Discipline is one of the keys to being a true Christian.  While we are saved by grace, there are rules and regulations that we must abide by as God’s children.  The entire New Testament is evidence of this truth.  How do we consistently keep the commandments of Christ?  It is by having discipline.

There is an obvious connection between the words discipline and disciple.  The purpose of discipline is to train a person to act according to certain rules and regulations.   The one who enforces the rules is the disciplinarian.  The one who follows those rules is the disciple.  The disciple of Christ, then, is the one who follows His rules and regulations consistently because he is disciplined enough to do so.  No one knew this better than Paul.

1 Cor. 9:27 (ESV)
But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

The word discipline here means “to strike on the face” (TDNT), and the words, “keep it under control,” means “to enslave.” Paul is figuratively saying that he beats down the cravings of his body to bring it into subjection, that is, to make it his slave.  He realized that his body was to work for him and not the other way around, knowing that the body could be a wonderful servant, but a lousy master.

The Bible tells us that we are to be in control of our bodies (Romans 6:12-13; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4).  This is why we must be disciplined if we are going to be good disciples of Christ, and it is what Paul is describing in 1 Cor. 9:27.  He describes himself as a slave driver, but he is both the master and the slave.  The new man who is born again in Christ is the master, the old man, that is, the fleshly body with all its cravings, is the slave.  The spirit (the inner man) is in control because he is operating under the influence of God’s will, and the flesh is being controlled.  This is the difference between Christians who are in Christ and unconverted people in the world.  We have the same desires, the same passions, and the same temptations as they do, but we follow the example of Paul and discipline our bodies and keep them under control.

The faithful disciple of Christ is not only in control of himself morally, but also in the area of serving God.  One way we serve God is by engaging in acts of devotion such as praying to Him, studying the Bible, and attending worship services.  These things should be a part of every child of God’s life.  Sadly, however, there are some in the body of Christ who lack the discipline to make these acts of devotion a regular part of their lives.  This is due, at least in part, to a lack of discipline in the area of time management.  The exhortation of Paul in Ephesians 5:16 should be employed by us all.  He wrote, “Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”   Do you make the best use of your time?  If you are not praying, studying the Bible, and attending worship services faithfully, then you are failing to do so.

We need discipline to be true disciples of Christ.  Let us all examine ourselves to make sure that we are living with the self-discipline that is needed to please God now and go to heaven after a while.                  

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.