Rethinking our theology - Does God discipline with disease?
Discipline is pretty much a part and parcel of godly living. It is not a separate component taught out of a reaction to get even with legalism.
If we want Christians to develop and grow holistically, then disciplining becomes a part of holistic godly living. Like all other components of godly living, discipline is also rooted in love. Without love, discipline produces rebellion. Without discipline on the other hand, the love that is showered is unholistic and this creates stunted growth and underdeveloped Christians. It is akin to a self-professed bodybuilder who goes to the gym and focuses 100% on the right-side of the body, fully neglecting the left. Soon enough, what we will witness is a grossly “deformed” human being with great physique on his right side and a very dull and undeveloped left; think Frankenstein.
Disciplining is not one that God likes to dish out; like a father, He’d rather lavish us with blessings than hear us groan from discipline (yes, He is not sadistic!). However, God is fully aware of the learning process that we go through. He is well aware that some people learn by reading and the experiences of others, some by revelation, and others, by touching the electric fence. And as much as He wants to prevent us from taking the hard way out, sometimes, we just need to connect with chastisement.
Hebrews 13:6 “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.”
The word “chastises” here sheds light onto the entire matter of how God actually disciplines because both words “disciplines” and “chastises” are not the same Greek word. The word for discipline is “paeideuo” which means to tutor, to educate, to instruct, and by implication to discipline by punishment. However, the word “chastise” is the word Greek word “mastigo” which literally means to flog and literally, to scourge.
But what is more interesting is that “mastigo“comes from the root word “mastix” which literally refers to a Roman whip or flagellum for criminals or figuratively, a disease or a plague. This root word is used 5 times; thrice in Mark, once in Luke, once in Acts and once in Hebrews. The instances that this word is used in the gospels (Mark and Luke) all refer to diseases and plagues that Christ healed people of.
What does this mean for us?
Well, for the most part, this should make us rethink statements like “God does not use diseases to discipline His children” which has spun off the theology that God does not discipline people using certain “legalistically-known” methods or approaches. The original language used here seems to indicate otherwise and we have to be careful not to allow our existing theology and own thinking get in the way of how God reveals Himself and His extravagant love through His word.
Does this now mean that we evolve our understanding to picture God as a sadistic being waiting to strike us with diseases every time we mess up? Absolutely not. But it does not mean that this is a measure that He cannot and does not use - in fact on the contrary, He uses it appropriately. The keyword here is “appropriately”, as deemed necessary by God Himself.That being said, to say that God does not use certain measures to bring about discipline (and for the most
part, explain away the chastisement of God) and this picture is not only unbiblical, it is idolatry; because it paints a picture of a god that tolerates sin and sets up an image of a false god for worship. The fact that He loves us does not de-link discipline and chastisement.
It is difficult to list cases where Christians have gone astray and precisely attribute particular diseases that have been used as chastisement, but the fact of the matter is that as long as the Word of God says so, there is a legitimacy for God to act. He acts not to destroy but primarily to chastise, discipline and catch the attention of the straying individual. What we should NOT do is to focus on dotting our ‘i’s and crossing our ‘t’s in fear of incurring the wrath of an angry God. Instead, we should be mindful of the boundaries that He has drawn for us and within those boundaries, live the abundant life in His grace, goodness and blessings.
jason
