Discipline Is Overrated: It’s Not an Alternative to Motivation

Some form of “Discipline > Motivation” is a perennial feature of “self-improvement” and especially “fitness journey” social media. It is not as helpful as as it is pumped up to be.

It is not helpful because people think of “discipline” as some version of “will power” or a problematic conception of “self-control.” The narrative is:

I should do a thing.
I don’t want to do the thing.
But because I should do the thing I force myself to do the thing despite my lack of motivation.

No one does this for any real length of time. It is a boastful myth. It gives credit to the person for his success as if he conquered an unwilling person and forced him to be his slave. We could even attach Bible verses to this like: “But I discipline my body and keep it under control” (1 Corinthians 9:27a). That the ESV. The footnote gives a more literal translation: “I pummel my body and make it a slave.”

So why do I object to the narrative?

Light Rules – Ephesians 4:32-5:14

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
Ephesians 4:32-5:14

Job Marked “Safe” from Calling Wife a Fool

You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.” But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
Matthew 5:21–22 ESV

The Mindset: Glory, Faith, Patience

Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
Proverbs 13:11 ESV

I recommended a certain kind of “mindset” in my book, Solomon Says (though I don’t know if I ever used that word). Recently, I’ve been listening to the book The Slight Edge. It isn’t a Christian book, but it has got me thinking about the relationship of faith to hope and future-orientation.

Propositions on Understanding Romans

I wrote and posted these back in 2010 (February 3) and still agree with them. Some expressions I use seem unnecessarily polarizing or patronizing, but I stand by the positive substance. Here they are below with a few comments added in brackets. I also added three more at the end.

Jesus & Paul on Israel’s Heritage & Identity

Jesus and Paul do not sound the same but they both have the same basic perspective: That Israel was basically a pagan nation.

There was reason they would be able to assert this. Aside from the frequent periods of pagan worship recorded in the book of Judges, Solomon had officially made the united nation of Israel a polytheist realm. YHWH got demoted from Israel’s only God to the head of a pantheon. In his letter to the Romans (1:18ff), Paul argues that all nations are piling up wrath by turning to idolatry instead of acknowledging God as he has revealed himself in his works. He includes Israel in that verdict, using phrases that point to their own history. The only sin Paul names for which their is no direct Scriptural evidence that Israel was a participant is lesbianism (Romans 1:26).

How does this compare to Jesus’ message during his ministry before the cross?

Solomon the Riddler

What follows is based on a blog post I published exactly 13 years ago today, long before I even planned to write Solomon Says. This was part of my reason for arguing that the proverbs are riddles (Proverbs 1:6; 25:2), but I never used this material in the book.

Consider Proverbs 10:15:

A rich man’s wealth is his strong city;
the poverty of the poor is their ruin.

Seems pretty straightforward, doesn’t it?

God’s Wrath Revealed from Heaven & Pharaoh’s Hardening

In Romans, Paul says that the Gospel reveals God’s righteousness. Then he says God’s wrath is revealed from heaven. I think these are one and the same revelation in the Gospel. Thus:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” For [in it] the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
Romans 1:16-18 ESV

Obviously, the bracketed words aren’t there, but I think the implication is entirely plausible. What Paul goes on (1:18ff) to describe God doing in response to idolatry in history is NOT God’s wrath. God does respond to sin by giving people over to more sin and this is “the due penalty” (v. 27), but this is not an expression of God’s wrath, but a continual and compounding provocation of God’s wrath. Romans 1:18ff does not describe God’s wrath but it describes why God is wrathful.

But the fact that God doesn’t respond in immediate wrath is because the same process is due to God’s kindness.

Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
Romans 2:3–5 ESV

“Robbing Temples”?

Paul writes to Jews, “You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?” (Romans 2:22b ESV)

The English translation “rob temples” makes readers think of pagan temples. There was only one Temple for Israel, so robbing more than one would indicate other temples are in view. And if the Jews wanted to worship these idols secretly, or in shrines of their own devising, they could be robbing pagan temples in order to get them.

The charge then, would be that the Jews are known for rejecting idolatry but actually steal idols for themselves.

But…

Why Did God Harden Pharaoh?

I wrote on Romans 9. over eight years ago. I now have some related observations.

So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
Romans 9:16–18 ESV

Does the Bible tell us about some of the results of God showing his power in Pharaoh and getting his name proclaimed in all the earth?