Hebrews 12:5
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
The verse speaks an exhortation to believers as children that must not be forgotten, calling them neither to treat the Lord's discipline and rebuke lightly with contempt, resentment or surprise, nor to lose heart, grow weary, complain or give up under correction. His chastening is a Father's loving care to save His children and not hatred, and enduring it proves He is dealing with them as sons and daughters whom He loves and receives, for every true son is corrected. He corrects those who go astray to reveal defects, expose sin and separate them from wickedness, so they may learn, be refined and sanctified, grow in holiness and be guided toward salvation, and though grievous for the present it afterward yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness in those trained by it. The discipline He sends is for present happiness and future good, the greatest blessing to His wayward children, and even when the way is dark and trials loosen attachment to earthly things, they are not forsaken, for He looks on them with compassion and leads them no otherwise than they would choose if they could see the end from the beginning. His children are therefore to submit to His control, endure without fainting, complaining or stubborn hardness, and learn its lessons in meekness, lowliness and complete obedience, remaining teachable so He can mold and prepare them continually for trust, deliverance and service.
Words and Context
The counsel is addressed to believers as children, and it is not to slip from memory. Forgetting it leaves the heart unprepared for correction, while remembering it keeps sonship and fatherly care in view.
To despise chastening is to make light of discipline and rebuke rather than taking it seriously. It also includes meeting correction with contempt, resentment, and surprised complaint as if something strange had happened. Such reactions treat a Father's care as an injury instead of training for those received as sons and daughters.
Not to faint under rebuke means not to lose heart, give up, or sink into despair when corrected. It means not growing weary, complaining, or becoming discouraged under the pressure of reproof. It also means refusing to turn hard-hearted and stubborn, insisting on one's own will and course instead of becoming meek, lowly, and teachable.
The exhortation stands within the call to lay aside every weight and the easily besetting sin and to run the appointed race with patience. That running is done by looking to Jesus as the author and finisher of faith, who endured the cross and despised the shame and sat down at the right hand of God. Believers are to consider His endurance of opposition from sinners so they do not grow weary and faint in mind. The reminder is added that striving against sin has not yet cost blood.
Purpose of Fatherly Discipline
The Lord's rebuke and chastening are the care of a Father for His children, given in love to save them and not in hatred. They are not to be despised or treated as cause for losing heart, for enduring them is part of being loved, received, and dealt with as sons and daughters. Every true son is corrected, so endurance under correction proves sonship and that God is dealing with believers as His own whom He loves and receives.
He corrects those who go astray to reveal defects, correct errors, expose sins, and separate His people from sin and wickedness, that they may learn, be refined and sanctified, grow in holiness, be guided toward salvation, and at last be exalted. Hardships and misfortunes used for this correction come from God and not merely from other people, and are to be taken seriously as His call to heed Him and turn from a harmful course. Though grievous and not joyful at the time, this training afterward yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness in those trained by it.
The discipline He sends is for present happiness and future good, and is the greatest blessing His wayward children have. He never leads otherwise than they would themselves choose if they could see the end from the beginning and discern the glory of their work together with Him. Passing through trial means He is striving to lead them to know Him and trust Him, and even when the way is dark, friends seem forsaken, circumstances oppose, and hereditary tendencies strive for mastery, they are not forsaken, for He looks upon them with compassion and thoughts of good.
Affliction as discipline is not what He willingly delights in, yet trials may be needed to loosen attachment to earthly things and turn hearts toward lasting joy. For men in their fallen state, a life of effort and hardship is a wholesome school through which He trains and develops them. Discipline can come through trials and testing, even when prayers for Christlike character are answered in an unexpected way, to purify the heart, reveal what is within, and develop Christian graces and active faith. Christian character is formed through labor, conflict, and self-denial, and the testing may be painful and prolonged.
Trials, obstacles, perplexities, and affliction after consecration do not mean He is not leading; they are His chosen methods of discipline and appointed conditions of success in forming Christlikeness and fitness for His work. In His providence He places persons in different positions and varied circumstances to reveal faults concealed from their own knowledge, gives opportunity to correct them, and often permits the fires of affliction to purify and fit them for service. He disciplines the human heart as a skillful gardener tends plants, with tender care preparing souls to receive the impressions of the Holy Spirit, making the heart tender by patient, painstaking effort rather than by violence or force. His chastening is rebuke meant to correct, calling for amendment of life and turning from vanity and superfluity, with severe chastening as the consequence of failing to reform.
Receiving Discipline Aright
God's children are to submit to His discipline and control and learn its lessons, becoming meek and lowly rather than insisting on their own will and course. Complete obedience is required, for He does not permit defiance of the laws of His kingdom, and at times He expects obedience even when He gives no reason, though repeated instruction line upon line and precept upon precept may still meet refusal to submit. His correction and reproof are a Father's care for His children toward salvation, to correct errors and guide those who go astray, and are not to be despised or lost heart over.
Discipline and rebuke must be endured without fainting, complaining, losing heart, or becoming hard-hearted and stubborn. Such discipline is necessary in serving Him, training people through hardship to rely on Him for relief and deliverance. Those who bear it faithfully remain teachable, and He instructs them continually day by day and prepares them to trust Him and for His service. Refusing His rebuke can make them hard-hearted and stubborn, while those who do not faint or complain can be made useful in His service.
Willing submission and obedience let Him mold and fashion character, changing self-trust and human wisdom into low self-estimate, implicit obedience, meekness, lowliness, distrust of self, and constant faith in His power and loving intentions. In this way people become sanctified, successful workmen and useful channels through whom He works and reveals His salvation, whom He teaches hour by hour and day by day, since resisting the Spirit's instruction weakens spiritual efficiency and human strength alone cannot equip for His service. Moses' wilderness hardships illustrate how hardship is allowed to teach endurance and trust in Him for relief and deliverance.
Tribulation under His hand is meant for benefit, to be received without contempt and without giving up under rebuke. When tribulation comes the sufferer is like Jacob, who supposed the hand upon him was an enemy's hand and in darkness wrestled blindly until strength was spent with no comfort or deliverance. Then the divine touch at break of day reveals the Angel of the covenant, and weeping and helpless the sufferer falls upon the breast of Infinite Love to receive the blessing the soul longed for.
Strength under His chastening hand is to endure, and at times that strength is to keep still, letting silence be the most decided condemnation of wrong and the guard against bitter retaliation when kind words would only call forth bitterness. Tests and trials will keep coming, including suffering abuse in connection with others and facing conniving at evil that stirs a sensitive, proud spirit. That chastening must not be despised by almost cursing God, drawing apart from Him, and demanding one's own ways instead of His ways, nor met by fainting when rebuked by Him.
The instruction speaks to believers as children and must not be forgotten, but studied and obeyed by encouraging faith for the present time, walking by faith and not by sight. It belongs to running the Christian race with patience after laying aside every weight and the easily besetting sin, looking to Jesus the author and finisher of faith who endured the cross and shame and sat at God's right hand, and considering His endurance of opposition from sinners so as not to grow weary and faint, since striving against sin has not yet cost blood. Correction proves love and sonship, for everyone He loves and receives is corrected, and endurance under it proves He is dealing with believers as sons, since every true son is corrected; though grievous and not joyful at the time, afterward it produces the peaceable fruits of righteousness in those trained by it. Living by the faith that works by love purifies the soul, quickens and uplifts into a purer holier atmosphere, looks above self to His work and the riches laid up beside His throne, and gives the whole heart in unreserved consecration.
The lesson applies to child-rearing: parents should correct and train children to yield their wishes and obey, preparing them to submit to God and the Spirit of Christ. Childhood discipline shapes later religious experience, and children left undisciplined may find it difficult to yield to God's discipline, which should not be despised or cause discouragement. Fathers and mothers are themselves under God's discipline, and must correct their children as those being disciplined, still enjoining and requiring obedience but with patience and gentleness, showing sorrow and pity and true religion. They must never use hasty words, anger, sharpness, hardness of heart, cruelty, injustice, harshness, unreasonableness, or severity, and when they work with sanctified hearts in this way they gain their children's love and respect, make them kind and gentle and loving as the Lord's property, and are able to take them into fellowship of the church.