Reading Notes: Disciplines of a Godly Man by R. Kent Hughes

Reading Notes for Introduction and Chapters 1-5.

Reading Notes for Chapters 6-9.

Reading Notes for Chapters 10-13.

Reading Notes for Chapters 14-18.

Reading Notes for Chapter 19.

Reading Notes: Disciplines of a Godly Man, Chapter 19, by R. Kent Hughes

Reading Notes for Introduction and Chapters 1-5.

Reading Notes for Chapters 6-9.

Reading Notes for Chapters 10-13.

Reading Notes for Chapters 14-18.

Chapter 19 - Grace of Discipline

• The author talked about the "rich etymology" of the word "discipline" -- that it includes both divestment (casting off) and investment (see page 223). The dynamic discipline of divestment-and-investment is a life-long practice as the Lord progressively sanctifies us.
• Christian Living from start to finish is a matter of grace - Sola gratia. "Salvation is by grace alone, and living the Christian life is by grace alone also. . . . As we tackle the disciplines of a godly man, we must remember it is a matter of grace from beginning to end" (p. 227).
• Thus, "there is no contradiction between grace and hard work" (p. 228).
• The author has been helpful and practical throughout the book with the constant refrain that "training in righteousness" is not a passive affair: godliness requires that we work hard, that we break a spiritual sweat, and this means we need to pro-actively assess our spiritual condition.
• One way the author recommends to assess our spiritual condition and to discipline ourselves without being legalistic (see quote below and the table): 

Review the seventeen disciplines studied in this book [divide them into separate lists--a list of those areas in which you are doing well ("+") and another list of the areas where you need help (" - ")], then prioritize them in relation to your own life -- the abilities and interests God has given you, the opportunities before you, your own level of spiritual understanding and maturity, your willingness to move forward (p. 229).

Discipline of . . .	+	-	Priority
Purity
Marriage
Fatherhood
Friendship
Mind
Devotion
Prayer
Worship
Integrity
Tongue
Work
Perseverance
Church
Leadership
Giving
Witness
Ministry

Disciplines of a Godly Man, Chapters 1-5

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1:

This is a call for breaking a "spiritual sweat" for the sake of Spiritual Discipline, i.e., 1 Tim. 4:7 -- "Train yourself to be godly." Connotes casting off all that is getting in the way of godliness; disciplining yourself so you are unencumbered.

Men, we will never get anywhere spiritual without a conscious divestment of the things that are holding us back. What things are weighing you down? The call to discipline demands that you throw it off. Are you man enough? (p. 14)

 We must check our motives for spiritual discipline.

For many, spiritual discipline means putting oneself back under the Law with a series of Draconian rules which no one can live up to -- and which spawn frustration and spiritual death. But nothing could be farther from the truth if you understand what discipline and legalism are. The difference is one of motivation: legalism is self-centered; discipline is God-centered. The legalistic heart says, "I will do this thing to gain merit with God." The disciplined heart says, "I will do this thing because I love God and want to please Him." There is an infinite difference between the motivation of legalism and discipline! (p. 15)  

 Section 1 - "RELATIONSHIPS"

Author brings up the most important areas for which a man needs to be disciplined, i.e., personal purity, marital faithfulness/discipline, fatherhood, etc. The author does not skirt around the important issues but brings them up right away and addresses them head-on.

Chapter 2 - Disciplines of Purity

The story of King David's sexual sin with Bathsheba, and his subsequent breaking of all the rest of the 10 Commandments, is a sober reminder that no one is above temptation (2 Samuel 11). Be humble and never let your guard down. Beware of "rationalization".

Just when we think we are the safest, when we feel no need to keep our guard up, to work on our inner integrity, to discipline ourselves for godliness -- temptation will come! (p. 24) 

 Chapter 3 - Disciplines of Marriage

Break a spiritual sweat and discipline yourself in marital faithfulness. Also, do not take your wife for granted. Marital love ought to be a sanctifying love, a love that is efficacious. A benchmark for godly disciplines within marriage:

Is my wife more like Christ because she is married to me? or she like Christ in spite of me? (p. 38)

 Men need to strive for excellence in the discipline of communication in their marriages. Husbands need to be disciplined listeners.

The stereotype is the husband buried in the morning newspaper at breakfast, preferring to read a news agency report of the latest scandal in a European government, the scores of yesterday's athletic contests, and the opinions of columnists whom he will never meet rather than listen to the voice of the person who has just shared his bed, poured his coffee, and fried his eggs, even though listening to that live voice promises love and hope, emotional depth and intellectual exploration far in excess of what he can gather informationally from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Christian Science Monitor put together [Quotation from Eugene Peterson's Working the Angles](p.41).

 Chapter 4 - Disciplines of Fatherhood

We must discipline ourselves so that our hearts are turned towards our children. Scripture demands that we not exasperate our children, therefore, we must put on the discipline of "tenderness." Being "busy" is not the same thing as being disciplined. This truth especially applicable to fatherhood.

Men, time is the chrysalis of eternity -- there is no other time but the present. I realize we all go through periods in our lives when we have little time for our families -- it is part of the natural rhythm of life. But excessive "busyness" must not be by choice -- as it so often is! We must beware of packing our schedules by saying "yes" to things which mean "no" to our families. Now is the time to take time. There is no other! Will you do it? (p. 54)

 Chapter 5 - Disciplines of Friendship

Jesus Christ is the chief example for the discipline of friendship -- Christ's example teaches us that Christian friendship is efficacious, it elevates others.

The deepest of friendships have in common this desire to make the other person royalty. They work for and rejoice in the other's elevation and achievements. There are no hooks in such friendships, no desire to manipulate or control, no jealousy or exclusiveness -- simply a desire for the best for the other" (p. 62).

No matter what our disposition, we need to work at friendliness. We need to be consciously cheerful. We need to ask questions. We need to place ourselves in situations where friendships happen. . . . Men, we must place ourselves in the ways of friendship: an adult Sunday school class, a home Bible study, a men's Bible study, a men's breakfast group, men's retreats, and, especially, a service in some ministry of the church. Women are so much better at this than men. We must learn from them to take the initiative (p. 65).

Discipline Yourself

"The Bible is very plain about how godliness does come. Paul wrote about godliness to Timothy. In his first letter to that budding young minister, he said, in contrast to all the ways that will fail (mentioned in the first part of the verse), "Timothy, you must discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness" (I Timothy 4:7). Discipline is the secret of godliness" (Jay E. Adams, Godliness Through Discipline, 2).

Getting a Grip

"But we must come to grips with the fact that to be like Jesus we must pray" (Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, 66).

Evangelical Christian

"We must learn to know the Scriptures again, as the Reformers and our fathers knew them. We must not grudge the time and the work that it takes. We must know the Scriptures first and foremost for our salvation. . . . But one who will not learn to handle the Bible for himself is not an evangelical Christian" (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, 54-55).

Treasury of Scripture

"When Scripture is stored in the mind, it is available for the Holy Spirit to take and bring to your attention when you need it most" (Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, 42).

Sanctification: Spiritual Discipline - Spiritual Exercises

In a similar vein of thought to quote posted yesterday from James K. A. Smith's Imagining the Kingdom, Donald S. Whitney, reflecting on the narratives of the blind beggar, Bartimaeus, and tax collector, Zacchaeus, from Luke 18 and 19, encourages his readers to:

Think of the Spiritual Disciplines as spiritual exercises. . . .

There are two Bible stories that illustrate another way of thinking of the role of Spiritual Disciplines. Luke 18:35-43 tells the story of a blind beggar named Bartimaeus and his encounter with Jesus. . . . The second Bible story is in the very next paragraph of Scripture, Luke 19:1-10. It's the famous account of the conversion of the tax collector, Zacchaeus. . . .

Think of the Spiritual Disciplines as ways we can place ourselves in the path of God's grace and seek Him much as Bartimaeus and Zacchaeus placed themselves in Jesus' path and sought Him (Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, 18-19).

For the sanctification of the Christian it cuts both way: God marshals our embodiment (as James K. A. Smith notes) for our sanctification, and we marshal our own embodiment (as  Donald S. Whitney notes) for our sanctification. Justification, however, is a different matter. Justification is a monergistic work of God.

Pursue Holiness

Although God will grant Christlikeness to us when Jesus returns, until then He intends for us to grow toward that Christlikeness. We aren't merely to wait for holiness, we're to pursue it. "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy," we're commanded in Hebrews 12:14, for "without holiness no one will see the Lord."

Which leads us to ask what every Christian should ask, "How then shall we pursue holiness? How can we be like Jesus Christ, the Son of God?"

We find a clear answer in 1 Timothy 4:7: "Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness" (Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, 16). 

 

 

  

Discipline

"Discipline without direction is drudgery" (Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, 15).