Freedom Through Discipline  

"For God has made no promises of mercy to the slothful and negligent. His mercy is only offered to our frail and imperfect, but best endeavors, to practice all manner of righteousness."--William Law

Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.

Introduction: Christians are to walk in freedom, Jesus said, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). Numerous times Paul wrote of the freedom we have in Christ (Romans 6:18,22; 8:1,2; Galatians 5:1). The only problem is that this truth seems more theological than it does practical. Christianity suffers from the glaring inconsistency that God calls every Christian to the disciplined life, but few actually walk in it. As Leo Tolstoy wrote, "All men of the modern world exist in a continual and flagrant antagonism between their consciences and their way of life."
  How, then, do we reconcile this dilemma? Through the practice of Spiritual Disciplines. The freedom Christ spoke of is available only through the disciplined life. There is no easy way, no "back-door," no alternate route that we can take which will change us into the image of Christ.
  Yet, we cannot say that the Disciplines are the reason Christ's righteousness and freedom are lived out in us. By our own effort, we can't become like Christ because no external exercise can earn the grace of God. By His grace and His grace alone, He changes us (Philippians 2:12,13). On the other hand, the Disciplines pave the road for receiving God's grace--they are the avenue in which God works.
  Consider a farmer. There is absolutely nothing he can do to make seed grow--it's a natural process he has no control over. But, he can fertilize, water, and weed the crop, providing optimum conditions for nature to run it's course. In the end, if he has purposefully and diligently provided the best environment for his crop, the harvest will be great. This is the case with the Spiritual Disciplines. We can't transform ourselves into the likeness of Christ, but the Disciplines provide the optimum environment for the grace of God to be worked out in us. Like the farmer, when we purposefully and diligently provide the environment for God's grace to work in us, our harvest will be great.

Lesson Questions:

1. How do the Disciplines, empowered by God's Spirit, help us "sow to the Spirit," and ultimately eternal life? Galatians 6:7,8.

2. How can the Disciplines, if administered by our own will, end in self-sufficiency, pride (will-worship), and corruption? Colossians 3:20-23; Galatians 6:7,8; 2 Corinthians 3:5,6.

3. Why does scripture place emphasis on who we are as much as on what we do? 1 John 3:7-10; Matthew 12:33-35; 7:15-20; Romans 8:1-8.

4. In what ways do we deceive ourselves in believing righteousness is attained only by our actions, rather than by the transforming power of God's Spirit upon the inner man? Romans 5:17; Ephesians 4:22-24; Romans 3:20-24; Proverbs 20:9.
Note: Matthew 23 details external righteousness. The Pharisees were the masters of outward cleansing by "righteous" works while remaining inwardly corrupt. Like the Pharisees, many of us find a false sense of spiritual security in religious ritual and form, such as tithing, church attendance, or comparing ourselves with others.

5. Many today thrive on "Cheap Grace" or discipleship with little to no personal cost. What does scripture say the committed Christian life will cost and how should this be seen in our family, church, job, etc.? Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 14:26-33; Romans 12:14,20; Matthew 6:24-34.

6. Inward change and outward change are often viewed as intantaneous events, i.e., we miraculously and instantly don't get angry anymore. How does scripture contradict this concept? Philippians 1:6; 3:10-15; Hebrews 6:1a.
Note: Even in the life of Christ, His obedience was learned by His suffering (Hebrews 5:8). Also notice the contrast between Paul's statements in Philippians 3:12 and 2 Timothy 4:6-8. The time between these statements was approximately 20 years. Like Paul did, we must suffer through the process of change and maturity.

7. If the transformation of our heart is completely a grace of God, why should we actively pursue righteousness, obedience, and discipline? Philippians 2:12,13; 3:14; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Matthew 5:17-20; Romans 6:15-22.