Now we will consider the twelfth experience in our spiritual life-accepting the discipline of the Holy Spirit.
The discipline of the Holy Spirit which we are now considering does not refer to the inward discipline of the Holy Spirit, for that is the function of the Holy Spirit within us as the anointing. The discipline of the Holy Spirit refers to what the Holy Spirit is doing in our outward environment; it refers to His arranging of all people, things, and happenings, through which we are being disciplined.
The major work of God toward us through the Holy Spirit, aside from the Holy Spirit as the anointing, is in His outward discipline. These two aspects comprise almost the complete work of the Holy Spirit. For example, Romans 8, which speaks of the work of the Holy Spirit, tells us in the first part how the Holy Spirit, which contains the law of life, is able to set us free from sin, and how that through Him we can put to death the deeds of the body. This chapter also tells how the Holy Spirit guides us so that we may live according to Him, and finally, how He helps our infirmities and prays for us. All these activities are the work of the Holy Spirit within us as the anointing. In the latter part of this chapter we read, “To them that love God, all things work together for good” (v. 28). This speaks of the discipline of the Holy Spirit in our outward environment. The work of this outward discipline coordinates with His inward moving and leading. The Holy Spirit arranges and determines all that comes upon us according to the will of God. Although in many instances this causes temporal pain and trouble, yet in the end it is for the good of those who love God, that they may be conformed unto the image of His Son. This arrangement is what we mean by the discipline of the Holy Spirit.
Why does the work of the Holy Spirit within us require the coordination of outward discipline? Because usually the inward working of the Holy Spirit alone is not sufficient. We can say that the inward working of the Holy Spirit is largely for the obedient ones, and the outward discipline of the Holy Spirit is largely for the stiff-necked ones. When the Holy Spirit moves and anoints within us and we obey the feeling which He imparts, God’s will is accomplished and His attributes are increased within us. Therefore, the inward anointing of the Holy Spirit is to some extent sufficient for the obedient ones. However, if we are stubborn, if we do not obey the inner anointing and rebel time after time, the Holy Spirit is compelled to raise up an environment to chasten and discipline us, thereby causing us to submit. Therefore, the anointing of the Holy Spirit within us is a sweet act of God’s love toward us and is His original desire, while the outward discipline of the Holy Spirit is an act of God’s hand, an act which He is compelled to perform. It is something additional.
Hence, both in the original desire of God and in the New Testament teaching, the place of the discipline of the Holy Spirit is not as important as that of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. In God’s Word, much is said about the Holy Spirit as the anointing, such as the leading of the Holy Spirit, the enlightening of the Holy Spirit, the strengthening of the Holy Spirit, and our need to live in the Holy Spirit, walk according to the Holy Spirit, and bear fruit through the Holy Spirit, etc. However, the Bible says very little in a literal way about the discipline of the Holy Spirit; indeed, it contains no such phrase. This is because the discipline of the Holy Spirit is not a matter which is pleasant to God’s feeling. Such a condition may be likened to the fact that most fathers prepare good things for their children, not whips and rods. In many families the father is forced to resort to rebuking and whipping because of the children’s stubbornness and rebellion. In fact, to the feeling of the father, such chastenings are never pleasant. Likewise, that which God has prepared for us in the New Testament is always positive, but due to our obstinacy, stubbornness, lawlessness, and disobedience, God is forced to discipline us. In a normal situation among the saints in the church, the anointing of the Holy Spirit should always exceed the discipline of the Holy Spirit; there should not be the constant encountering of discipline. It is always abnormal if the children in a family are spanked every day.
Therefore, when we accept the discipline of the Holy Spirit, we should not deem it to be a pleasant thing. Some brothers and sisters seem to glory in testifying of their experience while being disciplined by the Holy Spirit. This should not be. No child is proud after being punished by his father. In the same manner, we should feel ashamed when we receive the discipline of the Holy Spirit. We should be aware of our own obstinacy, stubbornness, lawlessness, and disobedience, which causes punishment from God our Father. No doubt He chastises me because He loves me, but when I speak of His chastisement, it is not my glory! It is because I am so rebellious and stubborn, even as a mule without understanding, that God is compelled to discipline me. This is my shame. Therefore, we should not boast in regard to the discipline we receive. All those who boast concerning the discipline of the Holy Spirit are those who do not know the nature of the discipline of the Holy Spirit.
Because the discipline of the Holy Spirit is such an unpleasant thing, God in His original thought put greater emphasis on the inner anointing, which is of a positive nature, than on the outward discipline, which is of a negative nature. But judging from our condition, the discipline of the Holy Spirit is most needful, because we are by nature rebellious, lawless, and disobedient. We often disregard and disobey the moving and enlightening of the Holy Spirit. It seems that His anointing alone, which is His sweet act, is not enough to accomplish His purpose, but that we need in addition the outward discipline as the coordinating factor to chastise us and deal with us that we may be subdued. Therefore, the discipline of the Holy Spirit must not be neglected in our experience.
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