Over the years, many people have been traumatised by church discipline, while there are some who say that they have been helped by church discipline. There are even some who have vowed never to step foot in a church building again after they witnessed or experienced some form of church discipline.
But what does God think about the Church disciplining its members? Does God approve of it? Let’s see what the Scriptures say.
Hebrews 12:5 And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons? “My son, do not scorn the Lord’s discipline or give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts.”
Deuteronomy 8:5 Be keenly aware that just as a parent disciplines his child, the LORD your God disciplines you
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Psalm 89-30-34 If his sons reject my law and disobey my regulations, if they break my rules and do not keep my commandments, will punish their rebellion by beating them with a club, their sin by inflicting them with bruises. But I will not remove my loyal love from him, nor be unfaithful to my promise. I will not break my covenant or go back on what I promised.
Revelation 3:19 All those I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent!
Psalm 119:75 I know, LORD, that your regulations are just. You disciplined me because of your faithful devotion to me.
Psalms 141:5 Let one who is righteous strike me; It is an act of gracious love. Let him rebuke me, because it is oil for my head; do not let my head refuse it….
From the extracted scriptures, it is clear that God approves of discipline. But how does He mete out discipline? Scriptures yet again provide the answer!
2 Samuel 7:14 I will become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by human beings.
Isaiah 10:50 Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
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These Scriptures tell us that Cod uses men, even men that would be considered as wicked and cruel to discipline His people.
Jeremiah 51:20-23 Speaking of Babylon, God said: “You are My battle-ax and weapons of war. For with you I will break the nation in pieces; With you, I will destroy kingdoms; With you, I will break in pieces the horse and its rider; With you, I will break in pieces the chariot and its rider, With you also I will break in pieces man and woman; With you, I will break in pieces old and young. With you, I will break in pieces the young man and the maiden; With you also I will break in pieces the shepherd and his flock: With you, I will break in pieces the farmer and his yoke of oxen, And with you, I will break in pieces governors and rulers.
Humans can be “rods’ that God uses to discipline nations or people. Now that we have established the fact that God
is a disciplinarian, the question is: Why does He discipline?
Join us next week as we look further into this matter!
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