Spiritual Theology (Ascetical Theology): Spiritual Disciplines
Within the field of spiritual theology—also known as ascetical theology—the focus rests on the life of holiness and the disciplines that nurture it. Spiritual disciplines are the practices by which believers submit their lives to God, cultivating habits that foster spiritual growth, discernment, and godliness. They are not an optional add-on for particularly devoted Christians, nor are they meritorious works that earn God’s favor. Instead, they are the normal means by which God shapes His people into the image of Christ.
Psalm 1 describes the blessed man who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on it day and night, yielding fruit in season. Similarly, Paul exhorts Timothy to “train yourself for godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7). These practices prepare the heart to receive God’s grace, putting off the old nature and walking in newness of life. They are part of the already–not yet dimension of salvation: believers are redeemed in Christ, yet they grow progressively into maturity until the final day of resurrection.
1. The Nature of Spiritual Disciplines
Spiritual disciplines are deliberate practices that place believers before God in humility, dependence, and openness. They are not exercises in self-advancement but means of participating in sanctification. As Paul writes, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you” (Philippians 2:12–13).
These disciplines address areas of weakness by training both mind and body in holiness. They reshape desires, direct attention toward God’s presence, and gradually align the believer’s life with the pattern of Christ. Ascetical theology emphasizes that discipline means restraint: keeping the flesh in subjection so that the spirit might rule. Without discipline, the Christian life becomes unanchored, vulnerable to temptation and self-indulgence.
2. Classic Practices of Spiritual Formation
Throughout history, Christians have practiced a variety of disciplines to nurture their spiritual lives. These are not exhaustive but highlight the central practices found in Scripture and tradition:
Prayer: Communing with God in petition, thanksgiving, and intercession. Jesus taught His disciples to pray (Matthew 6:9–13), making it the most foundational discipline.
Scripture Reading and Meditation: Devotional study of God’s Word forms the mind and renews the heart (Psalm 119:105; 2 Timothy 3:16–17).
Fasting: Setting aside food or other comforts to focus on God’s presence and cultivate dependence on Him (Matthew 6:16–18).
Silence and Solitude: Withdrawing from noise to listen to God, as Jesus often withdrew to desolate places to pray (Mark 1:35).
Worship and Fellowship: Participating in gathered worship and the sacraments, which root believers in the body of Christ (Acts 2:42–47; Hebrews 10:25).
Service and Generosity: Practicing love of neighbor through acts of service, hospitality, and care for the poor (James 1:27; Galatians 6:9–10).
These disciplines are never ends in themselves. They exist to lead believers into deeper communion with God and conformity to Christ.
3. Asceticism and the Dangers of Misuse
The word asceticism often carries negative connotations, but in Christian tradition it refers to training or exercise in godliness. Paul commends Timothy to “exercise yourself unto godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7), making clear that discipline is essential. Yet he also warns that bodily training “is of some value” while godliness holds value for all things (1 Timothy 4:8).
The danger arises when spiritual disciplines are divorced from their gospel context. Practices can become occasions for pride, legalism, or excessive self-focus. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for turning fasting and prayer into performances for human praise (Matthew 6:1–18). Authentic ascetical theology insists that disciplines must be rooted in the gospel of grace. They are not ways of earning salvation but ways of living out salvation.
This balance is essential: the disciplines call for effort, but effort is always in response to God’s prior work. The Spirit empowers and sanctifies, even as believers actively put to death sin and walk in obedience (Romans 8:13).
4. Spiritual Disciplines and the Gospel
Spiritual disciplines are not detached from the gospel; they are expressions of it. In Christ, believers are united to His death and resurrection, and the Spirit enables them to live new lives (Romans 6:4). The disciplines provide the means by which this reality is cultivated in daily life.
Mortification: Putting to death the old nature, as Paul commands in Colossians 3:5–10. Fasting, self-examination, and confession embody this practice.
Sanctification: Growing in holiness as the Spirit fills and transforms. Prayer, worship, and Scripture meditation are central to this ongoing renewal.
Anticipation of Glory: Living in disciplines points to the future hope of full transformation in the new creation. Practices like worship and service remind believers that their citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).
Thus, spiritual theology situates disciplines within the grand scope of redemption: past justification, present sanctification, and future glorification.
5. The Goal of Spiritual Disciplines: Godliness and Christlikeness
The ultimate purpose of spiritual disciplines is godliness—a life that reflects God’s character through holiness, love, and wisdom. This is not abstract but practical. As Paul explains, the fruit of the Spirit is visible in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23).
Discipline trains the heart toward these virtues. Just as an athlete disciplines the body to compete, the believer disciplines the spirit to persevere in faith. The image of Christ becomes clearer as desires are reshaped and actions brought into alignment with God’s will.
At the same time, spiritual disciplines cultivate resilience amid suffering. By submitting to God in prayer and meditation, believers learn to endure trials with patience and hope, looking toward the day when the Lord will wipe away every tear (Revelation 21:4).
Conclusion
Spiritual theology emphasizes that the Christian life is not haphazard but formed through intentional disciplines. These practices are not the essence of salvation but the fruit of it. They do not replace grace but position believers to receive and respond to it.
Through prayer, meditation, fasting, service, and worship, Christians are shaped into Christ’s likeness. They put to death the old nature and live in anticipation of the new creation. Spiritual disciplines matter because they are God’s means of sanctifying His people, training them to live faithfully in the present while awaiting the fullness of glory to come.
Bible Verses on Spiritual Disciplines
1 Timothy 4:7–8 – “Train yourself for godliness.”
Matthew 6:6 – “When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father.”
Psalm 1:2 – “His delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
2 Timothy 3:16–17 – Scripture equips for every good work.
Romans 8:13 – “If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
Colossians 3:5 – “Put to death what is earthly in you.”
Galatians 5:22–23 – The fruit of the Spirit.
Hebrews 12:11 – “For the moment all discipline seems painful … but later yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”
James 1:22 – “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.”
