The Peaceable Fruit of Righteousness
Sunday, March 18, 2007
And have you [completely] forgotten the divine word of appeal and
encouragement in which you are reasoned with and addressed as sons? My
son, do not think lightly or scorn to submit to the correction and
discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage and give up and faint when you
are reproved or corrected by Him; 6 For the Lord corrects and
disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges,
every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes. 7
You must submit to and endure [correction] for discipline; God is
dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father
does not [thus] train and correct and discipline? 8 Now if you are
exempt from correction and left without discipline in which all [of
God's children] share, then you are illegitimate offspring and not true
sons [at all]. 9 Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined
us and we yielded [to them] and respected [them for training us]. Shall
we not much more cheerfully submit to the Father of spirits and so
[truly] live? 10 For [our earthly fathers] disciplined us for only a
short period of time and chastised us as seemed proper and good to
them; but He disciplines us for our certain good, that we may become
sharers in His own holiness. 11 For the time being no discipline brings
joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a
peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it
[a harvest of fruit which consists in righteousness--in conformity to
God's will in purpose, thought, and action, resulting in right living
and right standing with God]. Hebrews 12:5-11 AMP
Verse 11 says that God's discipline yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Discipline:
The word "discipline" means instruct, train, correct. God's discipline
is administered to us by His Word and His Spirit. God does not force it
on us – we must submit to it (verse 9). The fruit produced in us is fed
and watered by God's Word and His Holy Spirit.
Every
Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for
instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error
and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in
holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and
action), 17 So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well
fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
AMP
Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your
advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not
come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has
come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of
judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of
righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of
judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 "I still have
many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However,
when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all
truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He
hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will
glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
John 16:7-14 NKJV
Fruit:
Discipline yields fruit.
Righteousness is a fruit - the fruit of obedience. Fruit grows
naturally only in the right conditions. You can't force or fake fruit –
you can't make or manufacture fruit in a factory – you can only grow
it. Natural growth and production of fruit, occurs on a tree or a bush
that has food, light, soil, and water. Fruit trees also need to be
pruned and cut back or the fruit will be weak and unhealthy. Some
plants or vines need to have a frame to grow on or be attached to a
straight piece of wood to make them grow straight. They are "trained"
in a certain direction. We are God's branches; attached to His vine;
producing His fruit. Unless we receive the Word of God and submit
ourselves to it; unless we allow the working and training of the Holy
Spirit in us, we will bear no good fruit. Receiving the Father's
discipline and correction in your life will produce the fruit of
righteousness in you.
Righteousness:
The fruit or
result of discipline is righteousness. The fruit of righteousness is
produced in those who are trained by God's discipline – not in those
who resist God's discipline and correction.
Peace:
If
you are rebellious, you will have no peace and no rest. When you submit
to God's discipline and allow Him to correct you and train you, the
peaceable fruit of righteousness is the result. Discipline produces
righteousness; righteousness produces peace.
Recent:
Righteous Now
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV
Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP
“Therefore if any man be in Christ…” What does it mean to be “in Christ”? Galatians 3:27 says, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” You are baptized into Christ when you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” And Romans 10:13 says, “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The moment
Defeating Strife
These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19 AMP
Faith Facts
Faith is persistent
Luke 11:9-10 AMP
So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened.
John 16:24 AMP
Up to this time you have not asked a [single] thing in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness, delight) may be full and complete.
Faith is single-minded
James 1:5-8 AMP
If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. 6 Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the