Molly had a recent post on discipline and the “s” word which garnered quite a few good comments along the way. And someone inevitably brought up the passage from Hebrews(quoted below) which reminded me of a post I did a long time ago on a blog far, far away. So in lieu of something new I’m going to repost it here.

The question, of course, is can we use the Hebrews passage as support for the physical discipline of our children. See what you think.

Heb 12:1-11 ESV
(1) Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
(2) looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
(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.

And here’s my exposition of sorts…

The writer has just finished talking about the nature and power of faith in chp 11 and how that faith expressed itself in the lives of many in the past. He then uses that as a platform to start exhorting others to apply those same principles in their own lives.

We are to cast off every weight and sin which drags us down, looking to Jesus, who has already endured the same hostilities from sinners that we will go through. We should keep our focus on Jesus so that we will not become “weary or fainthearted” - remembering that we have not yet suffered trials as severe as they could be.

So, in all of these trials and sufferings, do not lose faith. Remember those who have gone before you and the faith they exhibited. Remember Jesus and what he endured. With all that in mind, do you think that your current trials mean that God does not love you? Of course this cannot be true. The endurance of the trials is in itself the discipline. God is treating us as sons by letting us undergo persecution, hardship, etc. because He loves us.

If we did not undergo trials, it is a sign that we are not really God’s sons. And the discipline is ultimately for our own good - so that we may share in God’s holiness. Even if it does seem painful at the time, the ultimate result of the training is righteousness.

Conclusion : It’s easy to lose sight of the overall thrust of the passage when looking at single verses. The passage is meant to be an encouragement to not lose faith in God’s goodness in the face of trials. Do we really want to use it as support for the idea that we have approval to physically discipline our children? I think to do so is take away from the author’s intended meaning and lose the full impact of this wonderful passage.