Common lies we often believe when suffering are: “I’m the only one going through this,” and “What is the purpose of this trial that may never end?” God’s Word, however, reminds us that we’re surrounded by “so great a cloud of witnesses,” who testify of God’s faithfulness to hold us fast until the end (Hebrews 12:1). More importantly, Christ—who learned obedience from what He suffered, as ordained by the Father to secure eternal salvation for all who obey Him—is our supreme example of endurance in suffering (Hebrews 2:9-18; 5:7-10; 12:2-3). By considering Christ, the Father’s beloved Son, we will not grow weary or lose heart in the deep waters of suffering, especially when a new wave of grief reminds us of loss more often than we’re reminded of God’s goodness and promises.
Suffering not only exposes our understanding of God and just how central the Gospel is in our lives, but it also reveals our true theology of sanctification—a theology that may be more easily hidden during times of peace and prosperity. For example, do we truly believe that Christ bore our sins so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Peter 2:24)? Do we see suffering as God’s divine school of sanctification, or do we view it merely as an inconvenience in our lives?
Pastor Brad Klassen rightly observes, “What one believes about [sanctification] will determine to a large degree how one lives out the span of his Christian life.”1 [1]Brad Klassen, “Sanctification Part 2” from “The Mercies of God” series at Grace Community Church. See https://www.gracechurch.org/sermons/16525 Our view of sanctification directly reveals our view of the Gospel, which can tend to oscillate between passivism (a “let go and let God” thinking) and perfectionism (self-dependence). Either of these wrong views can lead to any of the following pitfalls: desiring forgiveness without forsaking sin, wanting grace without obedience, modifying behavior without holy affections, and rehearsing failures without remembering one’s union with Christ received by faith.
As believers, we don’t simply drift into holiness. This reminder is important and should be emphasized in the counseling room. Sanctification is a Holy Spirit-dependent effort: fixing our eyes on the glory of Christ by faith (2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 2:12-13). As biblical counselors, we have a great privilege of helping one another savor Christ as greater than the absence of suffering or relief from it—especially when our flesh is tempted to grasp at the next coping mechanism that eclipses our spiritual need for Christ and His Word.2 [1]To clarify, this author is not addressing medical interventions for legitimate physical ailments but rather the pursuit of therapeutic relief for emotional distresses of the inner man. Additionally, “examinations by medical professionals are essential complements to a biblical counseling ministry as they identify and address, or rule out, any physical problems that lead many individuals to seek counseling assistance.” For more, read ACBC’s statement on “Mental Illness and Medicine” here: https://biblicalcounseling.com/about/beliefs/statements-from-the-board/mental-illness-and-medicine/ [2]
To this end, the author of Hebrews writes to Jewish Christians who needed exhortation to endure lest they forfeit their eternal reward and fail to enter God’s eschatological rest (Hebrews 2:1-4; 3:12-4:13; 5:11-6:12; 10:26-39; 12:25-29). The author’s brief “word of exhortation” is that Christ is supremely better than relief from suffering or pleasure from sin (Hebrews 13:22). As Gentiles, we may not be tempted to return to a Jewish heritage, but the temptation for relief from suffering is common to us all, which is why the exhortations to fight sin, run the race with endurance, and consider Christ are reminders we all need.
In verses 4-11 of Hebrews 12, the author gives us at least five truths about God’s purposeful sanctification when we’re faltering in the race:
- God loves those whom He disciplines
The author reminds his audience of two things: First, they have not yet resisted striving against sin to the point of death or martyrdom (v. 4); and second, they have forgotten that the exhortation is addressed to them as sons (v. 5a). The author then references Proverbs 3:11-12 about the danger of falling into either ditch: making light of God’s discipline or losing heart under it (vv. 5b-6). Ultimately, this imbalanced view of God’s purpose in discipline stems from forgetting our adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ (see also Ephesians 1:5). Such forgetfulness is why the author reminds us, “those whom the LORD loves He disciplines and He scourges every son whom He receives” (v. 6). Here, discipline can mean training, instruction, reproof, and correction enforced by discipline to produce maturity.3 [1]Douglas Moo, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2024), 474. The Greek word παιδεύει (paideuei) refers to a concept that was central to the Greek worldview, which prized the development of character through the training of athletic endeavor. The verb form in verse 6 is the noun form used in Ephesians 6:4 “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” All the exhortations written to the original audience—who were suffering and entangled in sin—are addressed to them as sons of God, and God’s dealings are evidence of His love for His own children (cf. Psalm 103:8-13). If God’s instruction, discipline, and commandments are not first received in light of our new identity as His children, then they will appear burdensome and harsh. Pastor Albert Martin aptly explains God’s discipline this way: “Child of God, settle it in your heart, your Father’s love is the origin of every act of discipline in your life.”4 [1]Emphasis mine. Albert Martin, “The Marvelous Privileges of Adoption,” Trinity Baptist Church on February 24, 2008. See transcript here: https://www.sg-audiotreasures.org/amtranscripts/am_adoption8.pdf [3] In other words, God’s discipline is not a punitive act as our Judge, but proof of His fatherly love for His children so that we would walk in a manner pleasing to Him, rather than running headlong into destruction (Proverbs 3:11-12; 13:24; 14:12; 22:6). We must remember and remind our counselees that God loves us as His children in all of His dealings with us.
- God deals with you as His own child
Since the first temptation of Satan in the Garden of Eden, one of the evil one’s schemes has been to cause us to distrust God’s goodness (Genesis 3:1–5). Thoughts can arise in our minds which call the goodness of God into question because He is seemingly withholding or taking away something good from us. When these come, we must take every thought that opposes the knowledge of God captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5–6).
Similarly, the author of Hebrews reminds his audience that their afflictions are not proof of the Father’s displeasure but evidence of His wise, unchanging paternal love toward them. He retorts, “For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons” (vv. 7-8). Chrysostom comments on verse 8, “They supposed they had been deserted by God, but from this [discipline] they may be confident that they have not been deserted.”5 [1]Chrysostom, Homilies on Hebrews (XXIX), trans. Robert C. Hill, FOTC 87 (London: J. H. and J. Parker, 1992), 500. Every true child of God will be disciplined according to His wise, perfect, and loving instruction. As Spurgeon once stated, “[God] had only one Son without sin, but he never had one son without chastisement.”6 [1]Charles Haddon Spurgeon, “Night, and Jesus not There!” Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Volume 51, April 29, 1875. See https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/night-and-jesus-not-there/#flipbook/ [4]
The act of withholding discipline is not loving and will be detrimental to children if fathers decide not to discipline their children and instead let them actively rebel and remain immature. By drawing on the same comparison of earthly fathers and our Father in heaven, Christ Himself said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him” (Matthew 7:11). The Lord is not dealing with you as a harsh taskmaster or a vindictive Judge. He is your heavenly Father. “See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we would be called children of God; and we are (1 John 3:1).7 [1]Emphasis mine. His lovingkindness will never be removed from His children (Isaiah 54:10). If He did not spare His own Son but gave Him up to secure our eternal salvation, how will He not also be committed to your good now (Romans 8:32)? Simply put, the painful process of discipline is proof of our sonship because our heavenly Father is conforming us to the image of His perfect Son, the firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:18).
- God delights in our obedience
In the subsequent verses, the author of Hebrews contrasts the discipline of earthly fathers—which produces only temporal, earthly good—with the Father’s discipline, which yields eternal good. If we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, how much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live (vv. 9–10a)? The phrase “earthly fathers” can be rendered as “our fathers characterized by flesh.” Here, “flesh” points to outward, physical, earthly life (cf. Hebrews 5:7; 9:10, 13), which stands in contrast to “the Father of spirits” who oversees and cares for the inner spiritual aspect of people.8 [1]Douglas Moo, Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2024), 476. Interpreters often point to Numbers 16:22 as a possible parallel: the LXX refers to “God, the God of spirits and of all flesh.” In other words, earthly fathers disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but the Father of our spirits disciplines us for the sake of our eternal well-being. This idea is drawn from Proverbs, where the Lord’s discipline brings life, while resistance to it leads to death (cf. Proverbs 4:13; 6:23; 10:17; 16:17).9 [1]This is the only use of ζάω (zaō) “live” to refer to eternal life in Hebrews. The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Heb 12:9), Biblical Studies Press, 2006. The concept of obedience as life-giving is present all throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, because obeying the true and living God according to His Word is the only way to live (Genesis 4:7; Deuteronomy 30:19-20; Psalm 1; Revelation 21:27). Listening to the lies of the world, the devil, and our flesh will lead to death (James 1:13–15), but listening to the Word of God leads to abundant and eternal life.
- God disciplines us for our good
The fourth truth is that God disciplines every believer for their spiritual good. Verse 10b reads, “He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.” According to God’s Word, what is truly good, spiritually profitable, and beneficial is sharing in the holiness of God. “Sharing” here denotes being made a partaker of God’s holiness, and this benefit of discipline is the antithesis of a short-term gain.10 [1]Donald Guthrie, Hebrews Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, (Lisle, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2009), 230. From the moment of spiritual regeneration, we become partakers of a new, divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), and we continue to be set apart from sin and grow in holiness in our sanctification.11 [1]For more, see John Owen’s The Mortification of Sin. Owen aptly explains that holiness is nothing but the implanting, writing, and living out the gospel in our souls to mortify lusts and increase holy affections as we gradually participate in the new nature bestowed and imputed by our triune God. This truth gives the believer hope, knowing that our heavenly Father is causing all things to bring about the ultimate good—greater Christlikeness (Romans 8:28-29).
In our ministry to one another, we must regularly remind each other that God is committed to doing this kind of spiritual, eternal good to us (Psalm 119:68). What is truly good for our souls is to partake in God’s holiness rather than prioritizing the temporal over the eternal (Romans 8:6; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18). Since we are redeemed to be holy (1 Peter 1:14-16), the goal of holiness must be our aim in both our lives and in our counseling ministries.
By contrast, experimenting with the cornucopia of secular therapies does not bring about holiness. Prioritizing immediate relief over endurance in trials is rejecting and circumventing the Father’s school of sanctification. As a friend of mine would say tongue-in-cheek, what good is it to ensure the individual does not undergo any discomfort or pain during their physical therapy session? May we constantly renew our minds so that we desire God’s definition of good (i.e., holiness) for ourselves and our counselees, instead of our definition of good (i.e., comfort and pleasure). Left to ourselves, we would trade in our souls to gain the passing profit of this world (Mark 8:36).
- God disciplines us for greater fruitfulness
The fifth truth that the author of Hebrews includes is obtaining the peaceful fruit of righteousness as a benefit of God’s discipline. Verse 11 says, “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” Spurgeon asks, “If affliction seemed to be joyous, would it be a chastisement at all? I ask you; would it not be a most ridiculous thing if a father should so chasten a child, that the child came downstairs laughing, and smiling, and rejoicing at the flogging. Joyous? Instead of being at all serviceable, would it not be utterly useless? What good could a chastisement have done if it was not felt?”12 [1]Charles H. Spurgeon, “Chastisement—Now and Afterwards,” Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Volume 9, see https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/chastisement-now-and-afterwards/#flipbook/ To which, Spurgeon aptly notes, “My brethren, if God sent us trials such as we would wish for, they would be no trials.”13 [1]Ibid.
The Lord’s purposeful and momentary pruning will only produce greater fruitfulness that originates from a right relationship with Him (John 15:1-11; Galatians 5:22-23). The good fruit includes, though not exhaustively, the following benefits: to reveal and mortify sin, to produce godliness, and to loosen the believer’s grip on temporal and earthly things. It also serves to show the vanity of this world, to reveal the true nature of God’s comfort and to increase our longing for heaven, to test the genuineness of our faith, to bear witness to the world, and to cultivate a greater communion with God through the means of grace.14 [1]This list is adapted from Brian Cosby’s Suffering and Sovereignty: John Flavel and the Puritans on Afflictive Providence (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2022), 61. Flavel writes, “Satan bids for the soul (with both pleasures and afflictions), but Christ infinitely out-bids all his offers. O how many have been coached to hell in the chariots of earthly pleasures, while others have been whipped to heaven by the rod of affliction.” Therefore, the Lord’s discipline is His hand-crafted school of sanctification for the believer to grow in greater conformity to Christ. Through discipline, the eyes of our faith are focused to see our own sin and our own Savior in greater light. Believers are thus encouraged to strengthen themselves and stay in the race so that they can run in such a way that they may win (Hebrews 12:12; 1 Corinthians 9:24).
Conclusion
We were once in our hell-bound race before God’s grace redirected us from hell to heaven, and now we must make every effort to run the race faithfully by God’s grace and strength (Hebrews 13:20-21). John Bunyan writes of Christian’s journey in The Pilgrim’s Progress, encouraging us to press on from this world to the next:
“To go back is nothing but death… You are not yet out of reach of the gunshot of the Devil. You have not yet resisted unto death in your striving against sin. Let the Kingdom be always before you and believe with certainty and consistency the things that are yet unseen. Let nothing that is on this side of eternal life get inside you. Above all, take care of your own hearts, and resist the lusts that tempt you, for your hearts are deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Set your faces like a flint; you have all the power of Heaven and earth on your side.”15 [1]John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress: From This World to That Which is to Come, (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2017).
As you consider Christ—who set His face like flint (Isaiah 50:7b)—you, as partakers of Him and God’s beloved sons, can fully entrust yourselves to the Father’s good and loving discipline. He has authored your faith and now empowers you to pursue “sanctification, without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14b).