“For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about–but not before God! For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” – Romans 4:2-3
Hebrews 12:5-7
“And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the LORD, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the LORD loves He disciplines, and He flogs every son whom He receives.’ It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?”
– Hebrews 12:5-7
Main Thought: In these verses, the writer of Hebrews is telling his readers that God does discipline those He loves. This principle, he reminds them, was established in the Old Testament, where both Job 5:17 and Proverbs 3:11 speak of God giving discipline to those that He loves. We need to be reminded of that in our present day when most of the time we think the love of God for His people has nothing to do with disciplining us, and somehow we think our difficult times are because God is angry with us. But the writer reminds his readers further down in the chapter that our earthly fathers corrected us out of their love for us for temporal purposes, while our heavenly Father is disciplining us for eternal purposes and for the purpose of producing holiness in our lives, and out of His love for us. If we are able to continue to sin without discipline from God, then that says God is not our heavenly Father (Heb. 12:8). Sometimes that discipline is gentle, when God speaks to us from His Word, reminding and convicting us that we have strayed from the path of obedience. Other times it comes more harshly, when the Word spoken by one of God’s servants cuts us deeply like the “Living Word of God” (Heb. 4:12), bringing sudden realization and conviction of sin. However, there are other times, when we have spurned the written and spoken Word of God, that God has to use harsher measures to discipline us. I am reminded of the prophet Jonah, who rebelled against God’s command to go preach to Nineveh, and God brought a fierce storm and cast him into the belly of a large fish before Jonah submitted to God’s command. The Hebrew writer’s point is this, if we are a child of God, He will discipline us when we stray from Him. We should take the admonitions of God and the disciplines of God as reminders that God does love us, does desire the best for His children, and will do what is necessary to produce holiness in our lives. May each of us recognize this, stay in His Word daily, confess our sins regularly, and not despise the chastening hand of God.
David Webber
David Webber is married to Mary with four children and four grandchildren, and serves as the Pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Longview, TX. He obtained a BS in History from the University of Texas at Tyler, TX, and pursued studies at Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, TX. Throughout his ministry, he has been an invited preacher and educator in numerous churches and various Bible conferences. Surrendering to the gospel ministry’s calling in 1972 at the age of 16, he received preaching licensure from Little Flock Baptist Church in Longview, Texas, in 1974. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in History from the University of Texas at Tyler in 1978, he was ordained in December of 1980 by Faith Baptist Church. Following this, he contributed his services to Faith Baptist in Longview and subsequently engaged with Grace Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas, where he instructed Sunday School and delivered sermons as needed. In February of 1994, Faith Baptist invited him to lead as their pastor, a role he has faithfully held to the present day. David writes a blog for the church website and is a writer for The Art of Worship.
More from David Webber
Romans 4:2-3
Psalm 92:8
“But You are on high forever, O Yahweh.” – Psalm 92:8
John 11:25-27
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die–ever. Do you believe this?’ She (Martha) said to Him, ‘Yes Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, the One who comes into the world.” – John 11:25-27
John 8:23-24
“And He was saying to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above. You are of this world, I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am His, you will die in your sins.” – John 8:23-24
John 6:39-40
“Now this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” – John 6:39-40
John 2:18-21
“The Jews then said to Him, ‘What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘It took forty-six years to build this sanctuary, and will You raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking about the sanctuary of His body.” – John 2:18-21
John 1:14
“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14
Psalm 85:6
“Will You not Yourself return to revive us, that your people may be glad in You?” – Psalm 85:6
Psalm 86:1 and 86:5
“Incline your ear, O Yahweh, and answer me; For I am afflicted and needy…For You, Lord, are good, and by nature forgiving, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.” – Psalm 86:1 and 86:5
John 14:19
“After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me, because I live, you will live also.” – John 14:19