What is the most important spiritual discipline?

[Tree of Life]

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

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

All of our motivations matter to God.

 

[brinny]

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

Not sure how it doesn't.

Does anything else matter without it?

 

[brinny]

All of our motivations matter to God.

I'll be more specific.

Which please Him?

 

[brinny]

Being still can be a very active thing.

Is it the same as being "passive"?

 

[Tree of Life]

Not sure how it doesn't.

Does anything else matter without it?

Since "obedience" is not a spiritual discipline it doesn't answer the question.

It does, however, point out that the purpose of spiritual disciplines is to grow in obedience and that practicing the disciplines are themselves acts of obedience.

 

[Tree of Life]

I'll be more specific.

Which please Him?

Since all of our motivations are mixed, none of them are really pleasing to him.

 

[Tree of Life]

Is it the same as being "passive"?

Not in the way that I mean.

 

[brinny]

Since "obedience" is not a spiritual discipline it doesn't answer the question.

It does, however, point out that the purpose of spiritual disciplines is to grow in obedience and that practicing the disciplines are themselves acts of obedience.

How is obedience not a spiritual discipline?

practicing the disciplines are themselves acts of obedience

Obedience to what?

 

[Tree of Life]

How is obedience not a spiritual discipline?

I mean if you want to get really messy and blur your categories together I suppose you could reckon it that way. I just don't think that this is a helpful way to talk about spiritual disciplines.

Obedience to what?

God.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

of genuine believers

This is one important key. 2 or 3 genuine believers can meet anywhere as written in Scripture, OT and NT, and Jesus is right there with us/them.

I'm not sure what you mean here. Could you elaborate?

For simplest example, many meeting places deny, or forbid, or never even think , of healing - many do not permit it .

 

[Dave-W]

Repentance

 

[brinny]

Since all of our motivations are mixed, none of them are really pleasing to him.

Does God specify what heart condition pleases Him? (Which would indicate our motivation(s) )

 

[Tree of Life]

Repentance

I like this answer. But is repentance a spiritual discipline or is it a fruit of the Spirit? I could see "confession" as a spiritual discipline related to the fruit of repentance.

 

[OwainK]

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.

Faith in Jesus Christ our LORD. Knowing how he died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, so we can be forgiven for the sins we commit. Having faith in this, and belief in God is the most important thing of all for our salvation for eternal life.

 

[brinny]

brinny said: ↑
Is it the same as being "passive"?

Not in the way that I mean.

Please elaborate.

 

[Tree of Life]

Faith in Jesus Christ our LORD. Knowing how he died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, so we can be forgiven for the sins we commit. Having faith in this, and belief in God is the most important thing of all for our salvation for eternal life.

Faith is a gift from God and not a spiritual discipline.

 

[brinny]

I like this answer. But is repentance a spiritual discipline or is it a fruit of the Spirit? I could see "confession" as a spiritual discipline related to the fruit of repentance.

The fruit of the Spirit comes AFTER repentance, does it not?

 

[OwainK]

Faith is a gift from God and not a spiritual discipline.

It is a person's choice to have faith. Like you could choose to not believe at all or be an athiest or hindu or whatever. It's your choice if you wanna turn to God and believe in him and his word or not.

 

[Dave-W]

I like this answer. But is repentance a spiritual discipline or is it a fruit of the Spirit? I could see "confession" as a spiritual discipline related to the fruit of repentance.

I would list it as a cultivated discipline. We all slip and mess up. We are fallen men and its what we do. But to be quick to recognize our error and repent from it. (rather than ignoring it or - worse - trying to cover it up) keeps us on a continual upward walk more and more into His image.

Confession can certainly be a part of repentance, but at its core is NOT actual repentance.


Fruit grows at an unconscious level, given the right environment. But a discipline has to be consciously chosen. We choose to repent. (or not)

 

[Tree of Life]

The fruit of the Spirit comes AFTER repentance, does it not?

Well if we understand repentance as something we continually practice throughout life I think we can understand it as a fruit of the Spirit. But I could also see how it could be thought of as a spiritual discipline if you're thinking about the actions associated with repentance.