In our first article we considered some aspects of holiness. We focused upon the holiness of the Lord and the necessity of knowing personal holiness. In this second article we will consider some principles of self-discipline. This is important in relation to personal holiness. It can be said that by God's grace, a means to receive a measure of personal holiness is to maintain a specific watch over oneself. In other words, to receive personal holiness we are called to maintain personal self-discipline.

Holiness is a Gift⤒🔗

Holiness is a gift of God. Holiness is something the Lord works in the hearts of His people. It is the work of the Holy Spirit. We can never say that man can work this holiness in his own strength, or even par­tially in his own strength. Man is totally unqualified for this work of holiness. Man is totally depraved of all good. Holiness is the work of the Lord in the heart.

Nevertheless, in God's Word we often find the admonition to strive after holiness. We can mention some texts: "Exercise thyself unto godliness" (1 Tim. 4:7); "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Cor. 7:1); "Follow peace with all men and holiness" (Heb. 12:14).

We are admonished to strive after per­sonal holiness. But we are also reminded that all grace is a gift of God. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:11). We also read the admonition: "Exercise thyself unto godliness". It is the duty of a child of God to exercise himself or herself to receive this godliness. But we may never forget that it is all the work of God in the heart.

Striving for personal holiness is an ex­ercise. It is a struggle. It is compared to a race, to a battle. It is a fight. It involves labour. It is an exercise, as Paul says. We can say that it has everything to do with our way of life. We need to watch over ourselves. We can also say that we need personal self-discipline. Let us view some principles of self-discipline.

Self-Discipline is a Concealed Matter←⤒🔗

This personal watch over ourself in the life of a Christian is something which is concealed. Self-discipline is something hidden. It is something very personal. It is not something to be publicized. We are considering here the most personal things in our life. How do we discipline ourselves? How do we keep ourselves in check? Those things are concealed. It is not often that someone will be open about how he or she copes with certain problems and how he or she struggles with very personal things.

Self-discipline deals with the issue of how we view ourselves. It deals with the relationship of our soul to the Lord. It deals with the deepest issues of our soul. Self-discipline is something which we conceal and hide from each other.

We can say that self-discipline is a secret work whereby man perceives himself in order to change himself and to refine himself so that he will mature in spiritual matters. This is especially neces­sary for those who are called to give guidance and leadership in natural and spiritual matters. Self-discipline breeds people with character.

The secret of self-discipline is something we can meet in church. You can come across people who are simple, but who have a strong character. I am not saying they are strong-willed – that can easily turn into stubbornness or into pride. But I mean people who are not weak, but who have developed a strong character, who have a certain authority in the way they speak and in the way they act. How did they get this authority? How did they get this strong character? The Holy Spirit has strengthened them. They have been purified and made strong by the Word of God. In Biblical terms we could say that they are people who know what it is to exercise themselves unto godliness.

Self-discipline is not in the first place something of the head, but it is a matter of the heart. It is an exercise which removes vices. It is done in quietness, and is very personal.

Because it is hidden, it is to be feared that self-discipline hardly takes place. Because we cannot check each other in this realm, we can be very easy-going in maintaining personal self-discipline.

Self-discipline is to Set a Watch Over Ourselves←⤒🔗

To a certain extent we all have responsibilities towards others. Perhaps we are called to be an example to others, or to give advice and counsel. We may be called to raise children. We are all called to walk in the fear of the Lord. In order to function, we must maintain a close watch over ourselves. We must scrutinize ourselves. Ministers, teachers, office bearers, fathers, mothers, members of a congregation, all need to scrutinize themselves.

This involves a watch over ourselves. We need self-perception. This is not the same as introspection. Neither do we mean self-contemplation or focusing upon oneself. No, we must focus upon the Lord Jesus Christ. We most definitely need self-perception in order to be able to set a watch over ourself. How do I function? How do I respond? How is my personal relationship to the Lord? Are there perhaps these little foxes in my life that are contrary to holiness and are distorting my whole life, my family, and my work in church or in daily life?

If a man speaks harshly to his wife and is hard on her, he must not think that he can have the love and the unction to teach children the fear of the Lord. If I am entangled in lust, or if my affections are perverted by covetousness, greed, or jealousy, then my functioning as an office bearer will be distorted.

God's people are called to be a light in the world. They are called to be examples of the fear of the Lord. Many of them even have a special task in God's kingdom. They are called to impress on others not only the knowledge of God's Word, but also to be an example of how a child of God should live. I think of parents, office bearers, Sunday school teachers, leaders of church societies, etc.

How necessary it is to be an example of what it means to live in the fear of the Lord!

This applies to the way you talk, the way you dress, the way you react. It involves holiness, a personal fear of the Lord, and includes the necessity of maintaining a close watch over ourselves.

The Necessity of Self-Discipline←⤒🔗

Spurgeon uses an example somewhere of a train that was speeding on its way to Edinburgh when it broke down because a little screw snapped. If a small screw is missing, a large well-functioning machine can break down.

Failure to do something we think insignificant can spoil our spiritual life. It will lead to declension of the soul, and our at­tempts to instruct others in the fear of the Lord will be of no avail because we lack the zeal, the love, and the unction.

A child of God is called to be a light in this world. He is called to be a tool in the hand of God, a tool to cultivate the souls of others. We will have to give an account unto the Lord of how we have dealt with others.

Every workman sees the necessity of keeping his tools in good shape. Many of God's children are called to instruct and lead others. They are tools in the hand of God. They must be alert and in good shape every day.

To use the example of a minister, we can study and obtain a number of academic degrees. That is good and to a certain extent even necessary. But I think of what McCheyne said to a ministerial friend who wanted to refine and perfect his knowledge of German: "I know you will apply yourself to German, but do not forget to cultivate the inner man, that is the heart. The cavalry of­ficer keeps his sabre clean and sharp; he carefully removes every stain. Remember that you are God's sword, His instrument." It isn't great talents that God blesses as much as the likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God.

McCheyne refers to a minister. But we can also say that a child of God who stands in the midst of this world as a wit­ness is a means in the hand of God for the eternal well-being of others. How necessary it is that you are a sharp sword. How necessary for you to know what it is to watch over self.

You can destroy your work as an office bearer by the way you live, the way you act and the way you behave. Augustine said: "With their doctrine they build and with their lives they destroy". We can have heaven at the tip of our tongues and yet have the earth at the tip of our fingers. Spurgeon said:

"Avoid owing debts, lateness, gossip, slander, petty quarrels and all those other little vices which spoil the ointment like flies."

Self-discipline means living close to the Lord. It means having an open Bible and prayerful hands. It means entering the closet and being alone with the Lord. It means examining ourselves in the sight of a holy God. Self-discipline is what David prayed for in Psalm 86:11: "Teach me Thy way, O Lord, I will walk in Thy truth: unite my heart to fear Thy Name." Self-discipline is what we find in the life of the apostle Paul when he writes: "But I keep under my body and bring it unto subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (1 Cor. 9:27).

In this way, by God's grace, sinners receive the blessing of holiness. May this be our experience. Next time we hope to deal with the relationship between personal self-discipline and holiness.