Thursday, 11 March 2021

Discipline - The Proof of Love

Tweet

As a Messianic Jewish leader, I would hope that Messianic Jews would be in the forefront of enforcing biblical standards, for the Torah is to go forth from Zion. We embrace the words of Yeshua that we are to teach people to obey all His commandments. Yeshua in us is the key to this obedience. Yeshua has very clear commandments on discipline as well.

Many believers erroneously think that enforcing standards and practicing congregational discipline run contrary to showing love and mercy. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hebrews 12:7-11 tells us that God himself disciplines us because He loves us as His children. In Matthew 18:15 Yeshua outlines the process of correction; He commands it. Paul echoes this in Galatians 6:1,2. Of course, if a professing believer is in serious sin and does not repent after the stages of loving confrontation, then this person is to be barred from the fellowship.

For the persons involved in practicing sin, the lack of discipline teaches more than pulpit messages: it says that their sin is really not so serious. They are thereby lulled into complacency. They lose the fear of God, the blessing of God, and finally may even lose salvation, for no one that practices sin will enter the Kingdom of God, either here or in the hereafter. Therefore, not practicing discipline is very unloving. When the consequences of sin are the loss of fellowship in the Body, the person is required to take stock of their behavior and the possibility of real repentance is greatly increased. Discipline as enjoined in the Bible is a mercy from God.

I have been in some kind of pastoral leadership for over 47 years. I have seen our many communities take discipline seriously. The results are wonderful. There is very little divorce and a strong sense of holiness and the presence of God. May we see this in Israel and then from here, may this spread to the nations!

This excerpt was taken from my article.