2.3.6 God's Discipline

2.3.6 神的管教

Shared by: Ming

Discipline may sound like a scary topic, but it is truly beneficial to us.

(Hebrews 12:5-13)  

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 when he rebukes you,

6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” 

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 

8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—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 and live! 

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. 

11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 

13 “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

We are disciplined because we are not illegitimate children.

When we were first saved, it seemed God answered every one of our prayers. It felt like our honeymoon period with Him. But over time, things began to change. It was as if we had entered the wilderness. Our relationship with the church started to deteriorate, and it seemed God had allowed circumstances to rise against us. As the years passed, some people experienced drastic changes in their lives. They fought their battles and entered their promised Canaan land, enjoying abundant and glorious lives. Meanwhile, others continued to wander in circles, still stuck in the wilderness.

Many people naturally believe that God, being loving, would never treat us harshly; He is always gracious. However, the Bible tells us in Hebrews not to despise the Lord's discipline, for He scourges everyone He adopts as a son. Do you know what "scourge" means? It refers to punishment with a whip. The Proverbs says:

(Proverbs 13:24) Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

Parents often hesitate to use discipline, particularly physical correction, on their children. However, God disciplines those He loves, so that they may share in His holiness. Who, then, would not be disciplined? An illegitimate child—one who does not belong to God.

The reason many of us struggle with discipline is because, often, our parents did not set a proper example. Our earthly fathers disciplined us in ways that were more about punishment than love. As a result, we were hurt rather than understanding the meaning of tough love. Let me share a true story with you. In China, there was a notorious death row prisoner who was granted a final meeting with his parents before his execution. As they cried beside him, he expressed a deep hatred for them. He told his parents, "Mom, do you know why I ended up here? Because of you. When I was five, I bullied another child and you didn’t stop me. When I was ten, I stole from my teacher, and you never made me apologize. When I was fifteen, I assaulted and robbed other people in the neighborhood. Instead of correcting me, you taught me how to escape punishment. From being a thief to becoming a murderer, you never disciplined me when I was young and reckless. Now, look at where I am." Sadly, this is a true story.

Discipline is beneficial to our growth

And I hope it is an awaking story as well, awaking to the necessity of discipline properly.

(John 15:2) He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 

Therefore, if you do not bear fruit, you will be cast aside. But if you bear fruit, you will surely be pruned. Branches are not meant to grow freely. In fact, shorter trees often bear more fruit.

This same principle applies to our spiritual growth. We may desire to grow higher, but a high position is not always a good one. God will prune us so that we are willing to humble ourselves. The spiritual law is simple: humility leads to an abundant life, while pride leads to a fruitless one. Unfortunately, many of us don’t understand this principle and tend to grumble. We might think, "You discipline us for speaking unkindly, but that unbeliever gossips all the time, lives a messy life, and yet still enjoys wealth and peace. Why should I be disciplined when they aren’t?"

I once watched a news report about a political event, and some of the comments caught my attention. That night, I had a dream in which unclean spirits of arguments, judgments, criticisms, and lies seemed to be coming out of me. Not only that, but God also warned me that if I didn’t stop watching such content, all my hair would fall out. I woke up immediately and repented, knowing that this was God’s first step of discipline toward me. If I hadn’t stopped, I would have faced even greater consequences. Let me clarify, though—it’s not that we can’t watch TV, but rather that God provides special guidance for each of us at different stages of our lives.

The purpose of discipline:

Discipline produces a harvest of righteousness and peace. While it may be unpleasant and painful in the moment, it allows us to share in God’s holiness. Therefore, if we want to partake in His holiness, we must be willing to accept discipline. But what happens to those who remain undisciplined?

(Psalm 73:1-8) 

1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.

3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. 

5 They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills.

6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.

7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits.

8 They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression.

(Psalm 73:12-20) 

12 This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.

13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence.

14 All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments.

15 If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children.

16 When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply

17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.

19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!

20 They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.

(Psalm 73:28) 

28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

The Process of Discipline

What is the process of discipline?

The first example can be found in the book of Exodus. After Israel escaped the hands of Pharaoh in Egypt. Who knows how many times they complained to God? Five times. The first time they complained, God parted the Red Sea. In the following instances, God provided them with water, manna, and quails—He responded quickly. But the last time, everyone worshiped the golden calf. How did God evaluate them? He called them “stiff-necked" people! At that moment, Moses took immediate action—he interceded on their behalf, and God relented, deciding not to send disaster upon them. The Lord made a covenant with them on Mount Sinai, but after that, the honeymoon period was nearing its end.

What happened next? The wrath of the Lord. It occurred ten times, double the five times during the honeymoon period.

So, what happened during those times?

(Numbers 11:33) But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague.

There was division and leprosy, and then the spies saw giants in the land of Canaan. Following that, there was Korah's betrayal and a devastating plague. Finally, Moses himself was implicated for striking the rock twice in anger. Moses had been loyal to God, but in his anger, he struck the rock according to old customs. His discipline was not to enter the land of Canaan, and later, there were plagues and other consequences. As a result, the Book of Numbers records the death of tens of thousands. The covenant made on Mount Sinai marked a turning point in the relationship between Israel and God. They were no longer spiritual infants. I want to remind you here to understand God's will when you enter into a covenant with Him.

The second example can be found in the book of Daniel. Do you remember Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar? Centuries before the story of Daniel, there was a prophet named Abraham, whose story is recorded in Genesis 11:31.

"Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there."

Ur of the Chaldees later became known as Babylon, and Haran was also a place of idolatry, which eventually became Assyria. Abraham did not cross the Euphrates River until after his father died. Babylon fought with many countries, including Egypt. It fought against Egypt and defeated it, yet God did not uproot Egypt and move it to Babylon. He only did this with Israel. Israel was taken to Babylon three times: once in the time of Daniel, once in the time of Ezekiel, and the third time, more than 500 years before the birth of Jesus, when the entire nation of Israel was destroyed.

The ten northern tribes were taken to Assyria, and now they are completely lost. Why did they fail so badly? Because none of the ten tribes had a strong testimony for God. Only the two tribes from Judah retained the holy testimony, and God promised that they would return after seventy years.

Babylon, a place filled with idols, became the location where God allowed the Israelites to go. Through this event, we see God's discipline upon them. A generation was relocated to Babylon when they were young, with black hair, but they returned when they were old, their hair now white. Upon their return, they established Judaism and worshiped only the Lord, the Holy One, from then on. For Israel, these seventy years of discipline were necessary and could not be shortened.

Can we learn from the Israelites? After reading this part of history, I felt a deep sense of sorrow for innocent Daniel. He was noble and talented, yet he was made a eunuch in the palace. The sins committed by Daniel's ancestors had to be borne by their descendants. Through this discipline, God intended to stir their passion and devoted love for Him. Our God is a jealous God.

We see the way of God’s discipline: Whatever you love, enjoy, or have a tendency toward, you will be returned to that situation for discipline. For example, I was once hurt by a business partner through deception and betrayal. My reaction was anger and pain. I forgave him and believed that I had overcome it. But three or four years later, I was cheated and betrayed again by another business partner. I was hurt a second time. I forgave and repented before the Lord. Then, after another five years, I encountered the same situation once more. This taught me that God was disciplining me on something. From these experiences, I learned to pay attention to repeated events in my life, as they could be the discipline of the Lord.

Now, if I recognize that this is God's discipline, how should I respond to it?

Mentality and reaction to discipline

We may encounter the following reactions to discipline:

1. Loss of all fighting spirit, depression, and a sense of being lost in life.

Even if someone has entered the land of Canaan victoriously ( walking into the kingdom-level callings or entering into the personal destiny), they must remain cautious. If they fail to maintain a holy life, they could quickly fall back into the cycle of the Judges, as seen in the Bible.

2. People who slow down.

In Moses’ case, he could not enter the land of Canaan because of a small mistake. This demonstrates that even great servants of God, like Moses, has to face more hardships and obstacles to serve our Holy God. For spiritual babies, God may not mind if they watch three hours of TV shows. But for someone more mature in faith, God does care! My example, of watching a half-hour news report, as I mentioned earlier. Some Christians intentionally slow down their spiritual growth—reading the Bible, praying during the week, and preaching the gospel only when the opportunity arises. To them, it might seem better to remain spiritual babies.

Soldiers fight in battles, and when new recruits are sent to the front lines, they often tremble in fear of losing their lives. Do you know what the commanders do to them? They fire shots close to their feet. For new recruits, running away is the worst thing they can do. It’s better to stand still than to flee because the fate of a deserter is deadly—one shot can kill him.

In spiritual matters, if someone retreats, his spiritual measure in heaven may shrink. A person’s spiritual life doesn’t remain stagnant; it either progresses or regresses. I once saw a brother who was spiritually mature and stable just a few months ago. However, after he had an affair, I saw him again recently and noticed his spiritual life had dropped to the level of a 12-year-old. In the spiritual journey, unlike in the material world, we can’t just choose to slow down or speed up at will, for God doesn’t wait for anyone.

How to properly handle discipline?

(Jonah 3:5-9) 

5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 

7 This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 

8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 

9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

Nineveh was on the brink of being overturned, but all the people fasted, wore sackcloth, and turned from their violent ways. As a result, God regretted and chose not to bring disaster upon them. This provides us with a great example of how to respond to discipline:

• Fast and pray: Come before God and seek Him with all your heart.

• Humility: The King of Nineveh humbled himself and stepped down from his throne. When others point out what is right or wrong, be humble and be willing to come down from your position.

• Turn away from evil: Stop doing bad things, cease speaking harsh words, and refrain from responding negatively.

• Give up violence: Only then can God change His mind and spare you from destruction.

The faith of the King of Nineveh saved the entire city. From this, we see the proper reaction to discipline. (Hebrews 12:11) “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:13) “Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”

Do not think that God has forsaken us; instead, love God. When God rebukes and disciplines us through others, do not harbor bitterness or unforgiveness. In the Old Testament, when Israel needed discipline, God used their enemies to bring it. They were oppressed by their enemies and often became slaves. Their response was to rise up and resist, but this led to them becoming captives because their reaction was wrong. When the reaction is like Nineveh’s, God will turn away from His fierce anger.

A harvest of righteousness and peace

Finally, the fruits of discipline are righteousness and peace. Are there any examples of this in the Bible? Joseph is a perfect example. His eleven brothers bullied him, threw him into a pit, and sold him (Genesis 45:5-8):

“5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.”

Joseph named his two sons. The first was named Manasseh, which means "I have forgotten all the trouble of my life." He was sold into slavery at 17, and his brothers mistreated him on purpose. If I were Joseph, what would I do? If I were Joseph, I would want to go back and take revenge. But instead, God had Joseph name his second son Ephraim. After God had refined Joseph, when he gave birth to Ephraim, he became prosperous. This is the message I want to share today.