
Was Paul making reference to certain spiritual disciplines? I recently read Foster's book, The Celebration of Discipline. I see a comparison here in the fact that exercise of any sort requires repetition of challenging actions over time.
In my opinion, Paul's reference to "physical exercise" is merely an aside. He has already made the perfectly sensible stand-alone exhortation that Timothy should "exercise" himself toward godliness. I believe Paul was using the metaphor of physical training to speak of spiritual training, in order to liken the levels of commitment and exertion required for both.Hebrews 5:14:
But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. [The reference is to the conditioning, training or developing of the spiritual senses so as to become more discerning].
Hebrews 12:11:
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. [Again, the discipline of the Lord is said to train us toward maturity].
2 Peter 2:14:
having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. [These people have "trained" their hearts in the opposite direction to that which Paul recommends to Timothy in 4:7].
I'm curious about the bolded part. Do you think the type of spiritual disciplines recommended by Foster and other mystics such as St. Francis are worthy of our attention if our goal is that which you've stated above? I also read Hannah Whitall Smith's popular book recently on holiness and she makes the case that abandonment and entrusting one's sanctification to God entirely is preferred over the type of exertion required by the mystics (who were/are borderline ascetics). Or can abandonment also be seen as exercising oneself toward godliness? For some reason, I'm seeing them in contrast to one another.I am sure that this "exercise...to godliness" is simply a reference to the many exertion required to fight off temptation and to establish godly values and habits of mind in an ungodly, resisting world. I do not think that special disciplines (such as Richard Foster recommends) are necessarily implied in the exhortation.
Consider the paradoxical nature of this verse:Or can abandonment also be seen as exercising oneself toward godliness? For some reason, I'm seeing them in contrast to one another.
"Rest" does not mean that we do nothing—since we must always be doing one thing or another. Resting in God does not mean the neglect of obedience, but the refusal to fret."Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest..." (Heb.4:11)
Do not fret...
Trust in the LORD, and do good...
Delight yourself also in the LORD...
Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him...
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret...
Do not fret—it only causes harm.
(Psalm 37:1-8)
I incline toward Hannah's view. Her illustration of the potter and the clay (actually, Isaiah's, Jeremiah's, and Paul's, originally), suggests that the clay is yielded to the potter, and can do nothing to bring about its own transformation (Paul seems to think the same way, as in Col.2:20-23). However, yielding to God means obeying His direction and conforming to the pressure He brings upon the heart and conscience. It may mean that we adopt one discipline or another, but only if that is His direction.Both Smith and Foster write about how one should go about increasing in holiness, yet their advice seems to be philosophically opposite. That's why I was wondering if Paul was recommending one or the other in this passage.
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. (Psalm 62:5)