Articles
Disciplined Living
During our gospel meeting last week Don Bunting made an observation that struck a chord. He mentioned a marital difficulty and then said (paraphrasing), “This requires exercising our spiritual muscles.” We all know – at least theoretically! – of the relation of exercise to physical strength. An underused muscle is weak, and will completely atrophy if immobilized. Conversely, the more a muscle is used the stronger it is and the easier a task will be that requires that particular muscle. But no pain, no gain. We must do the hard part of exercising, repetitively moving, straining and feeling the burn of a workout, to acquire the benefit. No shortcuts; we can’t gain strength vicariously or via a pill.
The same principle is operative in the spiritual realm. Paul makes this point in 1 Cor 9:24-27 using an athletic analogy to illustrate it. Note carefully the context of this section. Paul has been talking about foregoing liberties in order to support and protect those of a weak conscience: “Beware, lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak … and because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble” (1 Cor 8:9, 11-13).
Jim McGuiggan notes: “We’re not to think that Paul is dealing here with the wickedness of which he is capable (though that would be implied). He’s talking here of being master over his body’s lawful desires. He isn’t urging the disciples to avoid wickedness, he’s urging them to so master themselves (in Christ) that their rights and liberties will not become their lord” (1 Corinthians 132).
Paul further noted that he had been willing to forego his own rights – financial support from the Corinthians – so as to avoid any misconceptions: “If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ” (9:11-12).
Further, rather than seek his own will or push his own agenda, he said, “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more … I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (9:19, 22). So, it is this desire to serve and save others that leads to his illustration on self-discipline.
“Run in such a way that you may obtain it” – 9:24. Obviously, Paul is not saying that, as in a footrace, heaven only has one “winner.” The emphasis here is on individual focus and effort; i.e., “as in a footrace where there is only one winner, you run the heavenly race with that kind of determination shown by athletes in the Isthmian Games.”
“Everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things” – 9:25. Vine says of temperate (Gk. enkrateuomai): “en, ‘in,’ kratos, ‘power, strength,’ lit., ‘to have power over oneself.’” Other versions render the term “self-control.” The athlete who only strives for a perishable crown – the laurel wreath – displays this very quality. Modern athletes who compete at the highest levels must restrict their diet, engage in sport-specific weight training, build cardiovascular stamina, adhere to a schedule that eschews social and/or frivolous events, get plenty of rest, hire trainers and psychologists to guide them along a successful path, etc. Paul contrasts this with the Christian’s end-game: “but we for an imperishable crown.” Once again, for lesser goals the world sometimes excels the Christian who is pursuing eternal life. The wreath wilts, which is metaphoric of the ephemeral reward of applause, admiration and adulation that comes with athletic achievements. But we have greater, more lasting awards ahead.
“I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air” – 9:26. Every athletic endeavor has a specified objective, and the successful are those who have laser focus on that objective. Relative to our moral/spiritual lives, we may lose sight of what we are actually trying to achieve. We all know it is easy to get comfortable and lazy. We get caught up in routines; follow the path of least resistance; defer our spiritual duties to others. But Paul maintained a clear sense of his apostolic mission in the face of persecution, slander, death threats and rigorous travel: “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship” (9:16-17). Perhaps it would behoove us to regularly reflect on who we are, what the Lord expects of us and what our purpose in this world is so that we retain focus on what is most important.
“But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection” – 9:27. Of course, physical desires often combine with mental conditioning to produce powerful yearnings that can dominate our lives. But we are not to surrender our spiritual duty to carnal weakness and excuse it by running for cover under God’s grace. Yes, we are weak and often fail to do the things we know are right (Rom 7:13ff), but this is not an excuse to simply give in to selfish interests. As McGuiggan noted, this passage is primarily about surrendering rights for the sake of others, but if we’re not willing to govern our darker cravings, we won’t likely have the mental power to forego our lawful privileges for the sake of the weak in faith.
Are you a slave to your own self-centeredness? It’s hard to answer “yes” to that question because such an answer is unflattering. Our culture encourages self-concern, self-comfort, self-acquisition, self-assertion – self, self, self. But Jesus repeatedly condemns self-promotion and self-advocacy: “But many who are first will be last, and the last first”; “And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave”; “Whoever desires to save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Mt 19:30; 20:27; 16:25).
Self-denial is the prescription for Christ’s disciples, for our Lord Himself embodied that very mindset: “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28). Weak muscles can be restored but not without pain and purpose. Do you need spiritual rehab to rebuild your muscle tone?
