No Disciplines, No Discipleship
Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. 1 Timothy 4:7
And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24–25
Think about all the infomercials advertising the latest and greatest diet pill which is sure to make you look like the paid actor on your TV screen. Think about the all-in-one home gym machines that are sure to give you abs of steel in just 2 weeks. Who doesn’t like a good short cut? Call it laziness or efficiency, but we like quick, fix-all solutions. Unfortunately, this rarely works in real life. Think of athletes for example. Does the fastest Olympian get into that kind of shape with $19.95 (+ free shipping) multi-vitamins or a few days on the Ab-Machine 2000?
No. Athleticism requires discipline.
Additionally, discipleship requires discipline — specifically spiritual discipline. For an athlete, it’s not just a proper diet or a regimented exercise routine. For a follower of Jesus, it’s not just individual or corporate spiritual disciplines. God has prescribed both individual and corporate disciplines that we might grow in Christlikeness through the power of the Holy Spirit.
“Some might think they could be all that God wants them to be, even without the local church, just by practicing the personal Spiritual Disciplines faithfully. Others may be equally deceived into thinking that they’ll make sufficient spiritual progress if they are deeply involved in the life of their church, believing that somehow their participation in meaningful church activities will compensate for the lack of a personal devotional life. To lean too far toward our own personal inclination, however, will get us out of balance and deform our pursuit of holiness.”
-Donald S. Whitney (Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life)
In my previous post, I discussed how God’s Word can be read and studied as an individual and corporate discipline. Paul tells Timothy that this is a clearly prescribed discipline for the gathered church. “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (1 Tim 4:13). He also writes of its formative power: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16–17).
In addition to the public reading and teaching of God’s Word, He has prescribed other ways through which the gathered church joins in God’s mission of making disciples; primarily through prayer, observing the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:42), baptism (Matt 28:19), and praise/adoration (Col 3:16). These practices not only are formative in the life of each believer, but also formative in how they shape the way we practice these disciplines as individuals. It should be noted that although many of the spiritual disciplines can and should be practiced individually, there is a significant and formative difference when the church gathers together in Christ. Additionally, certain spiritual disciplines (specifically the Lord’s Supper and baptism) are not designed to be practiced by the individual, as their significance lies within the corporate observance.
The wonderful thing about spiritual disciplines is that while there are prescribed observances for the gathered church, God also provides many ways for us to grow as disciples both individually and with other believers. For instance, an individual might form the habit of journaling, memorizing or meditating on Scripture, or fasting as private spiritual disciplines. The New Testament speaks often about fellowship among believers. This kind of discipleship might be done today through small groups, Sunday School classes, retreats, summer camps, etc.
For a disciplined athlete, there is no all-encompassing short cut. For a disciple of Christ, there is no fast-track-to-godliness program. Christlikeness doesn’t happen by accident, but through individual and corporate disciplines.
“I’ve never known a man or woman who came to spiritual maturity except through discipline. Godliness comes through discipline.”
-Donald S. Whitney
