God Disciplines Us - Passionately Loving Jesus

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The Word of God clearly teaches us that one of the ministries of our heavenly Father is the ministry of loving discipline. God’s discipline is patterned after the principles of Proverbs 13:24 which read: “He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.” Discipline is evidence of love.

God as our Father disciplines us, who are His children. We may not like it, nor agree with how or why of it. God is just; Correction by a loving Father is more preferable than dealing with the consequences of my behavior later.

Discipline reveals how much God loves us. This is a clue into knowing our Creator God. A hard fact for earthly parents to grasp is; love is tough at times. Review below verses mined from scriptures to help us understand our God more clearly.

Why Does God Discipline Us?

“I am with you and will save you,” says the Lord … “I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you, but with justice; I cannot let you go unpunished.” Jeremiah 30:11

To Produce Holiness

God’s discipline is always good for us so that we might share in his holiness. Hebrews 12:10

To Teach Us

Psalm 94:12 – Joyful are those you discipline, Lord, those you teach with your instructions.
Psalm 119:67 – I used to wander off until you disciplined me, but now I closely follow your word.
Jeremiah 31:18 – I have heard Israel saying, ‘You disciplined me severely, like a calf that needs training for the yoke. Turn me again to you and restore me, for you alone are the Lord my God.
Hebrews 12:11 – No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward, there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

Finally, consider what Paul told Timothy:

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 2 Timothy 3:16

Discipline Leads to Life and Health

Lord, your discipline is good, for it leads to life and health. Isaiah 38:16

So We Will Not Be Condemned Like The World

1 Corinthians 11:32 – Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

And Because God Loves Us

Deuteronomy 8:5 – Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you for your own good.
Proverbs 3:12 – For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.
Hebrews 12:6 – For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
Hebrews 12:7 – As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Whoever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?
Hebrews 12:8 – If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.
Revelation 3:19 – I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.

The Cause of God’s Discipline

Proverbs 15:10 – Whoever abandons the right path will be severely disciplined; whoever hates correction will die.

Our Attitude Toward Discipline Should Be:

Gratitude

Psalm 119:75 – I know, O Lord, that your regulations are fair; you disciplined me because I needed it.
Proverbs 3:11 – My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you.
Proverbs 5:12 – You will say, “How I hated discipline! If only I had not ignored all the warnings!
Proverbs 10:17 – People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life…
Lamentations 3:26-28 – So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord. ²⁷And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of his discipline: ²⁸Let them sit alone in silence beneath the Lord’s demands.
Job 5:17 – But consider the joy of those corrected by God! Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty when you sin.

Acceptance

Proverbs 15:5 – Only a fool despises a parent’s discipline; whoever learns from correction is wise.
Lamentations 3:39-40 – Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins?Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord.
Micah 7:9 – I will be patient as the Lord punishes me, for I have sinned against him. But after that, he will take up my case and give me justice for all I have suffered from my enemies. The Lord will bring me into the light, and I will see his righteousness.
Hebrews 12:5 – And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you.
Hebrews 12:7 – As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Whoever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?
Hebrews 12:9 – Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?

God’s Discipline Leads to:

Repentance

O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your rage!
Your arrows have struck deep, and your blows are crushing me.
Because of your anger, my whole body is sick; my health is broken because of my sins.
My guilt overwhelms me — it is a burden too heavy to bear.
My wounds fester and stink because of my foolish sins…
¹⁸But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done.
– Psalm 38:1-5, 18

“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” Interlude We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.
We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.
And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you. Rescue me from my rebellion. Do not let fools mock me.I am silent before you; I won’t say a word, for my punishment is from you.But please stop striking me! I am exhausted by the blows from your hand.When you discipline us for our sins, you consume like a moth what is precious to us. Each of us is but a breath.
– Psalm 39:4-11

Isaiah 26:16 – Lord, in distress we searched for you. We prayed beneath the burden of your discipline.
Lamentations 3:39-40 – Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins?Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord.

Obedience

Psalm 119:67 – I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word.
Hebrews 12:9 – Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
Romans 8:13 – For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Therefore, if we would dig into the Word of God and live according to His guidelines, we would save ourselves from God’s discipline.

Rebellion will Lead to Judgment

Jeremiah 2:30 – “I have punished your children, but they did not respond to my discipline.
Jeremiah 17:23 – but they did not listen or obey. They stubbornly refused to pay attention or accept my discipline.
Proverbs 12:1 – To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.
Proverbs 15:5 – Only a fool despises a parent’s discipline; whoever learns from correction is wise.
Proverbs 15:32 – If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.
Revelation 3:19 – So be diligent and turn from your indifference.

Maranatha! Until next time, I am Passionately Loving Jesus, the Anchor of my Soul.