Hebrews - worksheet 26
Jesus our trainer - Hebrews 12:5-17
NKJV headings are The Discipline of God and Renew Your Spiritual Vitality

Teaching video by David Guzik

In the Bible, chastening refers to the discipline or correction administered by God to His children. It is an expression of God’s love, intended to guide believers towards righteousness and spiritual maturity (Hebrews 12:7). Chastening signifies divine discipline that promotes spiritual growth, reflecting the idea that God, as a loving parent, corrects His children to lead them on the right path. Examples of chastening can be found throughout the Bible, illustrating God’s patience and guidance towards His people (BibleHub).

In the Bible, exhortation refers to strongly encouraging, urging, or pleading with someone to pursue a specific course of action, especially actions related to spiritual growth and obedience to God (christianwebsite.com).

Hebrews 12:5-17 (NKJV) says ⁵And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; ⁶for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” ⁷If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? ⁸But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. ⁹Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? ¹⁰For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for

, that we may be partakers of His holiness. ¹¹Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. ¹²Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, ¹³and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. ¹⁴Pursue

Reveal Answer

with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: ¹⁵looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; ¹⁶lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. ¹⁷For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

In verses 5-7 the writer speaks to believers who have forgotten something and (almost) quotes Proverbs 3:11-12 ¹¹My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; ¹²for whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.

Q1 God loves His children so much that He does not withold correction/discipline/chastening. Who is the exemplary subject of this in verse 7?

Q2 Love and discipline belong together, in the right proportion. Childish teenagers mostly ask for blessings, but seldomly ask for correction. Verse 8 even says that if you are not disciplined as a believer, you are not a real son. If you are a parent, are you obeying God is this respect? If you are not a parent, evaluate this aspect of your parents.

Q3 What is a loving father (verse 7 and 9)? Has God the Father the legitimate right to correct me?

Q4 Look at verse 11. A life without correction seems to be fun. But do you need training? And who is the best trainer? Are you a member of God’s gym, where counts “no pain, no gain”? If your life continually in a crisis, it’s time to go to school, God’s training school.

Q5 Verses 12 and 13 look like a physical exercise. What is meant? For you?

Q6 Notice verses 14-17. What is holiness? Which aspects of an intentional holy walk speak to your heart? If there is any bitterness, confess it to God, now.

Then, sing this song about God’s holiness.