Harsh Discipline (Proverbs 15:10)

Discipline is a subject dealt with in high frequency in the Proverbs. Today is one of those days.

"There is severe discipline for him who forsakes God's way, and he who hates reproof will die [physically, morally and spiritually]." Proverbs 15:10, Amplified

This is speaking of the Christian as well as the human population in general. In the first part of the verse, there is he who forsakes God's way. The one who forsakes is the one that knows and was practicing God's way. The Lord loves His children so much that there is a harsh discipline waiting for them when they stray.

But the one who hates reproof is the one who does not understand the ways of the Lord. He thinks that the Bible is just a book full of "no" and "don't" statements. He hates being corrected and being told that he is wrong. That man has never seen the path of the Lord, but all men will die. All men have an end; but the final destination does not have to be Hell. For the Christian when death comes life follows swiftly but for the man of the flesh death only brings eternal damnation. The Christian has a moral code that he holds himself to but the non-Christian deteriorates in his morality. Spiritually the Christian gets stronger the closer he walks with the Lord but the man who walks on his own has nothing to replenish his strength.