Paul spoke of those who should be teachers but instead find themselves someone who needs to be taught. Unable to consume and understand the solid food of the Word of God, but only milk because they did not have listening ears. As a child’s diet starts with milk and needs to progress to solid food, we must look to Him for solid food so that we can grow in His Grace and knowledge of Him. Without this and practicing it, we will not have our senses trained (discipline) resulting in in our inability to even discern between good and evil.
There are many examples of the myriad efforts of people showing the disciplines required to achieve the desired result. A long-distance runner must first learn the required disciplines and then diligently practice them. Our continued practice of these disciplines are proof of the sincerity of confession and commitment. A new recruit goes through a proven method of basic training with the goal of training him so that he has the best chance of survival and victory. We have been given precious and great promises that guarantee our survival and victory. And if we practice them and they increase, we will not fail, but will provide an abundant input.
The disciplines of discipleship are like a threefold cord that cannot be broken when properly woven together. Each one is vitally important. Neither can be neglected or the cable will weaken and fail.
One of the initial instincts of a newborn of God is to desire the honest milk of God’s Word. We have to be fed his Word and trained to then feed ourselves. For about two years Paul did not stop discipling the believers in Ephesus going from house to house. He was teaching them the whole counsel of God. Although he was called to be an apostle to evangelize (go throughout the world), make disciples, baptize them in his Name and teach them to obey everything He commands us, he knew that he would soon leave and never see them again. here. His dependence on him must decrease and He must increase in them. Because He is the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. Unlike this world where we are taught to mature and become independent, in His Kingdom we are saved from our arrogant independence and mature into absolute dependence on Him. We must learn that we can do nothing, nothing without Him. Search the Scriptures for Him. , because He gives us testimony about Himself through them. The Word of God, one of the disciplines of discipleship.
I think the Gospels record only one specific request from the Lord to the disciples, ‘teach us to pray’. He taught a parable to teach us that we should always pray and not lose heart. Pray that they will not fall into temptation. Again we are told to dedicate ourselves to prayer, to pray without ceasing. The end of the list of the weapons of our warfare in Ephesians seems to be all tied together with prayer, every time. Only He can truly teach us prayer. Prayer is a command. Prayer is one of the disciplines of discipleship.
His city where He dwells is with His people. We are told that his City is compacted. His children have been taken to a Living Stone so that we may become living stones built for Him. His body is one, but made of many members. The Temple of him, made without hands, is made of many stones. We cannot grow towards Him alone. We must have the fellowship of those who have precious faith and our fellowship is with the Father. The purpose of it is that every joint and sinew adhere to each other to supply each other with its strength. This fellowship, his fellowship is one of the disciplines of discipleship.
Ultimately, only He can teach and instill in us these disciplines of discipleship. When by His Grace we do so in the obedience of faith continually presenting ourselves as living offerings, He will bring forth the Fruit of Himself and remain forever. No one strays toward God, we stray away from Him. Unless we are actively exercising the disciplines of discipleship, we will begin to stray.
