The route word of "disciple" is "discipline"

Sometimes I think that we, in the love of the teachings on grace, are so afraid of being legalistic that we fail to be disciplined. We're so scared of having a structured, regimented approach to reading the bible and prayer that we only do them when we're in the mood. We inevitably forget about them altogether and lead a sloppy Christian life.

But then, the whole point of the Great Commission is to "go and make disciples", to make followers of Jesus who are disciplined. Being a Christian is like walking a narrow path along the summit of a great ridge. There's slopes either side, and the place you want to be is right in the middle.



Sometimes we back so far off from legalism (or moralism) that we can slip off the other side. Surely diligence in the spiritual disciplines is a very good thing. You don't earn any holy points by doing them. They simply put you in the right place to hear from God.