Having Self Discipline

Introduction:

* The teaching of self-discipline has been shunned by the free-spirited culture in the church and society today.

* Without discipline, there is absolutely no advancement in grace.

* Without self-discipline, “Christian liberty” will be easily abused and land believers up with little self-control to resist temptation and sin.

Discipleship cannot happen in the absence of discipline.

* “Without discipline, there is no discipleship…” ~ Steven Lawson.

* <Heb 12:7>: Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?

* <Heb 12:12>: Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.

What is self-discipline?

* Greek word for “discipline” is “enkrateia”, which root word is “krat” (Power, Lordship).

* Self-discipline = to exercise power over one’s self.

* Doing something well and having self-discipline is different.

* <Gal 5:22-23>: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

* <1 Cor 7:9>: But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

* <Titus 1:8>: Rather, he (an Elder) must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.

Erroneous understanding of self-discipline

* Seeing self-discipline as a self-motivated human effort.

* All who don’t believe in original sin or the total depravation of men has taught “self-discipline” with the wrong foundation.

* Arminian teachings: Both salvation and sanctification stemmed from one’s own choice and determination, thus believing a person can discipline himself by self-determination.

* <Php 2:13-14>: …for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling or arguing”.

It is God who produces self-discipline

* Self-control is by virtue the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

* <Jn 15:5>: “Apart from Me, you can do nothing”.

* <Php 4:13>: “I can do all this through him who gives me strength”.

* <Ro 8:13>: (It is) by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body.

In the practical sense, how does training oneself in self-discipline looks like?

Read <1 Cor 9:24-27>

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

1) Like an Athlete undergoing strict discipline of rigorous training.

2) Achieve a long period of consistency, not a short burst.

* <1 Ti 4:7>: “Train yourself in godliness”.

* Everything is done in obedience to the Holy Spirit, not to please the self.

3) Half-hearted Christians who are not interested in spiritual victory will never want to get into such training.

4) The End Result – “I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air”. <v26>

5) A Champion Athlete beat his body into submission. <v27>

The way of the Spirit

* <1 Cor 10:23>:  “Everything is permissible”–but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”–but not everything is constructive.

1) Not being obsessed with regime, but to live by the new way of the Spirit

2) Yet, also having the strength to restrict our own liberties in whatever would hinder us from winning the prize.