Transformed by Grace A blog about Jesus, theology, ministry and the transforming work of the grace of God.

The Role of Discipline in the Christian Life

Introduction

The role of discipline in the Christian life cannot be overlooked if one is to have a proper view of growth in godliness. Discipline is not drudgery nor is it legalism. Discipline for the sake of godliness aims to become like Christ. Discipline for the sake of godliness is not withdrawing from the world for the pursuit of godliness. Pursuing godliness apart from being a follower of Christ who is committed to making disciples is not what the Apostles taught. Jesus in Luke 9:23 taught that a disciple must come to Jesus, learn from Him, and take up one’s Cross. In other words a disciple is one who comes to Christ, engages the process of sanctification and goes out and makes disciples. Discipline without the goal of becoming like Christ is futile! This highlights the reason why the role of discipline in the Christian life is so important. Holiness is not an option in the process of evangelism but is an integral part of being a disciple of Christ.

The role of discipline in the Christian life

1^st Timothy 4:6-15 is about how Timothy should be shaped by the Gospel. Both paragraphs in this section (vv.6-10 and 11-16) open with a call for Timothy to speak certain truths to the congregation. The focus is on how Timothy, by his teaching and lifestyle, can help the church preserver in the face of false teaching.

Dr. Donald Whitney said, “The spiritual disciplines are the God-given means we are to use in the Spirit-filled pursuit of godliness.” Throughout the History of the Church the men and women God has used the most have been those who are godly. Godliness is not a suggestion as Paul says in 1^st Timothy 4:7 believers are to train themselves for the purpose of godliness.

God uses accountability to sharpen off the dross of our lives (Proverbs 27:17). God will use our friends, family, neighbors and fellow church members to sharpen our lives into Christlike living; sometimes the Lord even chooses to use our enemies, and critics. The Lord also uses our parents, children, spouses, co-workers, customers, teachers, and pastors… God changes us through these people.

The Lord also uses situations and circumstances to bring about a change in our lives (Romans 8:28).  Financial pressures, physical conditions, even the weather are used in the hands of Divine Providence to stimulate His elect toward holiness.

Discipline for the sake of itself is not helpful. When an athlete trains for an event he does so to further his goals of becoming a champion. With this analogy in mind the same is true in the believer’s walk with God. Discipline for the sake of discipline is not profitable for the Christian unless his pursuit is Jesus. No person by their own self-discipline will become holy for growth in holiness is a gift from the Lord (John 17:17; 1 Thess 5:23, Hebrews 2:11).

Spiritual disciplines are the means God uses in the life of the believer to grow in godliness. Spiritual disciplines are God’s grace for the believer they are not the object of grace. Spiritual growth is only possibly because of Jesus who is the object, and where the content of our faith, comes from. The means of grace is the work of the Holy Spirit who changes believers from the inside out, and to this end the Holy Spirit uses spiritual disciplines to conform the believer to Christ. Charles Spurgeon said, “I must take care above all that I cultivate communion with Christ, for though that can never be the basis of my peace- mark that- yet it will be the channel of it.”

Paul was teaching Timothy in 1^st Timothy 4:6-15 about the importance of being shaped by the Gospel. His words to Timothy in 1^st Timothy 4:6 are not a suggestion they are a command. Holiness is not an option for those who claim to be children of the Holy One (1^st Peter 1:15-16), so neither are spiritual disciplines, a means of grace, an option for the believer.

Proverbs 23:12. The purpose of discipline is to get us to discipline ourselves. The expectation of discipline is the offer of Jesus in Matthew 11:29. The same is true of the offer of discipleship by Jesus in Luke 9:23. To be a disciple is to learn and follow Jesus. Learning and following require discipline for those who only learn and follow whenever they feel like it; they are not true disciples. The heart of discipleship is confirmed by Galatians 5:22-23 which says that spiritual self-discipline (self-control) is one of the most evident marks of being Spirit-controlled.

By neglecting the spiritual disciplines we face the danger of bearing little fruit for God’s glory. Every believer has spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-7). The presence of spiritual gifts does not mean that one will be fruitful. The only way natural gifts are developed is through discipline and the same is true with spiritual gifts; if one wants to bear fruit for God then they must discipline themselves for the purpose of godliness.

The purpose of spiritual disciplines is not to lead us into legalism but into growth in God’s grace. The final reward of spiritual disciplines should be what motivates us rather than the promise of “being a better person”. In spiritual disciplines there is freedom from self-centeredness, in disciplines such as worship, service and evangelism. Freedom of godliness is the freedom to what God calls for in Scripture, and the freedom to expression of character, qualities of Christ, brought forth through our own personality. This kind of freedom is the reward or result of the blessing of God upon our engagement of the spiritual disciplines.

Conclusion

Discipline for the sake of discipline is unprofitable. Discipline must have direction and the object of that pursuit should be the goal of godliness. A disciplined Christian is not a joy killer but a joy pursuer. The disciplined Christian delights himself/herself in the Lord. To pursue Jesus one has to delight in Him. Sadly, too often, discipline is viewed as a “ball-in-chain” rather than an opportunity to delight oneself in the Lord. When the Christian life is viewed as a set of rules and regulations, joy is eliminated.  When this happens confusion ensues. When discipline in godliness is removed from joy in Christ all that is left is the pursuit of misguided obedience. Obedience in Scripture is tied to the work of the Holy Spirit (John 14-15).

The Holy Spirit is at work in the believer to convict them of sin but also to point them to the Truthfulness and sufficiency of Jesus Christ. Since the Holy Spirit is not a joy killer but the source of the believer’s joy in Christ, it goes to reason that for the Christian, to live without joy is impossible. The command of Psalm 37:4, “To delight oneself in the Lord” is not an option. The joy of the Lord truly is our strength. Discipline for the sake of godliness apart from joy is not profitable but burdensome. Many people today associate discipline with legalism but that is not the case. Discipline is tied to godliness, which is tied to the pursuit of joy. The whole goal for the Christian is to delight oneself in the Lord and by doing so one will find joy in the Lord. One cannot delight in something without finding joy. One cannot obey the Lord without understanding why they need to be obedient. Obedience to Christ must be grounded in the understanding of joy with the goal of godliness which results in becoming like Christ. Without this understanding the Christian life will become a set of rules, but with understanding the role of discipline, tied with joy, the believer will live with increasing victory over sin because they delight in Jesus who is victorious over sin and death.

Whitney, Donald, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (Colorado: NavPress, 1991), 17.

C.H. Spuregon, “Peace by Believing,” in Metroploitan Tabernacle Pulpit (London: Passmore and Alabaster, 1864; reprint, Pasenda, TX: Pilgrim Publications, 1970), vol.9, page 283

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In Christ Alone,

Pastor Dave

The Meaning of Love

Greetings in Christ,

Sunday is Valentines Day a day where couples go out and enjoy each other’s company. Of course, one doesn’t have to go out to enjoy each other’s company; one could stay in and make dinner. Love is more than just a word when a man and a woman get married according to God’s Word they are to be one flesh. Marriage is a covenant between God, the man, and the women, for the rest of their lives. Love is not just an emotional response where you “feel” that you love something. Being in love with someone, unlike what many people think today, it’s loving a person, it’s seeing them at their worst, best and everywhere in between. Marriage is the expression of a heartfelt love that only comes as one first loves God and then his/her spouse.

Today, I want to speak specifically to married couples, but I also want to address singles. First, I want to speak to the men. Men do you have Valentines Day planned out? Men, while giving your lady a gift is important to them, it is not everything. What your lady wants, men, is your love. The Lord hardwired her to love. This is why God gives men a command to love your wives in Ephesians 5:33. This command extends especially when they seem to be unlovely. Yet men, you have to realize that God gave you your wife. Treat her like a princess!

Valentines Day may be just a day, but the purpose of the day should run throughout every day, every moment and every year of one’s marriage. Marriage is a sacred institution instituted by God. It is the highest form of intimacy that God has given to man. The Lord uses marriage in the life of men and women to effect the sanctification of the couple. The Lord created marriage in the life of men and women; for the Men, are you intentional with your wife? Do you intentionally pursue your wife? Do you demonstrate to her through your daily actions that you love her? By this, I’m drawing out the point that we as men cannot do this on our own. We need, as men, to rely on the grace of God which empowers us, as men, through the work of the Holy Spirit to be a godly men. This also draws out the point of growing in godliness as men. Men, if you are not growing in godliness, do not expect your wife to respect you. Women can spot a fake and a fraud a mile away!

Men, I also want to talk to you for a minute about one other thing. Your wife wants your heart. She doesn’t want the pieces you offer her day in and day out; she wants your whole heart, she deserves your whole heart. You need to understand that we live in a culture where our masculinity is being redefined in an attempt to neuter us of our masculinity. It time that men stand up, rise up and stand together for Jesus and His glory! Men, because you love Jesus, be an example of the grace Jesus has shown you, to your wife, your children, your neighbors, and in your city. It is only because of His grace, not without His grace, that you can be His witness to your family and friends. Do not lord over your family but love your family.

Women, it’s important that you respect your husbands. How respect looks in your marriage is different for every lady. Every couple has different personalities so how this is fleshed out is different for each married couple. When a man feels respected by his wife he feels whole. He feels whole because what a man needs most is respect from his wife. Paul expresses this idea in Ephesians 5:33. Women, it is unhelpful to belittle your husband or to get angry with him. These things cause men to respond in negative ways. Before the couple fights, it is imperative to set forth ground rules for dealing with difficulty. By doing this you will avoid major fights, which is helpful since major fights do nothing but harm to one’s marriage.

Singles, both men and women, this may be a hard day for you. Perhaps your a guy and have a girlfriend or if you're a girl and have a boyfriend.  Pursue those relationships by the grace of God.  This will help you maintain a godly perspective on the opposite sex. Don’t just say you’re going to put Jesus at the center of your life or your relationship. The path to godliness is not paved with good intentions but does occur as one daily relies on the grace of God. By this you should, young men and women, not just give intellectual assent to the grace of God, but implement it. Christianity is more than just words -- it is words accompanied by a heart transformed by God’s grace. Many people struggle in relationships because they disjoin the relationship between words and actions. Faith without works is dead according to James 2. The content of the Gospel never rings truer in al life that is being transformed by the grace of God. Is that true of your life? Is that true of your marriage? If so, I praise God! If not, I implore you today to search your heart and life, repent and return to the Lord.

Valentines Day is just a day and love is just a word. Yet, words have power the Word tells us that the power of life and death is in the tongue, in our words. The Word of God for example is powerful in that it says it can pierce us to the marrow. The Word of God is more than mere words. God uses His Word in the life of His people to bring about the salvation of people, to preserve believers, to build up the Church and for the advancement the Kingdom of God. The Word of God is vital and powerful, and yet it is words. We read words everyday, and we speak words everyday. Everyday all around us we are surrounded by words. Men, you speak words to your wives. Women, you speak words to your husbands. Are those words edifying? Do your words show you care about your spouse? I implore you married couples to intentionally show your spouse that you love them today and everyday. By doing this your marriage will continue to grow, develop and mature. Marriage is for a lifetime.

Men, if you love your wives, show them today and everyday; not just with your words but by your actions. Show her you take your God given responsibilities seriously! Women, show your husbands that you respect them, not just with words but by your actions. This short devotional is not meant to be an exhaustive treatment or cover every issue in relation to a marriage. I realize that some of this may not apply to every marriage. I have intentionally generalized much of what I’ve said here today. If you have specific questions and would like to talk about what I’ve said here, I welcome it. Please send your responses to pastordavid@servantsofgrace.net.  I look forward to hearing from you.

In Christ Alone,

Pastor Dave

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Developing a plan for discernment

This post ends the series on discernment but not our examination of the topic of spiritual growth. The first post on discernment is here: http://servantsofgrace.net/PastorDave/2010/01/28/the-role-of-discernment-in-spiritual-growth/ The second post is here: http://servantsofgrace.net/PastorDave/2010/01/29/developing-a-doctrinal-framework-for-discernment/

Today, we conclude this series on discernment by developing a plan for discernment. The importance of personal discernment cannot be overstated because those who are unable to distinguish right from wrong will likely fall into serious error. Christians need to realize that this error comes in many forms, and it often looks good at first glance- that’s why it’s called deception. Yet, God has given His children all that they need to “test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thess. 5:21-22). Thus we can be confident that those who learn to think biblically will be adequately equipped to “turn away from the snares of death” (Prov 14:27). By asking the question, “How can we do this?”- and looking to God’s Word for the answer- this post will help us spot, and reject false teaching.

By God’s grace Christians have a standard to test the authenticity of any incoming religious message. That’s why even when we are bombarded with doctrinal frauds and spiritual knockoffs, we need not lose hope. God has not left us defenseless. By arming us with His Word, He has given us everything we need for life and godliness” (2nd Peter 1:3).

Believers’ reliance upon Scripture becomes more and more crucial everyday, as new errors are introduced into the church and as old errors continue to resurface. Whether its new ways to evangelize or new ways to fill the auditorium, these innovative trends always seem to provide the perfect solution for the church’s present needs. These new solutions are primarily based on secular wisdom and driven by whatever works, and this does not solve anything. By suggesting that the “old and original” methods of the New Testament are no longer good enough for today, these theological trends are just worldly philosophies dressed up in religious garb.

Theological traditions (sometimes centuries old) also view for our attention. Many traditions are goo, but some of them are not. And they have been established for almost every aspect of Christian thought, from methods of church government to philosophies of Bible interpretation. Unlike their “new and improved” counterparts, these historic systems appeal to their distinguished heritage for added credibility. Nonetheless, when these theological legacies begin to replace the clear teaching of Scripture, the results are disastrous.

How can believers discern between trends, traditions and the truth. The answer to this question begins with the Scriptures. God has given us His Word; so that we can evaluate every spiritual message we receive, discriminating between what is right and what is wrong. In 2nd Timothy 3:16-17, the apostle Paul said: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Do you want to be equipped for every good work? Do you want to be able to teach truth and correct error? If so, you must become a student of the Scriptures- trusting that His Word is a sufficient guide for any problem you encounter. The maze of modern religious thought is no match for the Sword of the Spirit which is able even to “discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

How can Christians, begin to apply biblical discernment to their daily lives? In the previous blog posts you’ve seen several examples of poor theology and the confusion it can cause. How can you prepare yourself for the battle? How can you make sure you are guarding the truth of God’s Word, so that you will be able to faithfully pass it on to the next generation? Scripture outlines the plan for us to follow.

Step one is to desire. Proverbs 2:3-6, “If you call out for insight and raise your voice or understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”

If we have no desire to be discerning, we won’t be discerning. I we are driven by a yearning to be happy, healthy, affluent, prosperous, comfortable, and self-satisfied, we will never be discerning people. If our feelings determine what we believe, we cannot be discerning. If we subjugate our minds to some earthly ecclesiastical authority and blindly believe what we are told, we undermine discernment. Unless we are willing to examine all things carefully, we cannot hope to have any defense against reckless faith.

The desire for discernment is a desire born out of humility. It is a humility that acknowledges our own potential for self-deception (“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick: who can understand it?”- Jer 17:9). It is a humility that distrusts personal feelings and casts scorn on self-sufficiency (“on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weakness,” (2nd Cor 12:5). It is a humility that turns to the Word of god as the final arbiter of all things (“examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things are so,” Acts 17:11).

No one has a monopoly on truth. My heart is as susceptible to self-deception as anyone’s. My feelings are as undependable as everyone else’s. I am not immune to Satan’s deception. This is true for all believers. Our only defense against false teaching and doctrine is to be discerning, to distrust our own emotions, to hold our own senses suspect, to examine all things, to test every truth- claim with the yardstick o Scripture, and to handle the Word of God with great care.

The desire to be discerning therefore entails a high view of Scripture linked with a passion for understanding it correctly. Go requires this very attitude of every believer(2 Tim 2:15). The heart that loves Jesus will burn with a passion for discernment.

Step two is prayer. Prayer, of course naturally follows desire; prayer is the expression of the heart’s desire to God.

When Solomon became king after the death of David, the Lord appears to him in a dream and said, “Ask what I shall give you” (1 Kings 3:5). Solomon could have requested anything. He could have asked for material riches, power, victory over his enemies, or whatever he liked. Solomon asked for discernment. “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil” (v.9). Scripture says, “It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this” (v.10)

The Lord told Solomon “ “ (1st Kings 3:11-14).

Notice that God commended Solomon because his request was unselfish: “because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself.” Selfishness is incompatible with true discernment. People who desire to be discerning must be wiling to step outside of themselves.

Modern evangelicism, enamored with psychology and self-esteem, has produced a generation of believers so self-absorbed that they cannot be discerning. People aren’t even interested in discernment. All their interest in spiritual things is focused on self. They are interested only in getting their own felt needs met.

Solomon did not do that. Although he had an opportunity to ask for long life, personal prosperity, health and wealth, he bypassed all of that and asked for discernment instead. Therefore God also gave him riches, honor, and long life for as long as he walked in the ways of the Lord.

James 1:5 promises that God will grant the prayer for discernment: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

Someone will point out that with all his abundance of wisdom Solomon was nevertheless a dismal failure at the end of his life (1 Kings 11:4-11). “His heat was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father” (v.4). Scripture records this sad sediment of the wisest man who ever lived:

“ 1Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, 2from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the people of Israel, "You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods." Solomon clung to these in love. 3He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. 4For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and did not wholly follow the LORD, as David his father had done. 7Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. 8And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods.           “ (1st Kings 11:1-9).

Solomon did not suddenly fail at the end of his life. The seeds of his demise were sown at the beginning. First Kings 3, the same chapter that records Solomon’s request for discernment reveals Solomon “made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh kings of Egypt” (v.1) Verse 3 tells us “Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statues of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offering at the high places.”

From the very beginning his obedience was deficient. Surely with all his wisdom he knew better, but he tolerated compromise and idolatry among the people of God (v.2)- and even participated in some of the idolatry himself.

Discernment is not enough apart from obedience. What good is it to know the truth if we fail to act accordingly? This is why James wrote, “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). Failure to obey is self-delusion; it is not true discernment, no matter how much intellectual knowledge we may posses. Solomon is biblical proof that even true discernment can give way to a destructive self-delusion. Disobedience inevitably undermines discernment. The only way to guard against that is to be doers of the Word and not hearers only.

Four in our series of steps toward biblical discernment is this: Emulate those who demonstrate good discernment. Do not follow the leadership of people who are themselves “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (Eph 4:14). Find and follow leaders who display an ability to discern, to analyze and refute error, to teach the Scriptures clearly and accurately. Read from authors who prove themselves careful handlers of divine truth. Listen to preachers who rightly divine the Word of Truth. Expose yourself to the teaching of people who think critically, analytically, and carefully. Learn from people who understand where error has attacked the church historically. Place yourself under the tutelage of those who serve as watchmen of the church.

I do this myself. There are certain authors who have demonstrated skill in handling the Word and whose judgment I have come to trust. When I encounter a difficult issue- whether it a theological problem, an area of controversy, a new teaching I have never heard of before, or whatever- I turn to these authors first to see what they have to say. I wouldn’t seek help from an unreliable source or marginal theologian. I want to know what those who are skilled in exposing error and are gifted in presenting truth have to say.

There have been outstanding men of discernment in every area of church history. Their writings remain invaluable resources for anyone who wishes to cultivate discernment. Martyn Lloyd-Jones and J. Gresham Machen are just two of many in the past century who distinguished themselves in the battle for truth. Charles Spurgeon, Charles Hodge and scores of other writers from the nineteenth century left a rich legacy of written material to help us discern between truth and error. In the century before that, Thomas Boston, Jonathan Edwards, and George Whitefield battled for truth, as did many others like them. The preceding era was the Puritan age- the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, which gave us what is undoubtedly the richest catalog of resources for discernment. Before that, the Reformers fought valiantly for the Truth of God’ Word against the traditions of men. Virtually every era before the Reformation also ha godly men of discernment who stood against error and defended the truth of God’s Word. Augustine, for example, preceded John Calvin by more than a thousand years, but he fought exactly the same theological battles and proclaimed precisely the same doctrines. Calvin and the Reformers drew heavily on Augustine’s writings as they framed their own arguments against error. In 325 A.D. a contemporary of Augustine, Athanasius, took a decisive stand against Arianism the same error that is perpetuated by modern-day Jehovah’ Witnesses. His writings stand today as the definitive response to that error.

Much of the written legacy these spiritual giants left is still available today. We can all learn from these men of discernment- and we would do well to emulate the clarity with which they spoke the truth against error. Those who can expose and answer the errors of false teachers are set in the body of Christ to assist us all to think critically and clearly. Learn from them.

As important as human examples are, however, the Spirit of God is ultimately the true Discerner. It is His role to lead us into all truth (John 16:13). First Corinthians 2:11 says, “no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Paul goes on to write, “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.15The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “ (1st Corinthians 2:12-15).

So discernment ultimately depends on the Holy Spirit. As we are filled with and controlled by the Spirit of God, He makes us discerning.

Finally, we return to the point we have touched on repeatedly: True discernment requires diligent study of the Scriptures. None of the other steps is sufficient apart from this. No one can be truly discerning apart from the mastery of the Word of God. All the esire in the world cannot make you discerning if you don’t study the Scriptures. Prayer or discernment is not enough. Obedience alone will not suffice. Good role models won’t do it either. Even the Hoy Spirit will not give you discernment apart from the Word of God. If you really want to be discerning, you must diligently study the Word of God.

God’s Word is where you will learn the principles for discernment. It is there that you will learn the truth. Only there can you follow the path of maturity.

Discernment flourishes only in an environment of faithful Bible study and teaching. In Acts 20, when Paul was leaving the Ephesians elders, he warned them about the deadly influences that would threaten them in his absence (vv.28-31). He urged them to be on guard, on the alert (vv.28, 31). How? What safeguard could he leave to help protect them form Satan’s onslaughts? Only the Word of God: “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (v.32).

Lets look more closely at 2nd timothy 2:15, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” Notice what this mandate to Timothy implies. First, it suggests that the d discerning person must be able to distinguish between the Word of Truth and the “irreverent babble” mentioned in verse 16. That may seem rather obvious, but it cannot be taken for granted. The task of separating God’s Word from human foolishness actually poses a formidable challenge for many today. One look at some of the nonsense that proliferates in churches and Christian media will confirm that this is so. Or note te the burgeoning stacks of “Christian” books touting weird views. We must shun such folly and devote ourselves to the Word of God. We have to be able to distinguish between truth and error.

How? “Do your best”. Being diligent pictures a worker giving maximum effort in his or her work. It describes someone driven by a commitment to excellent. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God”. The Greek phrase literally speaks o standing alongside God as a co-laborer worthy of identifying with Him.

Furthermore, Paul says this approved workman “has no need to be ashamed.” The word “Ashamed is very important to Paul’s whole point. Any sloppy workman should be ashamed of low-quality work. But a servant of the Lord, handling the Word of Truth carelessly, has infinitely more to be ashamed of.

What Paul suggests in this passage is that we will be ashamed before God Himself if we fail to handle the Word of Truth with discernment. If we can’t distinguish the truth from worldly and empty chatter, we can’t identify and refute false teachers, or if we can’t handle God’s Truth with skill and understanding, we ought to be ashamed.

And if we are to divide the Word of God rightly, then we must be very diligent about studying it. There is no shortcut. Only as we master the Word of God are we made “competent, equipped for every good work” (3:17). This is the essence of what it means to be discerning.

Put simply, spiritual maturity is the process o learning to discern. The path to real discernment is the path to spiritual growth. Growth in grace is a continuous process through this earthly life. No Christian ever reaches complete maturity this side of heaven. “Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to ace. Now I know in apart; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Cor 13:12). We must continually “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). We should hunger “for the pure spiritual milk, that by it we may grow” (1st Peter 2:2).

As we mature, our senses are exercised to discern good and evil (Hebrews 5:14). As we cease to be children, we gain stability (Eph 4:14-15). Mature people are discerning people.

We know this from the natural world. Parents continually help their child to be discerning, even when they become teenagers. Parents help them think through issues, understand what is wise and unwise, and prompt them to make the right choices. We help them discern. The goal of parenting is to raise a discerning child. The same is true spiritually. You don’t pray for discerning and suddenly wake up with abundant wisdom. It is a process of growth.

Stay on the path of maturity. Sometimes it involves suffering and trials (James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 5:10). Often it necessitates divine chastening (Hebrews 12:11). As always it requires personal discipline (1 Tim 4:7-8). The rewards are rich:

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare to her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed. My son, do not lose sight of these- keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. (Prov 3:13-18, 21-23).

And these riches unlike diamonds, will retain their value and brilliance for all eternity. The alternative is a life of theological confusion where spiritual treasures are confused with spiritual fakes. Hosea 14:9, “Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.”

In Christ Alone,

Pastor Dave

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