When God Disciplines Individuals
A Biblical View of Revival - Part 3
by James Pool, OneCry National Prayer Director
“On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding” (Proverbs 10:13 NASB).
Loving parents often use a number of disciplinary approaches in helping their children overcome willful disobedience. Sometimes, the method used depends on the nature of the child and what it will take to see that particular child repent and change their ways. Some children only need a clear, strong, verbal reminder of the rule that has been broken, and theysorrowfully repent. Others who are more strong-willed may require the application of the “rod” described above in Proverbs 10:13. I can testify through my own struggles as a parent that it is not always easy knowing the best way to discipline each child; but one thing I know with certainty is that our omniscient, loving God always knows the best method to use in bringing a sinful individual, church, city, or nation to repentance.
We must begin by underscoring the truth that God’s fatherly methods are always just and timely. They are also easy to recognize because they are often birthed out of the very nature of the sins being committed. An example of this is found in Jeremiah 11:10-11, where God’s people refused to hear His words. Their remedial consequence was that God then refused to listen to them when they cried out to Him. One of the psalmists understood this remedial approach all too well when he penned in Psalm 66:18, “If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” For Christians today, our failure to see prayers answered should push us to spend time with the Father, asking Him to reveal to us specifically if and how we may have failed to hear and obey His commands.
We see a great example of God’s discipline in the life of the patriarch Jacob. With Jacob, his character was faulty in that he often cheated and deceived people, even his own brother and father. In order to help Jacob understand his sinfulness, God placed him in the midst of some very trying circumstances with Laban, an uncle who was also a deceitful man. After serving Laban for seven years, Jacob himself was deceived when Laban gave him Leah for a wife instead of Rachel, the daughter he truly loved. Laban then had him work another seven years for the privilege of marrying Rachel (Genesis 29:16-28). Later in his life and after many other remedial lessons from the hand of God, Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, and God blessed him greatly (Genesis 35:9-15).
Another great example can be found in God’s dealings with Miriam, Moses’ sister, when she and Aaron inappropriately spoke against Moses. God heard her complaining and disciplined her by immediately covering her with leprosy (Numbers 12:1-15). Aaron humbly confessed their sinfulness and asked Moses to pray for her healing, which he did. By God’s grace, Miriam was immediately healed but was kept away from others outside the camp for seven days.
Notice in both examples that the purpose of God’s discipline is not cruelty, but correction. The father heart of God is correcting behavior, developing character, and cultivating righteousness, all the while demonstrating His faithfulness.
In the New Testament, you see God continuing this fatherlywork of disciplining His wayward children.As we saw last month, there were some individuals in Corinth who were weak, sick, or who had died prematurely because they failed to examine themselves and repent before observing communion.
Do you remember what happened to Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5? They both agreed to lie to the Holy Spirit by keeping for themselves some of the money they had pledged to give to the early church in Jerusalem. When confronted by Peter regarding the price of the land they had sold, both of them in individual settings lied about the amount and then fell at Peter’s feet and breathed their last (Acts 5:1-10).
Were these disciplinary measures too harsh? In answering this question, we again have to realize that our holy, omniscient God knows whether or not we will repent. In protecting us from being condemned along with the rest of the world, hurting others, or harming the reputation of His holy name, God sometimes sees that it is better to just call us home to be with Him.
Please don’t hear me say that every sickness or early death is the result of someone’s personal failure in repenting from sin. Many of the challenges we face with health, finances, relationships, and daily struggles are there because we live in a fallen world whose ways and activities have been influenced for generations by people who have been disobedient to God and His Word.
Still, what should a Christian do when he thinks he may be facing some type of remedial judgment from God? The short answer is, exactly what Jesus and His first disciples preached on a regular basis. We should examine our hearts before God and His Word and repent when the Holy Spirit reveals to us our specific sins!More on that to come.
Next month, we will explore what the Bible says about God’s discipline towardgroupsof Christians when their ways and deeds become sinful.