Ephesians; 1:5 – The sons of God will be disciplined, part 2.

Sunday, May 5, 2019

The sons of God are disciplined by the Father.

 

Christ offers to all who are His the very spirit which made Him what He was. It is imperative that we walk in that spirit and discipline is sometimes our only guide.

 

Never forget, the same source of inward life which was always sufficient for Jesus to live in a manner pleasing to His Father, He has given to each of us who have believed upon Him.

 

HEB 12:5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

 

The writer then quotes PRO 3:11-12 (vv. 5-6), proving two things:

1) God disciplines those whom He loves.

2) Discipline is a sign of sonship.

 

"My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,

Nor faint when you are reproved by Him;

 

HEB 12:6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines,

And He scourges every son whom He receives."

 

We are not to forget the discipline so as to return to the errors that were corrected, or as the imagery the writer will use, we are not to reinjure the lame limb that was straightened.

 

We are also not to regard the discipline lightly.

 

“regard lightly” - It is a most terrible waste to possess the life of Christ and neglect it.

 

It is also important not to “faint,” meaning to endure it, knowing that it is being administered by your Father who loves you and will not overburden you, and knowing that it will come to an end and accomplish what God desired.

 

Be strong and don’t despair.

 

2CO 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves;

 

2CO 4:8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;

 

2CO 4:9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

 

2CO 4:10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

 

2CO 4:11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

 

2CO 4:12 So death works in us, but life in you.

 

Paul isn’t addressing Father-son discipline, but the principle still holds that when we’re afflicted, deservedly or undeservedly, we will not be crushed.

 

Giving up is a mental failure. Despairing is as well. There is no need for it when we know that our Father is the One in control of our affliction.

 

HEB 12:5 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;

 

HEB 12:6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines,

And He scourges every son whom He receives."

 

HEB 12:7 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?

 

HEB 12:8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

 

HEB 12:9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?

 

“Father of spirits” - emphasizes God as the Creator of the immaterial part of man; the seat of man’s virtue.

 

This is one of the many a fortiori arguments in the Book of Hebrews. If our earthly fathers disciplined us and it delivered us from evil, how much more should we respect the Father of our inner selves and live.

 

HEB 12:10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness.

 

The first product of divine discipline is an abundant life (“and live”). The second is holiness.