DOCTRINE: If you are going to be disciplined as God has commanded in Scripture, your life will look like a grueling race, intense athletic training, a focussed race, a boxing match, and slave-driving.

I. If you are going to be disciplined, you must strive hard, exerting yourself (1 Corinthians 9:24)

II. If you are going to be disciplined, you must be intentionally self-controlled (1 Corinthians 9:25)

III. If you are going to disciplined, you must not run uncertainly or aimlessly (1 Corinthians 9:26a)

IV. If you are going to be disciplined, you must really fight, not play at it (1 Corinthians 9:26b)

V. If you are going to be disciplined, you must buffet your body and make it your slave (1 Corinthians 9:27a)

QUESTION: How do I offer holy violence to myself? That is to ask how do I buffet my body and make it my slave?

ANSWER I: If you are going to say with Paul “I buffet my body and make it my slave” you must mortify your sin.

I. You must mortify. Colossians 3:5: “Put to death…what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

II. You must continually mortify. Galatians 5:24: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

III. You must viciously mortify. Matthew 5:29-30: “29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.”

IV. You must Spiritually mortify; that is, with the Sword of the Spirit and by the strength of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:13: “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

V. You must mindfully mortify; that is, with the eyes of your heart fixed on Christ Jesus. Colossians 3:1-5: “1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

ANSWER II: If you are going to say with Paul “I buffet my body and make it my slave” you must devote yourself to spiritual duties.

(I) You must “buffet you body” by reading the Word. Psalm 119:5: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” How can you have the light of the lamp if you never pick it up?

(II) You must “make your body your slave” by hearing the Word. Luke 19:48: “All the people were hanging on [Christ’s] words.” Jesus commands ministers to “preach the word” in 2 Timothy 4:2, therefore, by implication, you are commanded to listen to it.

(III) You must “buffet you body” by prayer. Psalm 88:1: “O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out day and night before you. Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry!”

(IV) You must “make your body your slave” by meditating on the Word. Psalm 119:97: “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.”

Thomas Watson in Heaven Taken By Storm: “I) Meditate seriously upon the CORRUPTION of your nature. II) Meditate seriously upon THE DEATH AND PASSION OF CHRIST. III) Meditate on your EVIDENCES for heaven. IV) Meditate upon THE UNCERTAINTY OF ALL EARTHLY COMFORTS. V) Meditate on GOD’S SEVERITY AGAINST SIN. VI) Meditate on ETERNAL LIFE.” I would simply add, VIII) Meditate seriously on THE LAW OF GOD AND THE PROMISES OF GOD. IX) Meditate seriously on the ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

(V) You must “buffet your body” by self-examination. 1 Corinthians 11:28: “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”

(VI). You must “make you body your slave” by sanctifying the LORD’s day. Hebrews 10:24-25: “24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

(VII) You must “buffet your body” by holy fellowship and conversation. Psalm 1:1: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers…” Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom…”

VI. You and I must preach this and we must practice what we preach (1 Corinthians 9:27b)

CONCLUSION

Proverbs 5:22-23 “22 The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. 23 He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray.”