Celebration of Discipline -- Chapter 1

The Spiritual Disciplines: Door To Liberation

In this chapter Foster sets the agenda for the book and the use of the disciplines. His overarching point is that spiritual growth is a gift of grace while. But this does not mean we are passive in the process. We are called to cooperate with God by using the disciplines.

Here are some questions to get our discussion started. If you have other issues or questions you want to raise feel free to surface them as our discussion unfolds.

Tell me how this format works.

Let the discussion begin!!
----------------------------------------------------------

1. On pages 3 -4 Foster writes,
"We are accustomed to thinking of sin as individual acts of disobedience to God. That is true enough as far as it goes, but Scripture goes much farther. In Romasn the apostles Paul frequently referr to sin as a condition that plagues the human race (i.e., Rom. 3:19-18). Sin as a condition works its way our through the ‘bodily members’; that is, the ingrained habits of the body (Rom. 7:5ff).”
Do you agree with Foster’s assessment of sin?
How might Foster’s approach shape our understanding of the disciplines?

2. On page 4 Foster writes,
“willpower will never succeed in dealing with deeply ingrained habits of sin.”
Why does Foster think this is the case?
Have you found this to be true in your life?

3. On page 6 Foster writes,
“the disciplines allow us to place ourselves before God so that He can transform us.”
How does this statement set forth Foster’s view of the role of disciplines?

4. On page 9 Foster writes,
“as we enter the inner world of the Spiritual Discipines, there will always be the danger of turning them into laws.”
How do we keep from letting the disciplines turning into new ways of making new laws for others or ourselves?