Disciplines of a Godly Man
Disciplines of a Godly Man
by Kent Hughes
by Kent Hughes
"Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it hold promise for the present life and also for the life to come." - 1 Timothy 4:7
"Personal discipline is the indispensable key for accomplishing anything in this life" (p 16).
Hughes shares examples of great athletes, writers, musicians, political and military leaders who have succeeded because of their extreme discipline and diligence. He says, "you will never get anywhere without discipline." He then says, "This is doubly true in spiritual matters" (p 19).
With physical or bodily training (as Paul says it), someone might have an innate advantage, but with spiritual discipline and the pursuit of godliness, everyone is disadvantaged. This is because everyone is innately opposed to God. Only by the regenerating and sustaining grace of God can a person pursue godliness. "Therefore, as children of grace, our spiritual discipline is everything--everything!" (p 19).
The call to discipline requires strenuousness. It requires "holy sweat." The word used by Paul in 1 Timothy 4:7 for train is the same root word for the English word gymnasium. Hebrews 12:1, 1 Corinthians 9:25-27, and the imagery of Greek athletes adds the idea of stripping yourself down to leanness. "Men, we will never get anywhere spiritually 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 20).
"Understanding this, we not get down to the reason for this book, which is that in today's world and church, Christian men who are disciplined are the exception, not the rule" (p 21). Cultural pressures and spiritual drift have suppressed godly manliness. Hughes gives three specific reasons: Feminism, Entertainment, and Legalism.
The modern, secular culture is seeking to rob men of manliness and women of femininity. It is an act of rebellion against the Creator and His created order. Men who act like godly men: bold, courageous, effective leaders, are shunned as "toxic" and patriarchal. Godly men must fight against the cultural current, "because discipline for godliness demands a particular toughness and rugged individuality in a castrating, God-denying culture" (p 22).
"The second culprit in the neutralizing of men is the addiction to entertainment" (p 22). The temptation to consume all the various forms of media and entertainment in our culture today instills only passivity in men. It is a mindless, inactive, wasteful existence. Worse is the hyper-sexualized nature of entertainment. "Sexual voyeurism is a pathetic delusion because in it a man's God-given testosterone (which is meant to infuse manliness) becomes a medium of enslavement and impotence... Those enslaved by the world of entertainment will never attain manliness" (p 23).
Rigorous spiritual discipline is not legalism. Legalism is a misunderstanding of the character of God that produces fear-based enslavement to law-keeping in order to please God. Sadly, too many people confuse legalism with anything that demands disciplined obedience. God commands obedience and His command is not legalistic. "The difference is one of motivation: legalism is self-centered; discipline is God-centered" (p 23). Discipline is motivated by love. Legalism is motivated by fear.
It is true that the church today is suffering from a shortage of disciplined, godly male leadership and influence. This book is a call to step up.