Spiritual Formation. Spiritual Disciplines. Why Do These Terms Matter?
Individual spiritual development is vital to the ongoing biblical health of our church. Over the next several weeks, I want to offer some thoughts on disciplines that will help your spiritual development. This first post will define two important phrases as we learn about spiritual disciplines.
What is spiritual formation?
Spiritual formation is a progression of spiritual growth that continues to transform us into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
In the Dictionary of Christian Spirituality, Jeffrey Greenman says that spiritual formation “involves our continuing response to the reality of God’s grace shaping us into the likeness of Jesus Christ, through the work of the Holy Spirit, in the community of faith, for the sake of others.”
In other words, our spiritual formation process is the continual response of God’s grace and transformation at work in our lives. Each of us has a transforming process occurring in our lives. Is this process going in a biblical direction?
During this process, we must recognize spiritual growth comes from the grace of God active in our lives PARTNERED with the Christian’s responsibility for one’s own actions. Grace alone will not result in spiritual formation, nor will a Christian’s effort alone; they must work together toward spiritual maturity.
What are spiritual disciplines?
Spiritual disciplines are biblical practices that assist the spiritual formation process of our lives. 1 Peter 3:17-18 says, “therefore, beloved…take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Our goal is to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We ought to be aware that we do not remain at the same spiritual level. Either we move closer to Jesus Christ, or we move away from Jesus Christ. There is no middle ground.
Why do these terms matter?
If our spiritual formation is our road map to becoming more Christlike, then spiritual disciplines are the car, fuel, snacks, etc. It is also essential that we have the right people in the car travelling with us.
In order to explain further, I need to refer to Spiritual Disciplines For The Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney. The very first sentence in the book says, “Discipline without direction is drudgery.”[1] A few pages later, Whitney shares a quote from Tom Landry, former coach of the Dallas Cowboys. He said, “The job of a football coach is to make men do what they don’t want to in do in order to achieve what they’ve always wanted to be.” Whitney continues, “In much the same way, Christians are called to make themselves do something they would not normally do in order to become what they’ve always wanted to be.”[2] For our spiritual maturity to grow, we need to change our practices. As Paul states in 1 Corinthians 13, we are to grow up and stop thinking and speaking like a child. Individual spiritual formation grows us to become the man or woman we have always wanted to become and who God has designed us to be.
Don’t miss the point – if our spiritual formation does not have clear direction, then our spiritual maturity will remain childlike.
As the Dallas Cowboys needed a legendary coach who could take them to elite status in the NFL, so each of us needs other individuals that will cheer and coach us to spiritual maturity. Yes, God sharpens his children through life experiences, but he often uses other people to sharpen us. I am reminded of Proverbs 27:17, which says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” This verse has been used for accountability groups for years; however, we should be willing to go deeper than the surface. Several years ago, I was talking with a fellow pastor about this verse, he told me that Christians need to be careful with this verse because not every Christian is iron to a specific situation.
Metals without commonalities will actually dull one another. Additionally, pure metals cannot be fabricated, or they are no longer pure.
Careful select individuals that will push us toward deeper spiritual formation because those people are necessary to our spiritual development.
As we learn more about spiritual disciples, we will understand that spiritual maturity cannot be fabricated. The closer we get to Jesus, the more we realize how unlike Jesus we are. This realization should motivate us move closer to Jesus. Our spiritual formation reveals what is pure in our lives and allows the impurities to fall away.
[1] Whitney, page 15.
[2] Ibid, page 20.