GOD DISCIPLINES THOSE HE LOVES (Part 1)

We have established that God disciplines us out of love, aiming at our spiritual growth and the fulfilment of our full potential in Christ.

Additionally, God disciplines to ensure the healthy development of the Church, addressing behaviours that hinder its growth, distort the gospel, and overthrow the faith of others.

Finally, God disciplines for the sake of His own name, seeking to protect His reputation and glory.

We all need to understand that God doesn’t only discipline us through His corrective measures by rebuking, convicting, and punishing us to repent and seek His will.

The Father also disciplines us through His preventative measures by training, instructing, encouraging, warning, and comforting us to grow and transform us into the image of Christ (Psalm 94:12; Revelation 3:19).

The first transformative power of God that He uses to discipline us is His Word – 2 Timothy 3:16; 4:2. God’s Word provides guidance and instruction on how to live a righteous and fulfilling life. It also convicts, corrects, and rebukes when we stray from God’s path for us to turn back to Him.

The second powerful instrument the Father employs to guide, teach, convict, comfort, and encourage us is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit plays a vital role in disciplining us and guides us into deeper intimacy with God.

The grace of God is the third tool God uses to discipline us. God’s grace transforms our lives and empowers us to say no to sin. It trains, instructs, disciplines, and leads us to develop a life of honour worthy of the Father (Titus 2:11-12; 2 Cor. 1:12).

The fourth tool the Father employs to discipline us is our own conscience (1Tim.1 :18-20). Our conscience serves as a mechanism through which God communicates His standard and calls us to align our actions with His will.

In the second part, we will consider the other tools that God uses in disciplining us.

GOD’S servant: Peter Collins Obeng
GRACE COVENANT GLORY