DIVINE DISCIPLINE

 

Hebrews 12:1-13

Key Verse: 12:8

 

“Endure hardship as discipline: God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?”

 

 

  1. Read verse 1. To what the author compare the Christian life? (Compare 2 Timothy 4:7) Who are the spectators who are not running this race? (Ps. 73:1-7; Hab. 1:13)

 

  1. Who are the clouds of witnesses? In what ways do they encourage us? What are the things that hinder our running? What must we do about them? How?

 

  1. What is the course marked out? What is the starting line? The finishing point? What does it mean to run with perseverance? How can we?

 

  1. Read verses 2-4. Why must we fix our eyes on Jesus? What does it mean that he is the author and perfecter of our faith? How does he help and encourage us in our struggle?

 

  1. Read verses 5-6. What makes us lose heart? Why should we not? What should be our attitude toward God’s disciplines? Toward God who disciplines?

 

 

 

  1. Read verses 7-9. How are we to regard hardships? Why does God discipline us? What should be attitude toward parental discipline? Toward God’s discipline? Why?

 

  1. Read verses 10-13. Why is God’s discipline higher and better than even parents’ discipline? What is God’s ultimate purpose in disciplining us? What does it mean to share in God’s holiness?

 

  1. Read verse 11. What does this teach is about ‘pain and gain’ of discipline? What is the outcome of divine discipline? (2 Pe. 1:4; John 17:18,19) What, then, must we do when confronted by a hard course to run? (12,13)