Do We Become More Like Jesus By Practicing Spiritual Disciplines?

Believers in Jesus are often told that it is essential to practice spiritual disciplines if one is to become more like Jesus.

These disciplines consist of the discipline of:

...daily devotions

...daily prayer time

...daily Bible reading

...daily solitude

...daily submission

and many more daily disciplines.

Typically, in many churches and ministries, these are taught as the key to spiritual growth and becoming more like Jesus.

But does practicing daily disciplines grow a person spiritually and make a person more like Jesus?

Let’s see what the Bible says.

In 2 Corinthians 3:14-18 says,

"But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate a the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

In the context of these verses, Paul is communicating that the new covenant/testament of grace has replaced the old covenant/testament of law, thus bringing freedom from a law-based, disciplined-based way of relating to God.

According to the above verses, when a person turns away from the Law of Moses (the old testament of law) and to the Cross of Jesus (the new testament of grace), one can then see the fullness of the new testament of grace (all that God did for us through the blood of Jesus).

The above verses say that as we contemplate (gaze upon, learn about, think about) the new testament/covenant of grace, the Spirit in us begins the process of transforming us into the image of Jesus.

The ministry of the Spirit in the heart of believer is to bring believers into an understanding of the new testament of grace (2 Corinthians 3:4-9; 17-18) so they can experience freedom from a law-based, disciplined-based approach to relating to God.

The new testament of grace is everything God has done for us in Christ where he remembers our sins no more and where he relates to us individually and personally.

Jesus told the disciples to eat and drink from the new testament of grace (Matthew 26, Luke 22).

It is this new testament that Paul is teaching about in 2 Corinthians 3:1-6:2.

In this testament of grace...

...Jesus took our sinfulness and gives us his righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21)

...God does not count our sins against us, since they were all counted against Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

...the Spirit of Jesus lives in us (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

In the new testament, we do not relate to God like the people of Israel did under the law.

They related to God through a daily list of requirements.

We relate to God in a daily loving relationship.

Under the new testament of grace, we relate to God through what Jesus did for us on the cross.

Jesus calls this the new testament in his blood.

Sadly, most believers have never been taught about the new testament/covenant of grace.

They have been taught that the new testament is about books...though, according to Jesus, it has nothing to do with books.

The new testament is about blood...the blood of Jesus that eternally forgives all sins and cleanses from all sins.

As we contemplate the new testament of grace, the Spirit will grow us in grace.

As we grow in grace, we will become more like Jesus.