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WEEK 9: THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD 

  Remember that the word virtue means courage, fortitude or resolve.  This week we will look at developing courage and resolve to go on when we fail, because we know the Lord is faithful to forgive us when we repent. 

    Last week we saw the fact that God always makes a way of escape when we are tempted; that He always provides the strength to resist the temptation.  But do Christians sometimes fail the test?  Do  Christians continue to sin after being saved?  There are many different teachings about this issue.   

Read I John 1:8-10.  What do you think?_______________________________

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Some denominations cite these verses to declare Christians sin every day, and if you say you don’t sin, you’re a liar.  Other denominations cite 1 John 3:6-10 to declare that a Christian cannot sin. 

Read 1 John 3:6-10.  Do these verses seem to contradict I John 1:8-10?

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    They do seem to contradict one another, but Biblical truth strikes a balance between these two positions.  When we read the context, we see that the book of 1 John begins by addressing unbelievers (1 John 1:3) “…that they may have fellowship with us…” [believers].  John is stating the condition of all mankind in 1 John 1:8, and he goes on to describe the provision of the Lord for salvation and new birth for all mankind in verse 9.  Verse 10 tells us that if an individual is an unbeliever but refuses to admit their sinful condition, that person is saying God is a liar (for God says all mankind has sinned and come short of the glory of God – Rom 3:23).  So we see that the Bible teaches all mankind has sinned, rather than teaching that Christians sin every day! 

In chapter 2, the focus of 1 John changes to address the children of God (1 John 2:1). He says the reason he writes unto us is that we sin not. But if we do, we have an advocate in Jesus.   1 John 3:9 goes on to say the Christian does not commit sin, because he is born of God.  God is faithful, and in instances where one born of God fails the test and succumbs to sin, the Spirit of God deals with us as a Father would – for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness (Hebrews 12:10). 

Read Hebrews 12: 5-8.  Who does the Lord chasten?___________________

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What does it mean if a person does not experience chastening from the Lord?

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God disciplines, or chastises His rebellious children.  The Holy Spirit will rebuke a true child of God, bringing punishment until that child comes to repentance. This is the difference between sin in the life of an unbeliever and sin in the life of the Christian. A person cannot continue in sin if that person is a child of God.  (If a person professes salvation and remains blissfully unaware of sin in his life, there is something wrong.)  If you are not experiencing this chastening and cleansing process, you need to re-examine whether, in fact, you are a child of  God.        

Read Psalm 32:3-5.   When we feel the heavy hand of God upon us, what are we to do? ________________________________________________________________________

We must acknowledge and confess the sin (agree with God that we have done wrong), and God will forgive.  When we return unto the Lord, He will have mercy and abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:7) 

We must understand, though, that this is a process.  The Spirit cleanses us and sets us free from the hold that sin has in our lives at conversion. As are obedient to the Spirit, He will continue to deal with sin at ever deepening layers, cleansing us from the sinful attitudes of our hearts.  This continual cleansing is the process in which we are made to be more like Christ, and we can either co-operate with or resist the Holy Spirit.  The Biblical term for this process is “sanctification.” Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary (1985) defines sanctification as  “…the separation of the believer from evil things and ways.  This sanctification is God’s will for the believer (1 Thess 4:3), and His purpose in calling him by the gospel (v.7); it must be learned from God as He teaches it by His Word (John 17:17), and it must be pursued by the believer, earnestly and undeviatingly (2 Peter 1:5-10).  For the holy character is not vicarious, i.e., it cannot be transferred or imputed, it is an individual possession, built up, little by little, as the result of obedience to the Word of God, and of following the example of Christ” (Vine, Unger, & White, p. 545).                                                                                                          

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*All emphasis  mine.
Copyright ©2005 by Mae Shurow 
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