Discipleship and Spiritual Disciplines
What are Spiritual Disciplines?
Spiritual disciplines are the habitual practices that Jesus and early Christians used to shape their lives toward God. (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 36:38) These practices aren't activities we do to earn God's favor or work for salvation, but rather the means through which we cooperate with God's grace to experience transformation in our lives.
As Dallas Willard wisely noted, "Grace is opposed to earning; it's not opposed to effort." (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 44:40) While salvation comes by grace alone through faith alone, as saved people we must put intentional effort into experiencing transformation.
The Need for Intentional Practices
The Gap Between Biblical Christianity and Modern Faith
There's a significant difference between the life of Jesus and the early Christians we see in the New Testament compared to the average Christian today. (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 39:29) The average Christian in contemporary culture is often not very different from the average contemporary person - just as busy, anxious, stressed, angry, driven, insecure, and addicted. (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 39:56)
The reason for this disparity is that their habits, patterns, and regular practices don't differ greatly from the average contemporary person. Both spend their time the same way, have similar priorities and activities, similar screen time, and the same basic approach to life. (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 40:17)
The Principle of Outcomes and Practices
If you want the outcomes of Jesus's life, you have to adopt the practices of Jesus's life. (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 36:46) Just like you can't get different results in a before-and-after transformation without changing the activities between those pictures, we can't expect spiritual transformation without engaging in the practices that produce it. (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 41:13)
The Biblical Foundation
Romans 6: Our New Identity
Romans 6:11-13, 19 teaches that as Christians, we have a new identity. We are dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. We're called to present our bodies to God as instruments for righteousness rather than unrighteousness. (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 35:22)
This new baptismal identity means the old you died and was buried, and you've been raised to walk in a new life with new capacities, new power, and a new relationship with God. (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 43:44)
The Fruit of the Spirit
When we engage in the right practices, we begin to bear the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 37:52) Imagine what a difference it would make in our lives if we regularly started producing these qualities.
The Process of Transformation
Unlearning and Relearning
Spiritual growth requires unlearning sinful patterns that feel natural and ingrained in us - like anger, defensiveness, pride, and lust - and developing new patterns that become ingrained and start to feel natural, though at first they're not. (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 46:18)
We must unlearn automatic responses to life stimuli and learn new patterns like attentiveness to God, patience, gentleness, and self-control. Through the right training and intentional effort, these can become more natural and ingrained in us. (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 47:03)
The Role of Our Bodies
This transformation requires the engagement of our bodies through habitual practices that over time begin to shape us into new people. (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 47:31) Just as taking countless swings at the driving range makes someone a person with a better golf swing, spiritual practices reshape our character.
The Promise of Change
Transformation is Possible
If you've ever said "this is just the way I am" about some area of struggle, Scripture says you can't resolve yourself to that if you're a Christian. (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 43:22) Transformation is not only possible but inevitable for those in Christ - though it's not automatic and not effortless. (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 44:29)
The Vision of Christlike Living
Consider what life would look like with freedom from crippling anxiety, insecurity, fear, selfishness, lust, and greed. (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 38:29) Imagine having victory over the things you hate most about yourself and walking in the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome patterns that intensify shame.
Practical Application
Living like Jesus requires intentional, strenuous, focused effort. (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 45:14) You will not accidentally become like Christ. This takes establishing and exercising certain practices habitually - it requires some spiritual grit and effort. (Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 2, 41:47)
The disciplines are bodily practices that, when engaged consistently, begin to shape us into the kind of people who naturally respond to life with the character of Christ. They are means of grace through which God transforms us from the inside out.