Spiritual Disciplines

Spiritual disciplines are practices that help Christians grow in their faith and in holiness of character. The phrase spiritual disciplines is not in the Bible, but God’s Word refers to certain ways Christians can keep God and the gospel at the center of their lives. These disciplines include reading the Bible, prayer, meditation on God’s Word, and fasting. As Christians practice these disciplines, they progress toward their chief end: “To glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever” (Westminster Shorter Catechism 1).

Spiritual disciplines, however, can be pursued for the wrong reasons. The Bible teaches that “whatever does not proceed from faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). For that reason, faith in God’s promises must be the foundation and motivation for engaging in the spiritual disciplines. Nothing believers do can earn God’s favor. Instead, God calls His people to do everything out of trust in His promises and gratitude for His grace. As Christians train themselves “for godliness” (1 Tim. 4:7), they do so in the service of an infinitely loving Father who has already adopted them. Christians rest in the knowledge that their glorification on the day of resurrection depends ultimately not on their efforts but on God’s promise: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6).

Today, many people call themselves spiritual and recommend all kinds of spiritual practices. But Christian spirituality is fueled by the power of the Holy Spirit as He works through the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit gives people new life, so that they hear and respond to the gospel with repentance and faith (John 1:12–13; Rom. 8:30). The Holy Spirit sanctifies God’s people and sustains their faith (Phil. 2:12–13). The Holy Spirit brings unity to God’s people and builds up the church (Eph. 4:1–16). In sum, Christian spirituality is the application of Christ’s saving work to individual people by the Spirit of God.

For that reason, the foundation of Christian spiritual disciplines must be knowledge of God and the gospel. Paul acknowledged that his people, the Jews, were zealous—eager to pursue religious practices—but many rejected Christ because their zeal was “not according to knowledge” (Rom. 10:1–2). They earnestly tried to obey God’s law, but they did not understand the gospel. The gospel, however, is the only way a person can be justified—declared righteous—before God (Rom. 10:3–4).

Knowledge of the gospel comes from the Scriptures. Therefore, the Bible should anchor one’s spiritual life. Learning Scripture is both commended and commanded many times in the Bible (Ps. 119:105, 130; 2 Tim. 3:14–16). But during New Testament times and throughout most of church history, very few people could either read or afford to buy books. Personal Bible reading was not possible. For most people, knowledge of God’s Word came through sermons at church.

Today, the church’s weekly worship service is still the main way Christians hear God speak through His Word. But for most modern Christians in the developed world, it is also easy to buy and read the Bible. This is an extraordinary blessing and privilege. Making personal Bible reading a habit offers the opportunity to grow in the knowledge of God’s Word that few Christians had in the past.

In general, Christians should study the Bible by seeking to read its verses and passages in their context so that their true meaning is not lost. When trying to understand the Bible on a larger scale, beyond the limits of individual passages or books, an essential rule is to interpret Scripture with Scripture. We grow in our understanding of God’s Word as we see how its parts fit together and allow clearer passages to shed light on the more difficult ones.

Another spiritual discipline is prayer, which is our main response to God’s Word. God speaks to us through the Scriptures, and we reply to Him in prayer. Prayer is part of the church’s worship, but God also calls Christians to pray throughout the week (1 Thess. 5:16–18). In prayer, we confess our sins to God, bring to Him requests that conform to His will, and praise Him for His goodness and grace.

We learn to pray from the Bible. Jesus taught His disciples the Lord’s Prayer when they asked Him how to pray (Luke 11:1–4). The Bible includes many prayers that God’s people can make their own. The book of Psalms is a book of prayers. Christians have long prayed the Psalms by speaking or singing them. The Psalms, which express to God a wide array of human emotions, show Christians how prayer is at the heart of a profoundly personal relationship with God.

A third discipline that Christians practice is meditation on Scripture. Christian meditation is not the emptying of one’s mind but is instead focused and prayerful reflection on God’s Word. Christian meditation on the Bible can help Christians prepare to pray. Meditation is also vital as Christians consider decisions or how to approach various life situations. Meditation on Scripture can be done not just at set times but throughout the day, as Christians strive to apply God’s Word to all aspects of their lives (Ps. 1:1–2).

Finally, Christians can also seek to grow in their faith through fasting. Fasting as a spiritual discipline refers to abstaining from food for a time to draw near to God. In the Old Testament, fasting was associated with prayer and repentance, and especially the Day of Atonement, when the high priest entered the Most Holy Place in the temple (Lev. 16:29; Num. 29:7). The New Testament tells us that the practice of fasting did not end with the coming of Christ but that the early church fasted on certain occasions (Acts 13:3).