Living the Christian Life

In this study, Living The Christian Life, our goal will be to discover God’s instructions for living a life more pleasing to Him, while facing the challenges of our everyday lives. In this endeavor, we will of course be examining God’s Word for answers. In addition, we will also be referencing Richard J. Foster’s writings on the spiritual disciplines, including his book "Celebration of Discipline".

If you look up the word "discipline" in a dictionary, you will find that it has two meanings—and for many of us, neither meaning describes something that we naturally want in our lives. Discipline can either mean a form of punishment; or, as is the case for this study, it can mean training ourselves to live and act in a certain way. The main goal of this kind of discipline is to improve our daily walk, to grow our faith, and to prepare us for challenges that lie ahead.

None of us like the kind of discipline that involves punishment or correction, and yet the Bible tells us that God disciplines those that He loves (see Proverbs 3:12 and Hebrews 12:6). In Hebrews 12:6, we are instructed that God disciplines us for our own good, in order that we may share in his holiness. And, again in Hebrews 12:11, Paul tells us that "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." [NIV] Through God’s discipline and training, we can live the life that God has planned for us.

However, as indicated above, for the purposes of this study, we will be focusing on the other definition of discipline. This kind of discipline is referred to by Paul when he writes in Colossians 2:5 "For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is." [NIV] Accordingly, this is the goal of our study—to establish on solid ground, and then grow, our faith in Christ.

Following Paul’s words in Titus 1:8, let us apply ourselves to the task of learning how to the live the life Christ has given us through developing specific spiritual disciplines. In describing the benchmark behavior of a follower of Christ, Paul asserts, "Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined." [NIV]

Richard Foster has grouped twelve disciplines into three categories: Inward Disciplines, Outward Disciplines, and Corporate Disciplines. We will explore each of the following disciplines over the course of our study.

1. The Inward Disciplines
   1. Meditation
   2. Prayer
   3. Fasting
   4. Study
2. The Outward Disciplines
   1. Simplicity
   2. Solitude
   3. Submission
   4. Service
3. The Corporate Disciplines
   1. Confession
   2. Worship
   3. Guidance
   4. Celebration