June 2024: Being Disciplined? Be Thankful

Published on 06/01/2024 by Dr-Shirley-Cheng.

In this world, we're bound to have trials. This is the truth that our Lord pointed out. Our trials come in various shapes and sizes due to different reasons, and one of those reason is our own sins.

Many Christians are surprised that we continue to experience trials in the form of discipline when Jesus' sacrifice already made atonement for our sins. How should we respond or feel when God disciplines us for our sins? Does it mean He no longer loves us but is instead wrathful toward us? Let us consider these issues as we resume our study of Hebrews.

Hebrews 12 - Chapter Twelve of the Epistle to the Hebrew Christians

"Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, that you don't grow weary, fainting in your souls." (Hebrews 12:1-3, WEB)

"Therefore" connects what the writer's saying now with what he said previously, namely all the examples of old saints who had expressed true faith in Yahweh God. In light of the great "cloud" of witnesses (the old saints who had triumphed due to their faith) that surrounds us, we are to be motivated to follow in their footsteps. Some of them suffered severe persecution and other trials, but persevered onward by their faith.

To walk as the old saints walked, we are to cast off any weight and the sin that entangles us (such as the root sin of pride) as they keep us from progressing properly. Our "weight" can be any thing or activity that takes our focus away from God and His Word. Such activities can be watching too much television, wasting time playing with our phones or video games, or busying ourselves in other non-essential things. These things are not sins in themselves but they are time-wasters and should be avoided. Every such activity may be clean for us, but not everything is beneficial for us. Remember Paul's words! So if we find ourselves engaging in unimportant tasks too much, we should stop. These things weigh us down, hindering us from growing at a proper rate.

Besides weighty activities, we should put off our sins. Sins are the weightiest things in our lives. They can truly stunt our growth completely. They can even make us spiritually shrink, not just stunt us. They easily entangle us; like loose shoe laces or stumbling stones on the road, they make us trip and fall and get all black and bruised. The root sin that we must discard is pride; all other sins stem from this sin. Pride exalts our own selves, believing that we know better than God and that we can do fine without Him. It elevates our own will above His, as if we're smarter or wiser than the omniscient God.

Our faith journey isn't just a walk--it's a race, as both the writer of Hebrews and the apostle Paul described it. Yet, with our race, it isn't the speed that matters but how we arrive at our finish line. We are to run with patience, enduring our life's trials as we steadily move toward our destination. We are to keep our focus ahead, and the object of our focus is Christ.

We are to set our gaze on our Lord, the Author and Perfecter of faith. He was perfected through suffering, and as such, he is our High Priest who can perfect our faith in him. He helps us overcome our obstacles so we can arrive at our finish line as victors. Our Lord is to be our greatest inspiration. We are to consider how he endured his suffering in order to be motivated to endure ours and not faint in our souls or grow weary. Despite the shame associated with crucifixion, a penalty reserved for the worst of criminals, Jesus endured the cross because he focused on the joy ahead of him: the redemption of the world and his glorification. He was able to endure the cross, because he set his mind not on the cross but on the crown ahead. He thus triumphed the cross and sat down at the right hand of God. He conquered the world with a clear focus, regardless of the great hostility exhibited toward him by sinners and the agony of the cross. We are to likewise.

"You have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin;" (Hebrews 12:4)

As the writer pointed out, the original recipients had not yet been pressed or squeezed severely as the Lord or some apostles had. They had not encountered too severe a persecution as they fought against their sins. In other words, their fight had not been as difficult or severe as it could get, and yet they were already falling weak under the comparatively light load of afflictions.

"and you have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with children,
'My son, don't take lightly the chastening of the Lord,
nor faint when you are reproved by him;
For whom the Lord loves, he chastens,
and scourges every son whom he receives.' It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn't discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers, then are you illegitimate, and not children. Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? For they indeed, for a few days, punished us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised thereby." (Hebrews 12:5-11)

We're exhorted to avoid spiritual weights and sins that hold us back; but when we fail to take care of them ourselves, then God will take care of them Himself by disciplining us.

Why are we disciplined for our sins? Although Jesus' sacrifice atones us for our sins, it doesn't mean that his sacrifice is a license for us to sin with immunity nor does it mean that sin no longer has earthly, temporal consequences. Jesus' atonement means that we won't be eternally condemned for our sins, provided that we repent. It doesn't mean we wouldn't be disciplined or suffer some kind of consequence for our sinful actions in this lifetime. Divine discipline is one main consequence.

When we're disciplined by our Heavenly Father, we must remember Proverbs 3:11-12, which says:
"My son, don't despise Yahweh’s discipline,
neither be weary of his reproof:
for whom Yahweh loves, he reproves;
even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights."

These are the truths that the original recipients of this epistle had forgotten to live by. Apparently they had been going through trials in life as divine discipline for their sins and this made them feel discouraged, as if God no longer loved them. This, of course, was far from the truth.

We should not despise or be weary of Yahweh's discipline because first off, it shows that He loves us like a responsible father who cares for his children, and secondarily, it's for our own good, as the purposes of divine discipline are to help us repent, draw closer to God, exercise our faith, and to yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness in us after we've been exercised thereby. Divine discipline makes us partakers of the divine holiness. It makes us more godly.

If Yahweh doesn't discipline us, then it's actually very bad news! Take Saul for an example. After Yahweh confronted Saul twice for his sins and Saul refused to repent, Yahweh left him completely to his own destruction, no longer giving him any more chance to repent. What was left to Saul was punishment, not discipline. His death by the hand of the Philistines was his punishment. Yahweh left Saul alone, withdrawing His loyal love from Saul. This would be akin to un-adopting Saul as His child. Indeed, when wicked people are not disciplined by God, this simply shows that they are not God's children (Hebrews 12:8). Only God's children are disciplined by the Father in heaven.

We must be comforted when God confronts us to discipline and correct us. This means that we are God's children and that He is doing the job as a good Father and that He loves us, for God disciplines those He loves: "You shall consider in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so Yahweh your God chastens you." (Deuteronomy 8:5) When our earthly fathers disciplined us, they did it for the purpose of leading us in the right direction, even though some of their discipline brought forth temporal good. Yet, we respected their action and learned from their discipline, so how much more should we heed the discipline from the Father of all spirits whose discipline yields eternal profit for us! So we must never feel that God's discipline is a bad thing! It just means He loves us and wants us to be good children! It would be bad news if we receive no chastening from God, as that would mean He had left us!

Sadly, many Christians who experience the heavy hand of God's chastening wrongly believe that they are objects of God's displeasure instead of His love. The original recipients felt this way, and so the writer noted that they forgot the principle of Proverbs 3:11-12. They were shrinking from God's discipline when they should have embraced it. The trials they were experiencing in life were divine discipline for their sins. Yes, even persecution was divinely allowed to exercise their spirits and faith in God. But all this seemed to be overwhelming them, and they were perhaps thinking of calling it quits. They did not realize that their trials were loving discipline from God nor did they know their profit. So the writer admonished them to keep running onward in their race, with their focus on Christ who was perfected through suffering, reminding them of Proverbs 3:11-12.

Rather than feeling down due to God's discipline, let us be emboldened by His great love for us. Let us be assured by the fact that His chastening is for our own good. Through discipline, He shapes us into the people He wants us to be. He prunes us like a farmer prunes their plants so we can produce more fruits for Him. No one likes being "pruned," but in the end, it yields fruits of righteousness to glorify Yahweh and to benefit us, forever.

"Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that which is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord, looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it; lest there be any sexually immoral person, or profane person, like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal. For you know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for a change of mind though he sought it diligently with tears." (Hebrews 12:12-17)

We are to:
a) Strengthen those who are weak among us: We are to lift up those who are weary in life, those who are going through difficult trials, such as divine discipline. We are to make straight paths for ourselves and the weak so that we can heal, be strengthened, and move ahead with grace. We do so by removing any weight and sin that hinder our progress and by strengthening and comforting one another with the Word of God, such as what the writer reminded us of in Hebrews 12:5-11.

b) Follow after peace with all people and continue in our sanctification: We are to live peacefully with others and maintain and perfect our sanctification. Without our sanctification, no one could see the Lord in the sense that no one would be saved to fellowship with him. Our sanctification lasts our entire lifetime, ending upon our death or at our instant transformation at the Lord's return. We continue in our sanctification by walking according to the Spirit rather than to the flesh.

In our pursuit of sanctification or spiritual maturation, we are to be watchful of our steps lest any of us fall short of the grace of God. We fall short of the grace of God by resisting His will or abandoning our faith. Resistance of the divine will or apostasy is like a root of bitterness that troubles and defiles us and others around us, as our rebellious behavior can negatively influence others to make them sin also. It is within a sexually immoral person or any profane (unholy) person who lives by their flesh.

The writer gave one example of a fleshly person: Esau. Esau was a short-sighted person who "sold his birthright for one meal." He pursued after instant gratification without considering the larger picture. He let his hunger dictate his action. Later, he realized that he could not undo his foolish act. When Jacob "stole" his blessings, he wept bitterly and asked that his father give him some blessings but Isaac could not. He sought after the firstborn birthright blessings with tears in vain. He found no repentance, which means that no one could change his situation.

The writer's point and warning is clear to us: we must not give up the true treasure over instant gratification to satisfy a temporal need. We are to have eternity in mind rather than merely focusing on our present need or wants. We must be careful with our actions and decisions; we won't be able to turn back the clock to undo our errors. If we utterly reject Christ or fall away in faith, we wouldn't be able to find repentance; there would be no way to salvage what we lost.

"For you have not come to a mountain that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and to blackness, darkness, storm, the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which those who heard it begged that not one more word should be spoken to them, for they could not stand that which was commanded, 'If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned'; and so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, 'I am terrified and trembling.' But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels, to the general assembly and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel." (Hebrews 12:18-24)

The writer next used two mountains as an analogy: he used Mt. Sinai to represent the old economy (pre-Christian era) and Mt. Zion to symbolize the Christian era. The old economy instilled in people fear, whereas the new economy is more inviting. The Mosaic covenant under the old system was made at the foot of a burning Mt. Sinai, which shook and smoked due to the fiery presence of Yahweh's manifestation on it. His presence made the mountain so holy that no one, not even an animal, could go near it. If even an animal touched it, it was to be stoned to death. Moses had a boundary set around it so that no one would go near it and risk death. When God first ascended upon it, His ascension was accompanied by loud trumpet blasts, perhaps produced by angels. In likely a loud, booming voice, God spoke to Israel, giving them the Decalogue (the ten commandments). After hearing Him, they were terrified, saying that if they heard Him speak anymore to them they would die, and begged Moses to be their mediator, to talk to God on their behalf instead.

Unlike those Israelites, we are not approaching a fiery, smoking mountain and the divine presence to which we could not come near. Instead, we are invited to draw near to the living God at Mount Zion and the heavenly Jerusalem, which here points to God's heavenly abode, His heavenly city. We are welcomed to an innumerable number of angels that serve us, to the assembly of the firstborn (God's sanctified people) whose names are enlisted in the book of life in heaven, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of the new and better covenant, and to his atoning blood. We are thus to approach God, who is the Judge of all people, with boldness, not fear and trembling, because Jesus entered heaven with his own blood to open our pathway to Yahweh.

Simply put, in the old economy, there was always a barrier between God and humanity, to protect God's sanctity from sinful humanity. But in the Christian economy, the barrier was taken away, thanks to the precious blood of Christ, since his blood continually cleanses us.

The blood of Jesus speaks better things than Abel because Abel's blood "cried out" against his murderer whereas the blood of Jesus "sprinkles" us to make atonement for our sins, rather than crying out against us of our iniquities. The blood of Abel called for vengeance, whereas the blood of Jesus speaks of mercy.

"See that you don't refuse him who speaks. For if they didn't escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven, whose voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, 'Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens.' This phrase, 'Yet once more,' signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain. Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can't be shaken, let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:25-29)

Once again, the writer solemnly warned us to heed God, not to refuse or reject what He says. While He was on Earth, He shook Mt. Sinai with His holy presence and voice. Those who refused His words then were not spared of His wrath. Now, He is speaking from heaven through His Son; could we possibly escape His judgment if we refuse His words?

In the book of Haggai to which the writer alluded, Yahweh declared that He will shake the Earth and heavens. There, Yahweh had declared, "I will shake the heavens and the earth. I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overthrow the chariots, and those who ride in them. The horses and their riders will come down, everyone by the sword of his brother." (Haggai 2:21-22)

Yahweh will alter the world so drastically that it will appear to be rattling and shaking violently. Specifically, Yahweh will overhaul the entire governmental system on Earth. He will wipe out all wicked human rule and replace it with His righteous Kingdom. All the evil kings will meet their end, along with their military might. Wicked rulers will come to an end by fighting against one another as Yahweh ordains.

Previously, Yahweh "shook up" several empires: The Medo-Persian empire, Greek empire, and Roman empire, replacing them with their successive empire. But there will come a time when Yahweh will completely shake out all human kingdoms. Hebrews 12:27-28 explains that we will inherit a Kingdom that will remain forever. Human kingdoms will be shaken and discarded to leave the enduring things behind, replacing wickedness with goodness. God's Kingdom can never be shaken. It will endure for eternity.

Since we're going to inherit a permanent Kingdom that can't be shaken, we ought to go before Yahweh with love, appreciation, reverence, and awe through the divine grace that's given to us. We are to serve God acceptably, for He is a consuming fire.

Our problem is that most of the time, we don't deeply respect God the way we should. Instead, we treat Him slightly. This is obvious when we disobey His Word, putting our will above His will, as if we're smarter or wiser than the omniscient God. Our slight treatment of Him also shows when we use "God" as a common interjection, like when we say, "Oh my God!" Such behavior is inexcusable toward the King of the universe and should be repented of!

Highlights of Hebrews 12

Like an athlete on a race track, we must race ahead toward our finish line, focusing on our Lord who faced the shame of crucifixion by keeping his eyes on the reward of his obedience. As we run, we also should be motivated by the great crowd of witnesses of God. We're not traveling down a road never traversed but the same race that every saint takes.

To race effectively, we must shed all weights that slow our progress--unfruitful activities--and sins which are the weightiest. If we don't remove them from our lives, God will prune us through divine discipline.

God shows us His love and care as our responsible Father by disciplining us. If He didn't care, He'd let us continue on our wrong path to our own destruction. Discipline is how He draws us back to the race tracks. No one enjoys discipline, but in the end, we'll thank God for it when we see its fruit of righteousness. Thus, we must stay strong. Of course, it's better not to sin in the first place to be in need of discipline.

What is our finish line? It's the heavenly city of Mt. Zion, to which Jesus opened up the path for us by his precious blood that speaks of forgiveness and where a myriad of angels serve. It is the unshakeable, immovable Kingdom of God that will endure forever. It's not Mt. Sinai where people were forbidden to get near to God lest they die.

Indeed, we've already come to Mt. Zion, but its blessings are not fully realized in this lifetime. We must stride ahead till King Jesus returns to set up God's Kingdom on Earth.

Once we arrive at our celestial destination at Christ's return, we'll see that every toil and sweat we've ever experienced was more than worth it. Our current suffering, however bad it may be, can't be compared to that future glory. So take heart and race ahead. Focus on our High Priest who made all this possible for us!


~*~ Q&A with Dr. Shirley ~*~

Question: Paul told us not to keep company with sinners, yet Jesus befriended sinners, such as the deceiving tax collectors, and dined with them (1 Corinthians 5:9-12). Please clarify.

Answer: Let us look at 1 Corinthians 5:9-12 carefully.

"I wrote to you in my letter to have no company with sexual sinners; yet not at all meaning with the sexual sinners of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then you would have to leave the world. But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner. Don't even eat with such a person." (1 Corinthians 5:9-11)

In his previous letter, Paul commanded the Corinthians not to keep company with any sexual sinner. He now clarified that he was speaking of specifically a believer who sins sexually or commits any other sin, not to an unbeliever. If he meant unbelievers, then the Corinthians would literally have to leave the world since the world is filled with sinners of every kind. But the Corinthians were to stay away from their own people who sinned and wouldn't repent. Such sinners include the sexually immoral, extortioners, covetous people, slanderers, drunkards, and idolaters. They (and we) should not even eat with such brethren. Eating with someone denotes fellowship. We cannot fellowship with a professing believer who does not repent of their sins. We are not to associate with them at all until they repent. This is personal excommunication.

"For what have I to do with also judging those who are outside? Don't you judge those who are within? But those who are outside, God judges. 'Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.'” (1 Corinthians 5:12-13)

It's up to us (the saints) to judge our fellow saints. When we see a believer sinning, we must rebuke them. If they refuse to repent, we must have nothing to do with them. Judging outsiders (unbelievers) is up to God. This doesn't mean that we shouldn't rebuke our society of sins but it means that we're more responsible for judging our own people.

The fact that Jesus ate with tax collectors does not contradict Paul's inspired instructions. Jesus' mission when he came into this world was to bring sinners to him. He befriended sinners, such as the tax collectors, in order for them to put faith in him for their salvation.

But after Jesus was sacrificed, resurrected and returned to heaven, Jesus' people who believe in him must continue to believe in him and obey him. Paul was addressing these believers. If our believing brothers or sisters sin and refuse to repent, we must rebuke them for their sin. If they do not repent, we must not stay around them or eat with them with the hope they'll repent. Their restoration to God would be the aim of any discipline and personal excommunication.

Do you have Bible questions and want answers? Contact Dr. Shirley and she'll be happy to answer your questions by the grace of God.

Did you enjoy this newsletter? Then you may subscribe to Dr. Shirley's newsletter by filling out the contact form at the bottom of this page.

Do you have Bible questions and want answers? Contact Dr. Shirley and she'll be happy to answer your questions by the grace of God.

Did you enjoy this newsletter? Then you may subscribe to Dr. Shirley's newsletter by filling out the contact form at the bottom of this page.