Discipline
Discipline shapes a person’s character and helps them to behave correctly. The
word comes from a Latin word meaning “instruction” or “training”. The biblical
concept of discipline has both a positive side (instruction, knowledge, and training)
and a negative aspect (correction, punishment, and reproof). Those who refuse to
submit to God’s positive discipline to obeying His law will experience God’s negative
discipline through His wrath and judgment.
It takes discipline to have a real walk with God. You have to discipline yourself to
study the word of God, the Bible tells us to “study to show yourself approved to God,
a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II
Timothy 2:15); see also of (study on studying is not just reading); to spend time
praising and praying, “we enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts
with praise, be thankful to Him and bless His name” (Psalms 100:4-5); spend time
fasting and meditating upon the word of God (Proverbs 4:20-23) “my son, attend to
my words, incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes, keep
them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those that find them, and health
to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it, are the issues of
life”. Jesus says “if you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what
you will, and it shall be done to you” (John 15:7). A disciple is a discipline one; and
we are told to make disciples. Jesus said “if you continue in My words then are you
My disciple indeed and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free”
(John 8:31-32). One has to die to self-will and commit them selves to the will of
God. In other words set aside your own will and decide to follow His will. Jesus said
“for I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent
Me” (John 6:38). Jesus lived His life according to God’s plan.
We have to see God’s vision for our life. Hosea 4:6 says “My people perish for lack
of knowledge”; Proverbs 29:18 says “where there is no vision, the people perish, but
he that keeps the law, happy is he”. Paul prayed for the church in Ephesus
(Ephesians 1:17-19) “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. The
eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope
of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. And
what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe according to
the working of His mighty power”. Jesus prayed in the garden “saying, Father, if
You be willing, remove this cup from Me, nevertheless not My will, but Yours be
done” (Luke 22:42). You have to have a willingness to follow God’s will and way.
God’s will is His word. James says “submit yourself therefore to God, resist the
devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you”
(James 4:7-8a). We have to spend time in God’s presence; studying His word.
Self-discipline is an important concept, because Jesus came, Christians have been
set free from “the law of sin and death”, and have “the law of the Spirit of life in
Jesus Christ” (Romans 8:1-8) to change our inner selves so that we can fulfill God’s
law. The indwelling Spirit of God enables believers to exercise self-discipline.
Spiritual transformation is accompanied by renewal of the mind (Romans 12:1-2),
which brings us a new understanding of our selves, our motivations, and our
attitudes. The Bible tells us “judge your self and you will not be judged”
Paul says in I Corinthians 9:27 “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection,
less that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-
away”. We are told to put off the old man and to put on the new man (Ephesians 4:
22-25) “that you put off concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is
corrupt according to the deceitful lust. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
And that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and
true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his
neighbor, for we are members one of another”.
The result of discipline is knowledge (Proverbs 12:1) “whoso loves instruction loves
knowledge, but he that hates reproof is brutish”. One who is disciplined is “blessed”
(Psalm 94:12) “blessed is the man whom You chasten, O, Lord Yahweh and teaches
him out of Your law”. Being discipline is called “the way of life” (Proverbs 6:23) “for
the commandment is a lamp and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the
way of life”; James says “be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
you own selves, but whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues
therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be
blessed in his deeds” (James 1:22,25). It saves one from destruction and allows
one to escape both folly and God’s condemnation of the world (I Corinthians 11:32)
“but when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be
condemned with the world”. It helps us learn to share God’s holiness, the book of
Hebrews urges its readers to learn from discipline rather than reacting against it
(Hebrews 12:5), discipline is important, and we shouldn’t laugh at it. On the other
hand, we should not lose courage when we are punished by the Lord, we shouldn’t
be so preoccupied by our punishment that we give up hope (Hebrew 12:7) “if you
endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the
father chastens not?” and gives us “the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Hebrews
12:11) “now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous,
nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them which
are exercised thereby”. We are told to be filled with the Spirit, the Spirit is the one
who teaches us all truth, enabling us to live this life.
People fear discipline from God, but it is His wrath that should be feared. His wrath
is directed only against those who have proved themselves to be God’s enemies.
God’s discipline is different from His wrath and should not be feared or taken for
granted. God’s disciplines His people as a loving father disciplines a beloved son.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: July 24, 2007
Discipline shapes a person’s character and helps them to behave correctly. The
word comes from a Latin word meaning “instruction” or “training”. The biblical
concept of discipline has both a positive side (instruction, knowledge, and training)
and a negative aspect (correction, punishment, and reproof). Those who refuse to
submit to God’s positive discipline to obeying His law will experience God’s negative
discipline through His wrath and judgment.
It takes discipline to have a real walk with God. You have to discipline yourself to
study the word of God, the Bible tells us to “study to show yourself approved to God,
a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II
Timothy 2:15); see also of (study on studying is not just reading); to spend time
praising and praying, “we enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts
with praise, be thankful to Him and bless His name” (Psalms 100:4-5); spend time
fasting and meditating upon the word of God (Proverbs 4:20-23) “my son, attend to
my words, incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes, keep
them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those that find them, and health
to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it, are the issues of
life”. Jesus says “if you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what
you will, and it shall be done to you” (John 15:7). A disciple is a discipline one; and
we are told to make disciples. Jesus said “if you continue in My words then are you
My disciple indeed and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free”
(John 8:31-32). One has to die to self-will and commit them selves to the will of
God. In other words set aside your own will and decide to follow His will. Jesus said
“for I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent
Me” (John 6:38). Jesus lived His life according to God’s plan.
We have to see God’s vision for our life. Hosea 4:6 says “My people perish for lack
of knowledge”; Proverbs 29:18 says “where there is no vision, the people perish, but
he that keeps the law, happy is he”. Paul prayed for the church in Ephesus
(Ephesians 1:17-19) “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. The
eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope
of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. And
what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe according to
the working of His mighty power”. Jesus prayed in the garden “saying, Father, if
You be willing, remove this cup from Me, nevertheless not My will, but Yours be
done” (Luke 22:42). You have to have a willingness to follow God’s will and way.
God’s will is His word. James says “submit yourself therefore to God, resist the
devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you”
(James 4:7-8a). We have to spend time in God’s presence; studying His word.
Self-discipline is an important concept, because Jesus came, Christians have been
set free from “the law of sin and death”, and have “the law of the Spirit of life in
Jesus Christ” (Romans 8:1-8) to change our inner selves so that we can fulfill God’s
law. The indwelling Spirit of God enables believers to exercise self-discipline.
Spiritual transformation is accompanied by renewal of the mind (Romans 12:1-2),
which brings us a new understanding of our selves, our motivations, and our
attitudes. The Bible tells us “judge your self and you will not be judged”
Paul says in I Corinthians 9:27 “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection,
less that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-
away”. We are told to put off the old man and to put on the new man (Ephesians 4:
22-25) “that you put off concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is
corrupt according to the deceitful lust. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
And that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and
true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his
neighbor, for we are members one of another”.
The result of discipline is knowledge (Proverbs 12:1) “whoso loves instruction loves
knowledge, but he that hates reproof is brutish”. One who is disciplined is “blessed”
(Psalm 94:12) “blessed is the man whom You chasten, O, Lord Yahweh and teaches
him out of Your law”. Being discipline is called “the way of life” (Proverbs 6:23) “for
the commandment is a lamp and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the
way of life”; James says “be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
you own selves, but whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues
therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be
blessed in his deeds” (James 1:22,25). It saves one from destruction and allows
one to escape both folly and God’s condemnation of the world (I Corinthians 11:32)
“but when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be
condemned with the world”. It helps us learn to share God’s holiness, the book of
Hebrews urges its readers to learn from discipline rather than reacting against it
(Hebrews 12:5), discipline is important, and we shouldn’t laugh at it. On the other
hand, we should not lose courage when we are punished by the Lord, we shouldn’t
be so preoccupied by our punishment that we give up hope (Hebrew 12:7) “if you
endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the
father chastens not?” and gives us “the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Hebrews
12:11) “now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous,
nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them which
are exercised thereby”. We are told to be filled with the Spirit, the Spirit is the one
who teaches us all truth, enabling us to live this life.
People fear discipline from God, but it is His wrath that should be feared. His wrath
is directed only against those who have proved themselves to be God’s enemies.
God’s discipline is different from His wrath and should not be feared or taken for
granted. God’s disciplines His people as a loving father disciplines a beloved son.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: July 24, 2007
