Pastor Renny Khoo
22 January 2017
1 Timothy 4;7b - 8
1 Timothy 4: 7-8
Context of this verse, to train ourselves in godliness as it has its values in this present life and life to come
What are the spiritual habits ?
What would be some of the spiritual habits we would like to have as compared to the physical habits that we practice. Some examples would be Bible reading, scripture memorisation, prayer, worship, evangelism, service and stewardship. The practice of spiritual habits is an indication of the transforming power of God in our lives.
There is a powerful relationship between discipline/ habit and being a disciple.
How does this occur in practice?
The key is submitting ourselves to be trained.
1) Training is a retooling experience
2Tim 3: 17 Proficient and equipped for good work
Hebrews 5: 14, 12: 11 trained by practice to distinguish good from evil
Retooling is making changes in order for us to further improve. It can be gradual and incremental. It is making minor changes to align ourselves.
Training is an indirect way of establishing spiritual habits in order to know God better. It puts in motions positive events in our experience with God. Spiritual habit are regimes to keep us fit for service so that we are fully fit and ready to answer the call of God. It is to attain a quality of spiritual strength and stamina which is otherwise impossible. The more we do it, the better we will be. Training is a retooling experience.
The Training enable equipping for good work.
2) Training requires effort
The word train comes from the Greek word gymnós, where the word gymnastic is derived.
In this age of constant debate between grace and work, the balance between grace and effort will bring upon an understanding that God opposes earnings but urges effort on our part. We must actively participate in order to bring about the results that we expected.
This is consistent with the Bible as it exalts us to “running to get the price”, “working hard”, “facing danger”, “suffering”, “pressing on”, “labouring”, “competing as an athlete” and “working hard as a farmer”.
D.A Carson - People do not drift into holiness. Apart from grace driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to scripture, faith and delight in the Lord.
We need to submit ourselves to be trained but all in the light of grace from God. We can “catch up” on our “cheat days”
Disciplined grace Vs Cheap grace
A balance of our efforts to cultivate good spiritual habits. God honors and urges effort from us.
Grace is given to us as free gift
3) Training is best done in a community
Have a friend and family member to support your effort to train.
Richard Foster - (Celebration of discipline), “The disciplines are best exercised in the midst of our relationships with our husband or wife, our brothers and sisters, our friends and neighbours.”
In establishing spiritual habits, it is essential that we belong to a community of faith or Connect group as we help one another on our journey. It is the best place for our spiritual habits to be formed, encouraged, celebrated, challenged and trained.
In conclusion, Ps Renny shared the story of a legendary Sportman from 2500 years ago. He is Milo of Craton, he was a 6th-Century BC Wrestler from the Magna Graecian city of Croton, who enjoyed a brilliant wrestling career and won many vicotories in the most important athletic festivals of anceint Greece.
His strenght was desrcibed as legendary :-
He carried a bull on his shoulders, and to have burst a band about his brow by simply inflating the veins of his temples.
And this was how he trained, he carried a calf when it was young and until it was a 4 years-old bull.
The illustration of Milo of Croton’s training is an example of incremental physical transformation over a period of time.
Practical ways of celebrating spiritual habit are, be reasonable, start “too” light, be consistent but remember grace – “catch up days”, “cheat day” and always improving – retooling.
Maturity comes when new habits slowly take over our old habits.
The key to inner transformation is to submit ourselves to training habits until they become second nature to us. It is not about information but as we train, we are continuingly form as a disciple conforming to a true follower of Christ.
Lessons to learn from Milo :-
- Start "Too Light" - be reasonable
- Be Consistent
- Always improve - retool
The key to inner transformation is to submit ourselves to be trained.
Questions
1. Some of the common spiritual habit include: Bible reading, Scripture memorisation, prayer, worship, evangelism, service and stewardship.
Choose one of the habit to share your experiences, thought or questions.
Share if you have plans to retool one spiritual habit this year?
2. How do you understand joy, delight and celebration in light of training?
3. Share how by belonging to a Connect group you are training (helping) one another to follow Christ.
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