Be disciplined!

How many of you often go to the gym (gymnasium)? How many of you exercise 3-4 times a week either at a gym, home, or park? Congratulations! You have developed a discipline in your life.

The story is told about an old man who went to the gym and asked the trainer, “what machine should I use to impress a 25 years old girl? The trainer responded, “use the Automated Teller Machine”.

Paul, the apostle, wrote to his disciple Timothy to instruct him how to be a good servant or minister (diakonos) of Jesus. Among those instructions, he included one of foremost importance: “discipline yourself” or “exercise yourself”. For that, he used the Gk verb “gumnazo”.

Becoming a disciple is not as easy as you think? Why? Because it requires personal discipline, and not many are willing to pay the price.

Discipleship is impossible without discipline; therefore:

“An undisciplined person is not able to be a disciple.”

The first thing we must understand about discipline is that:

Discipline is a personal choice.

“discipline yourself...” 7

It cannot be done for you.

I remember a Sunday School case where a brother was always asking his sister to do the work for him. And the sister, due to her love for her brother consented most of the time. Who do you think was the benefitted one?

It’s you and only you who has to make the decision to become a disciplined person.

I cannot exercise for you! I cannot eat healthy for you! I cannot read the Bible for you!...

“A disciplined person is someone who does what he must do when he must do it, and not what he wants to do.”

When my wife ask me “Do you want to eat?” What do you think is my common response? (She can tell you.) My response is, “What time is it?”. If it is time to eat, I will eat even if I am not hungry. That’s discipline!

Most people eat only if they are hungry! Most people read the Bible, pray, give, go to church, etc. only when they feel the desire, and not when they have to. Those are the undisciplined!

Just like one can be disciplined on your behalf, no one can impose discipline on you.

It cannot be imposed on you.

Let me clarify this: I am not saying that your parents cannot discipline you. They may ground you and punish you, but that will not necessarily make you a disciplined person.

To be a disciplined person must come out of your heart not out of imposition.

There is a story about a teacher who had a rebellious and undisciplined student. One day, she ordered the student to sit down. The student ignored the teacher’s command. The teacher insisted, “Johnny, sit down!”, but the student kept ignoring her. The teacher went to the student, hold him by the shoulder and pushed him down onto the seat. Surprised and angry, the student said,

“Teacher, on the outside I am sitting, but on the inside I am still standing up!”

True discipline comes from you, not from others. Others may help you to develop it, but they cannot impose it.

The second thing we must understand is that:

Discipline requires effort.

“For it is for this we labor and strive,...” 10

The word “labor” is more than just “working”. The Greek verb “κοπιάω” comes from “κόπος” which means “beating” or “the weariness as though one had been beaten”.

It is like when you have worked so hard that on the next day you feel like a train passed on top of you. Like it is said in “gym language”, “no pain no gain!”.

In his letters to Timothy, Paul used three analogies to describe the life of a disciple. He compared him to a farmer, to a soldier, and to an athlete (also in his letter to the Corinthians). From them, we can learn about discipline for Christian life.

The discipline of a farmer.

Being a farmer is not an easy job! If you have been one, you know what I am talking about.

The farmer rises when it is still dark. He goes to work before the heat is too high. Sleepiness does not stop him from doing his work.

A farmer knows that he must remove the weeds and bugs as soon as they show up; otherwise they will ruin the harvest.

A disciplined person removes the weeds and bugs of his life as soon as possible.

A farmer knows when it’s time to plant, time to prune, and when it’s time to harvest. He does things when it is time to do it, not when he feels like it.

A farmer must be patient, waiting on God:

James 5:7 NASB95

Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains.

The discipline of a soldier.

2 Timothy 2:3–4 NASB95

Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.

The first discipline any soldier must learn is following orders, either he likes them or not! “that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.”

That is the most important discipline of a soldier because from it depends his developing of other disciplines

A soldier must have had the discipline of always having his sword sharp and ready for battle (his rifle and gun in modern times). From it depends his life and the life of others.

A soldier must be disciplined managing well his time. To manage his time effectively, he must learn to prioritize: the most important must be done first.

The important or the urgent first? If something is important, we should not allow it to become urgent.

time management, prioritize, quick decisions, following orders.

The discipline of an athlete.

Just like the soldier, the athlete must have the discipline of living according to the rules:

2 Timothy 2:5 NASB95

Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.

Every athlete must also have the discipline of putting his body under his control.

1 Corinthians 9:24–25 NASB95

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

1 Cor 9:24-25

Exercises self-control (abstain), lit. “empower himself” to be in control of himself to say “NO!” to things that are harmful.

And he continues saying,

1 Corinthians 9:26–27 NASB95

Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

26-27

“I discipline (golpeo) my body”. The word used literally means: “the part of the face under the eyes”. In colloquial language, “to strike someone on the face in such way that he gets a black eye and is disfigured as a result.”

Application: When I eat, my body may ask for more, but if I am discipline, I will say “No! That’s enough!. If he insists, I’ll beat him up. That applies to other areas of life too...

It is good to have the discipline of controlling and caring for your body, but do not ever forget which is the most important discipline: the spiritual one!

Spiritual discipline is the most important discipline.

The instruction given by Paul was not to discipline yourself in physical discipline, but “for the purpose of godliness”.

Godliness, piety? I like the way that is translated in the NTV:

“No pierdas el tiempo discutiendo sobre ideas mundanas y cuentos de viejas. En lugar de eso, entrénate para la sumisión a Dios.” (, NTV)

Why is that the most important discipline? Paul answered the question in verse 8:

“for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things… for the present life and also for the life to come.” v. 8

Physical discipline is of little profit.

What is the profit of having physical discipline?

A healthier life, an attractive body, and an alert mind. That’s little profit!

How long does it last? A healthier life will not last more than 80 years. An attractive body, no more than… No matter what, years will make your boobies fall, your tummy grow, and your muscles disappear.

80 years in nothing in the light of eternity. The profits of physical discipline are little, but the profits of spiritual discipline are eternal.

Spiritual discipline’s profits are eternal.

If we could summarize the profits of spiritual discipline, this verse could be appropriate:

John 10:10 NASB95

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Abundant peace, abundant provision, abundant love, abundant promises, abundant hope, abundant joy, abundant knowledge, abundant faith, abundant strength, abundant family.

How long these profits last? Forever! You will have them in this life and for the life to come.

Being disciplined is for your own benefit! Either physical or spiritual.

The questions are, Are willing to become a disciplined person? Are you willing to pay the price?