Hebrews 12:3-11

Discipline is “For Our Good”

³ Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 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?

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

⁷ It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ If you are left without discipline, 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 the Father of spirits and live? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. ¹¹ For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

– Heb. 12:3-11.

To run the race God has set before us, this passage brings to our attention three things we can do to finish strong. (1) Consider Jesus, and what He endured; such hostility then the cruel death; in our struggle against sin, we have not been through that depth and extent of suffering; so, don’t grow weary and fainthearted.

(2) “Do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord.” When, for instance, the Word of God hits us and we feel the pain of conviction, or when something happens that is painful, yet God strengthens us to get through it – Don’t take that lightly. “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son whom he receives.” Discipline is for our good.

(3) Be patient, knowing that our struggle against sin – along with divine discipline – will later yield the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Let us run the race set before us, and be subject to the Father of spirits, and live.