What is the most important spiritual discipline?

[brinny]

Thanks for the reply. Humility sounds like a virtue or a fruit of the Spirit to me - not a spiritual discipline. Isn't humility the thing that develops because we practice spiritual disciplines?

Humility is in conjunction with the "fear of the Lord".

 

[Adstar]

Thanks for the reply. Humility sounds like a virtue or a fruit of the Spirit to me - not a spiritual discipline. Isn't humility the thing that develops because we practice spiritual disciplines?

What is your definition of a ""spiritual discipline"" ?

 

[Tree of Life]

Doesn't God Himself grant us wisdom?

And it begins with the "fear" of the Lord, does it not?

Wisdom comes from God. And wisdom certainly begins with the fear of the Lord - which also comes from God. But does this mean that God deposits wisdom and fear of the Lord within us and that we are entirely passive? Or does God deposit these things within us in certain contexts - for example: as we are praying or reading his word?

 

[brinny]

He certainly did. On multiple occasions. What light do you think that this sheds on the issue?

I dunno, but He said it quite emphatically, did He not? Does that shed light on its importance?

"And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." ~I Samuel 15:22

 

[Tree of Life]

What is your definition of a ""spiritual discipline"" ?

Things that we do in order to grow in grace.

That could be worded differently. Things that we do in order to grow in the knowledge of the Lord. Things that we do in order to grow in the fear of the Lord. Etc... Do you get the idea?

 

[Tree of Life]

I dunno, but He said it quite emphatically, did He not? Does that shed light on its importance?

"And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." ~I Samuel 15:22

No arguing that he said it. You seem to think it has some meaning here so I'll let you expound on that .

 

[brinny]

Wisdom comes from God. And wisdom certainly begins with the fear of the Lord - which also comes from God. But does this mean that God deposits wisdom and fear of the Lord within us and that we are entirely passive? Or does God deposit these things within us in certain contexts - for example: as we are praying or reading his word?

Reading His Word, and "digging" into its treasures (as is written) indicates a fear of the Lord and wisdom ALREADY, does it not?

Would be so kind as to elaborate on what you mean by "passive"?

 

[brinny]

Things that we do in order to grow in grace.

That could be worded differently. Things that we do in order to grow in the knowledge of the Lord. Things that we do in order to grow in the fear of the Lord. Etc... Do you get the idea?

Would motivation have any bearing on any of the above? (What our "motivation" is, in doing any of the above.)

 

[Tree of Life]

Reading His Word, and "digging" into its treasures (as is written) indicates a fear of the Lord and wisdom ALREADY, does it not?

Sure. Participating in a workout program usually indicates some level of physical health already. But the workout program will still continue to build muscle and make a person stronger than they currently are. You get the analogy?

Would be so kind as to elaborate on what you mean by "passive"?

"Passive" means that we do absolutely nothing in order to receive the thing in question. Here we're talking about spiritual maturity. I'm asking if you think that spiritual maturity comes to us from God in such a way that we are entirely passive in the process.

 

[Colter]

This may sound like I'm asking "which is the most important leg on a stool?" or "which is the most important wheel on a car?" And this may be the case.

But I actually do think that there is one discipline that takes primacy over all the rest. There is one discipline that if it's missing from your life will negatively affect all the other disciplines and negatively affect your growth in Christ. I'll name it in the spoiler below, but before you look at my answer I'd like to hear your answer and your rationale.

Spoiler: My Answer

Weekly Church attendance.

Doing Gods will.

 

[Tree of Life]

Would motivation have any bearing on any of the above? (What our "motivation" is, in doing any of the above.)

Certainly. There can be good, bad, and mixed motivations for practicing spiritual disciplines.

 

[Eryk]

Scripture study. It tells us what the disciplines are, and if we're going to rank them, we do it according to Scripture.

Reading is pointless without application. But the proper motive of application is obedience to the written word. If we are imitators of Christ, we know him and worship him through constant reference to that testimony. We don't just do the right thing. We do it because we belong to the savior described in the Bible.

It takes a careful, diligent reading of Scripture to preserve us from heresy, legalism, and libertinism. There was no other help for me in my struggles with orthodoxy. I'm grateful for my church, but its mandate is from the Bible, and I have to read the Bible to know if their teaching is true.

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isa. 8:20)

 

[brinny]

No arguing that he said it. You seem to think it has some meaning here so I'll let you expound on that .

It seems that God finds great meaning in it.

It also sounds like a warning.

 

[HereIStand]

I've never understood obedience to be a spiritual discipline.

Spiritual disciplines are empty rituals without it.

 

[brinny]

Certainly. There can be good, bad, and mixed motivations for practicing spiritual disciplines.

Would you care to elaborate?

 

[Tree of Life]

Would you care to elaborate?

An example of a good motivation is that you want to grow in love for God.

An example of a bad motivation is that you want to manipulate God to give you a promotion at your job.

An example of a mixed motivation is that part of you wants to grow in love for God and part of you wants to manipulate God to give you a promotion at your job.

 

[brinny]

Sure. Participating in a workout program usually indicates some level of physical health already. But the workout program will still continue to build muscle and make a person stronger than they currently are. You get the analogy?



"Passive" means that we do absolutely nothing in order to receive the thing in question. Here we're talking about spiritual maturity. I'm asking if you think that spiritual maturity comes to us from God in such a way that we are entirely passive in the process.

What came to mind for me is. Is this passive?

"Be still, and know that I am God:" ~Psalm 46:10a

 

[Tree of Life]

Spiritual disciplines are empty rituals without it.

While I agree, this doesn't really answer the OP.

 

[Tree of Life]

What came to mind for me is. Is this passive?

"Be still, and know that I am God:" ~Psalm 46:10a

Being still can be a very active thing.

 

[brinny]

An example of a good motivation is that you want to grow in love for God.

An example of a bad motivation is that you want to manipulate God to give you a promotion at your job.

An example of a mixed motivation is that part of you wants to grow in love for God and part of you wants to manipulate God to give you a promotion at your job.

Is the first point you posted above the only one that matters to God?

Again, since God looks on the heart, which matters?