Power, Love, and Discipline

“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”  2 Timothy 1:7

This little verse is full of information. In the previous verse, Paul insisted that Timothy “kindle afresh” the gift that he had received and use it as it was intended because God did not give us a “spirit of timidity.”

The Greek word deilia is translated timidity or cowardice as opposed to terror. God’s gift does not function well if we are too timid to use it. His gift has power, love, and a “discipline.” The gift is not power. God’s gift (whatever it may be) comes with dunamis - the innate ability to carry out the gift. All the Twice-Born are given “the power that works within us” (Eph. 3:20). Whatever the Holy Spirit has gifted us with upon our entrance into His kingdom (1 Cor. 12:11), He has also given the necessary power to implement to use that gift.

Your gift also comes with love. Again, “love” is not the gift but part of the character of our Lord Jesus and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Were it not for the reflection in us of the unilateral and sacrificial love of our Redeemer, these supernatural gifts could be misused, distorted, and abused for personal glory. Diotrephes misused his gift, failing to use the spirit of love (3 John 1:9).

Sophronismos is the unique Greek word used to describe the spirit of a “discipline” that is given to us with our gift. It’s a combination of the Greek verbs translated as “to save” and “to control.” It’s basic meaning would be “safe control” or “wholesome control” - perhaps even “control that saves.”
   
With our spiritual gifts comes the perfect combination of abilities that empower the gift, the love that keeps the gifts focused on others, and the “safety controls” that keep it from doing damage unwittingly.