Don't make light of God's discipline (4-5b)

Everybody needs training. Parents who love their children discipline them. God trains us because we are his children and he loves us. Life's hardships are God's opportunity to train us. Some people take God's training lightly. When they encounter difficulties they don't pray or struggle spiritually--they look around for an easy way out.

2. Don't lose heart (5c-9a)

We should not lose heart when God rebukes us; it is a sign that he loves us; we know that we are his children when he trains us with various kinds of hardships.

3. God disciplines us for our good (9b-13)

God's training has a point: He wants us to share in his holiness. Discipline is not pleasant, but it produces a harvest of peace and righteousness.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving me. Help me to grow in Jesus' image through your training.

One Word: God disciplines his children