Discipline in the Christian Life

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (1 Cor. 9:24–28)

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Tim. 1:7)

The Christian is to live a disciplined life.

There are different analogies given in scripture for understanding the Christian life. The four most common ones are:

• We are like farmers who plant and harvest
• We are like soldiers involved in a great spiritual conflict
• We are like builders constructing a house
• We are like athletes involved in a great contest

In each of these the analogies, training, preparation, and discipline are essential elements. But especially when we think of the athletic contest, of comparing the Christian life to a great race and us as athletes and runners, the matter of discipline is foremost on our minds. The contest is won first on the practice field. The best player is not always the most talented one, rather he is the one who is most disciplined, who works the hardest.

God has a plan for our discipline. First, the Spirit of God is to control our inner spirits. Then our spirit, in communion with God, is to control our souls — our minds, emotions, and wills. Our souls, thereby, are to control our bodies.

In some lives this process is reversed. The body controls the emotions and the choices and the attitudes. The emotions control the will. God is removed from his rightful place — seated on the throne of our lives — and we replace him with our fears, desires, lusts, and pride. And this results in much misery in the world. Emotions are wonderful servants but they are terrible masters. If our emotions are allowed to be the controlling factor in our thoughts and actions, then we will live selfish, fearful, unhappy, painful, and harmful lives.

The Christian is to be in control of his mind and choices, and he is in control because God is in control of him. His feelings follow his will, and not the other way around. Here are some outward elements of a disciplined Christian.

• He is in the word of God daily
• He prays to God in a special time each day
• He also maintains an attitude of prayer throughout the day
• He memorizes and meditates on the word of God
• He is regular in church attendance
• He is faithful in service to Christ and makes a difference in the world
• He thinks about how he can help others, and not how they may help him

Do you have these traits? How disciplined are you as a believer?