Sunday 21Cb, 21e.

God our Father. 12:4-11

Introduction
This passage forms part of a larger section which encourages faith and perseverance, 10:19-29. Specifically, it deals with God the Father's disciplining of his children.

The passage
v4. The writer points out to his readers that the troubles they are presently undergoing are not to the point of death, as was the case for many of the great ones of faith, particularly Christ. The readers, therefore, have no grounds to be discouraged. Rather, they should see their present troubles as an expression of God's Fatherly love, purifying, strengthening, and straightening them. Their troubles will serve to shape them toward their future service in eternity.
v5-8. The writer quotes Proverbs 3:11ff and directs his readers to its teaching. A true son will always be treated differently to an illegitimate one. The training and discipline will be harder for a child of God, for such prepares us for our service in eternity. Our writer has already made this point regarding Jesus. Even Christ, God's one and only son, "learned obedience by the things which he suffered."
v9-10. The idea that pain (disciplining) serves to teach the disciple, is further developed. We willingly accept the discipline of our earthly father and respect him for it. We do this, even though his discipline is imperfect. Our heavenly Father will similarly discipline those whom he loves, yet he will do so in perfection. He disciplines us so we may be holy as he is holy. As we individually seek to apply the Word of God to our lives, by grace through faith, in interaction with our environment, so we are shaped for eternity - we are sanctified. "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." By grace through faith we are shaped toward holiness.
v11. Finally, our writer points out that the child of God who accepts life's troubles as discipline and training from the hand of a loving God, ceases to feel resentful, but rather becomes open to God's word and thus open to his moulding hand, open to the cultivation of righteousness. "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn of thy statutes", Psalm 119:67.

The problem of pain
"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains." C.S. Lewis, "The Problem of Pain."

Believers have never found it easy to deal with pain. The question constantly on our lips is, "if God is a loving God, why does he allow this trouble to come upon me?" Why is there pain?
The problem becomes more acute when we are affected by an Abundant Life theology (health and happiness in Christ). This is the "believe in Jesus and all your troubles will be washed away" line. There is no promise in the scriptures which teaches that believers are somehow protected from life's troubles. Neither is there a promise that believers will be showered with life's pleasures. God uses the troubles of life to shape us toward eternity. Affliction serves to sanctify us; troubles prepare us for our rule with Christ in eternity. As we seek to apply Biblical truth within the troubles of this age, we are changed, moulded and prepared. The writer to the Hebrews says; we are "disciplined".
So life shapes us, particularly when it is unpleasant. The believer who recognizes the molding hand of God in affliction, becomes open to the will of God, rather than bitter, resentful and morose. Such discipline serves "for our good, that we may share in His holiness", v10. So therefore, brothers and sisters, "endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined,... then you are illegitimate children and not true sons", v7-8
So, the point of our passage is simple enough. At this very moment we find ourselves struggling against sin and the infernal interference of dark powers. Circumstances from without are constantly pressing in on us. Yet, we have not suffered to the point of "shedding blood." Our suffering cannot be compared to Christ's. And we understand that this "disciplining" serves a positive end, "it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it", v11. Troubles aid the realization of our sanctification.

Discussion
1. Affliction in the Christian life serves to train and discipline the believer. Discuss the notion that such disciplining is the chastisement of God toward the eradication of sin in the life of a believer.
2. What other purpose could affliction have in the life of a Christian if not for Divine flagellation?
3. Would it be right for a Christian to see all affliction in the terms of training and disciplining?
4. Discuss the notion that God is directly involved when he "disciplines us for our good."

Textual notes Abbreviations, Bibliography

In what sense is God involved in affliction?
The teacher/preacher will understand that the subject of our passage for study inevitably raises moral questions that may have to be addressed. If troubles are the product of "the chastising hand of God", are we right to describe them as an intervention of his sovereign power?
Some years ago a young Christian missionary was killed in the Philippines. She was a member of a fundamentalist church. Her pastor described her death as "the will of God". He described it as a sovereign act of a loving God whose intention in her sufferings may be hidden for the present, but will ultimately be shown as good and glorious. So, her church gave praise to God for her death. The pastor ended up on a TV talk show and found himself under some fairly stiff questioning. The presenter wanted to know what possible reason God could have in wanting a young girl pack-raped and then shot. What type of God would order such a thing?
Our passage for study makes it clear that affliction serves to discipline God's children. A church facing persecution needs to reflect on the trouble and learn obedience from it. Yet, we have to be very careful how we link God with the trouble. For example, it really wouldn't be right for that church in the Philippines to say, "Thank you Jesus for taking this girl to yourself, it has really taught us obedience." The girl's father may find it hard to thank God for His "wonderful" intervention.
So, back to our question. If affliction serves to teach us obedience, to aid our sactification, to aid the realization of the person we are in Christ, in what sense is God involved in the affliction?
If we like, we can answer this question by returning to sixteenth century theology. The question is then resolved in either an Armenian or Calvinist way. On the one hand we may argue for personal freedom, or on the other hand, for God's sovereign control. The trouble is, this is really not an either/or question, but a this/that question; we are free and God is sovereign. Of course, put this way it all sounds a bit illogical, but then our limited understanding really can't grasp the greatness of God's person.
Here then lies our problem, we fail to properly understand the nature of God's creation and this because we view it through empirical eyes, rather than theological eyes.
We know that God made our universe, that he sustains it and purposes its end. This much is clear. What is unclear is how he does this. The Bible tells us the "why", not the "how". For example, at sometime or other we have all gotten into a debate on creationism versus evolution. The creationist uses the Bible to develop a scientific description of the origin of the universe. Mind you, this debate is not new. Even in the middle ages Christians were debating how they should use the Bible in relation to science. One rather progressive Cardinal at the time said, the Bible doesn't tell us how God made man, but how man can get to heaven. At least he understood that the Bible is a theological manual, not a scientific textbook.
What then can we theologically say about the creation, a creation which seems out of control?
First, it is good. God has created an environment in which a people, created in his image, may live with the integrity of their being - they may live as God lives, freely. The creation is good. If the creation provides food for the birds, will it not provide food, clothing and shelter for all mankind? Are we not special in the eyes of our heavenly Father, "O ye of little faith"?
Second, it is real. Our environment is surging with chaos, a chaos which reflects the cosmic chaos caused by Satan's rebellion. At times, the chaos brings us trouble. The surging environment crushing, changing and shaping. Our universe, created by the hand of God, reflects this reality. We cannot complain. In reflecting reality, God is treating us with integrity while preparing us for our service with him in eternity. If we don't see our world this way we end up claiming earthquakes come from the hand of Satan, or worse, from God.
Third, it is affected by sin. The creation is infused with evil. There is light and darkness. Such is the case in reality, even in the cosmos. So, God "allows" evil to touch his good creation. Mind you, the powers of darkness are restricted in their influence; their intervention is primarily through suggestion. Satan does not have the power to control the will of beings made in the image of God, he can only suggest evil to the evil-minded, manipulate those who choose to live in the darkness. The shape of much around us is the shape of darkness. Even many things we call light are often darkness veiled in a lie. So, we struggle with the darkness within and without. It is the way things are in reality, and this creation is reality. In this struggle, God is treating us with integrity, while preparing us for our service with him in eternity.
Fourth, it stretches discipleship. The child of God experiences the troubles that are common to all humanity. In a sense, we suffer more. The powers of darkness, like a roaring lion, seek to devour us. Our Lord's commands, not only put us at odds with the powers of darkness and therefore secular humanity, but also make it harder to handle the chaos about us, while limiting our use of the good things of God's creation.

So then, back to our initial question. In what sense is God involved in our troubles? If the above theology is correct then our conclusion must be that affliction is not a direct intervention of God's chastising hand, rather it is the way things are. Our heavenly Father has shaped reality, in this his creation, in such a way as to provide an environment which enables the gathering of a people of his own and the preparing of this people for service in eternity. Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God, for in suffering we learn obedience. Discipline "produces a harvest of righteousness."

Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons

Hebrews

Notes