The Importance of Discipline

7 But have nothing to do with pointless and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness. 8 For the training of the body has limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance. 10 For this reason we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

Introduction

Examples of Disciplined People:

Steph Curry - Practices two to three hours per day

Mike Singletary - Not the tallest or biggest. Watched hours of film to prepare for a game.

Da Vinci - Drew Thousands of Hands

Heri Mattise - Famous Painter said “many who wanted to be artist, spent time chasing models rather than painting them.

What are spiritual disciplines?

Spiritual Disciplines are practices found in scripture that promote spiritual growth among believers - Donald S. Whitney

The purpose of training and discipline is godliness. To be conformed into the Image of Christ.

vs. 7 states “Rather, train yourself in godliness.”

When the Holy Spirit comes inside of you at conversion, there is this hunger to pursue godliness.

Salvation, and then there is sanctification.

The goal of the the believer should be to look more and more like Christ.

Example - I just purchased a roomba, the J7 model. For the first couple of cycles, it works to it develops a complete map of your house. It goes around, and paints a digital picture of your house. This enables you to create rooms and barriers, giving you more control and direction in our home. The device continues to learn and its ultimate goal is to develop a model that looks just like your home. Whats cool is that it never stops learning. Each time it runs a job, it learns so that the model of your home can look like the original. This is how the process of growth should be in the believers life. Christ is the model and we should keep growing in an effort to look just like him.

1. Growing in Christ requires training

Do Nothing with myths — Paul tells timothy where not to focus his attention.

I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon 2. Warnings and Directions (4:7–11)

These are to be strictly avoided. Paul declared. In our own time these may come in the guise of new theologies, popular spiritual movements, curiosities about numbers, pyramids, and dates. We must be aware of all the false and distracting “knowledge” that presents itself as spiritual and then stay far from it and warn others of its ungodly results. To be able to discern the false from the true, a believer must be solidly grounded in the truth of God.

We have too many people who want to be woke but don’t want to work. When you are working on yourself, you will become less critical of others.

In the greek, the word used in our text for training is “gymnazo” This is the same word in which we get the term gymnasium. Paul is using a term of an athlete or psychical training to refer to how we grow in Christ

Example: Its a new year, so many of you are going to make a commitment to working out or losing weight. This is the most common new years resolution. You are probably going to get on a plan. Peloton, Planet Fitness, etc. Paul is saying that the same rigor you have for your physical training, is the same rigor you should have for your spiritual training. Don’t be fit physically, and unfit spiritually

Later in the text, paul uses the word labor.

1, 2 Timothy, Titus (1) Facing Falsehood (4:6–10)

The verb for “labor” (kopiaō) suggests a strenuous toil that saps energy. Godliness demands energy! Hiebert notes that the word for “strive” presents “the picture of the athlete putting the last ounce of his energy into the race in order victoriously to reach the goal.” The use of a Greek present tense for both verbs suggests a continual outpouring of this energy. White says: “A consciousness that we are in a harmonious personal relation with the living God lifts us into a sphere in which labor and striving have no power to distress us.

2. Godliness is helpful for this present life and the life to come.

8 For the training of the body has limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come

Physical training has limited benefit.

but spiritual training affects every aspect of your life.

Present Life - Your marriage, finances, parenting, work habits, civic duty, etc.

No one says in their marriage, since my spouse started working out, our marriage has improved drastically. We just saw a popular marriage, good looking people, fail. Not saying that their was some ungodly behavior but just to note the limitations of physical training.

Life to come - Eventually, we are all going to die.

Jesus says this:

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 8

36 For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life?

Hope in Christ should be our foundation for training and discipline

10 For this reason we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

Never forget why you are training.

I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon 2. Warnings and Directions (4:7–11)

Spiritual growth and nourishment and disciplines for godliness do not exist in a vacuum. They must be grounded in the living Christ. Paul underscored this idea by stating, This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. This is the thing for which the apostles and followers of Christ labor and strive. They had one purpose in their work. They committed themselves to one urgent and pressing goal—the spread of the gospel.

Closing