Notes of Faith August 14, 2026
Rod of Discipline and Correction
He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.
Proverbs 13:24
Thomas Watson is one of the most quotable of all the Puritans. About divine discipline, he wrote, “Afflictions to the godly are medicinal.” Let that quote linger in your mind when you read about parental discipline in the book of Proverbs. You’ll find many verses exhorting parents to use appropriate correction to create self-discipline in the lives of their children.
Hebrews 12:5-11 says the Lord does the same to His children. Not every negative thing that befalls us is a direct chastisement, but every situation in life is an opportunity for growth. When we encounter sickness, layoffs, thwarted plans, and various other problems in life, let’s learn to ask: “What can the Lord teach me through this? How can I grow throughout this experience?”
Solomon wrote that to discipline your children is to show your love for them. In the same way, our Heavenly Father disciplines His children. When you receive discipline from God, take time to consider what He is trying to teach you, and give thanks that He loves you enough to do it.
Be chastened of the Lord … not condemned with the world.
Matthew Henry
Heb 12:4-11
4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 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;
6 FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,
AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."
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? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 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? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
God is holy, righteous, and does only that which is good! Therefore, discipline is good! I was spanked, not only by my parents but at school too. Imagine a school allowing such physical contact between a teacher or administrator toward a student. God says that those responsible for the children should administer physical punishment when it is needed to train the child toward actions that are correct and right.
God loves us more than we completely understand and rebukes and punishes us to lead us toward righteous and holy living. Let us respond with confession and repentance for our sinful choices and run to the loving arms of God, turn away from our earthly temporal pleasures and seek the face of God every moment, that we might be pleasing to Him and receive blessing after blessing for obedience. May you find grace and mercy as you walk with God day by day.
Pastor Dale