Foundations of Discipline (3)

But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”  Matthew 16.23

Peter’s problem…
We’re looking at the foundations that must be in place for a properly disciplined life. The starting-point for a vibrant Christian life is Jesus Christ and the vision of Him exalted, ruling over His Kingdom, building His Church, dispensing His salvation, calling His servants into mission, and restoring all things to the Father. The clearer our focus on this, the harder we work to make this vision the commanding prospect of our lives, the more we will want to see the time of our lives devoted exclusively to the pursuit of Christ, His Kingdom, and His righteousness.

But as we improve the way we use our time in the pursuit of King Jesus, we must make sure that we are following Him according to His Word, and not merely doing whatever we think is best in seeking and serving the Lord. This was Peter’s problem. He was all about Jesus being Messiah and King, and he eagerly anticipated the coming of the Lord’s Kingdom and glory.

But Peter did not concur with Jesus’ method. Jesus had just explained that He was going to Jerusalem to suffer, die, and rise again on the third day. Peter considered that tactic unsavory and unwise, and he insisted, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”

As if he had a better idea? His way of thinking about the coming of God’s Kingdom was better than the King’s?

…and ours
And what about when it comes to the detailed work that goes into God’s Kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven today? Are we following the plan and teaching of the Lord? Or are we depending on our own good ideas and clever schemes to carry out the Lord’s agenda?

These days, I believe, we may be guilty of standing in Jesus’ way rather than following behind Him. The Scriptures speak clearly and sufficiently about all the disciplines we must take up in seeking the Kingdom and righteousness of God. They guide us in understanding the spiritual disciplines essential for setting the saw of our soul to cut straight and true. They instruct us in the relational disciplines designed to promote justice and neighbor love. The Scriptures help us to discern, understand, and prosecute the work each of us has been given to do in seeking the Kingdom. They are sufficient to direct our communal disciplines – worship, fellowship, mission, and “one-anothering.” And the Scriptures can equip us with those provisional disciplines necessary for dealing with the temptations, trials, and setbacks that come to us from time to time.

If we, like Peter, think we know better than King Jesus how any of these areas of life should be organized and conducted, then we are standing in Jesus’ way rather than following in His tracks, and we can expect not to be blessed but rebuked, all our good intentions and best efforts notwithstanding.

Thinking with the mind of Christ
Peter's offense was to seek to do the work of God in a manner other than according to the Word of God. The Lord had just told Peter what was going to transpire, but that did not seem reasonable to Peter. Although clearly well-meaning in wishing to propose another course, Peter actually became an instrument of Satan by thinking a man’s way rather than according to the Word of God. He needed to “get behind” Jesus and follow Him in faith, nothing doubting.

In the same way, we must discipline our minds in all things to submit to the Word of God. We have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2.16), and we are commanded to let His mind hold sway in all our thinking (Phil. 2.5). What the Scripture teaches concerning the disciplined life may not always seem the reasonable thing to do – because we cannot square its teaching with our experience or logic – but it is always the Word of God. Our duty is to get behind it and order all our steps accordingly.

We must learn to think with the mind of Christ, and not our own best ideas. This is especially true with respect to the disciplines with which we fill the time of our lives and direct our bodies in seeking the Lord and His Kingdom. The Word of God speaks plainly and sufficiently about every area of life and all the disciplines necessary for following Jesus and growing in Him. We must be willing to shelter in the Scriptures and find all our protection, nurture, counsel, guidance, and power in the living Word of God in all things (Ps. 12; 2 Tim. 3.5-17).

For whenever we think we know better than the Lord how to do the work He’s appointed to us, or to realize the full and abundant life He offers, then we’ll find ourselves, like Peter, more agents of the enemies of Christ than followers in His way.

Next steps: What’s involved in learning to think with the mind of Christ? Talk with some Christian friends about this question. How can you help and encourage one another to be followers of Christ rather than obstacles in His path?

T. M. Moore

This week’s study, Foundations of Discipline, is part 2 of a 7-part series on The Disciplined Life, and is available as a free download by clicking here. We have prepared a special worksheet to help you begin getting your disciplines in proper shape for seeking the Kingdom. Write to T. M. at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for you free PDF of the “Disciplined Life Worksheet.”

A rightly-disciplined life requires a Kingdom vision, and that vision is centered on Jesus Christ exalted. T. M. has prepared a series of meditations on the glorious vision of Christ, based on Scripture and insights from the Celtic Christian tradition. Order your copy of Be Thou My Vision by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.