True Christian Discipleship.
Can one be a Disciple but not be a true believer, (a Christian)?
Can one be a Christian and yet not be a Disciple?
Can one be a Disciple and a Christian?
Well let’s first of all see exactly what a Disciple is.
Disciple: a follower or pupil of a teacher, leader, or philosopher.
One can be a disciple of any teacher or leader. One can be a disciple of Bhudda, a disciple of Islam or any religious leader. One can also be a devil’s disciple.
A true disciple of Jesus Christ is not just a student or a learner, but a follower: one who applies what he has learned. Thus, a true disciple will ask, “What would Jesus do?”
What makes a true Disciple of Jesus Christ?
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John 13:35 we find Jesus saying, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
IF you have love for one another, True disciples listen to Jesus words and does them.
If you love just like Jesus loved, accepting people as they are, forgiving others no matter what, meeting each other’s needs as Jesus did, meeting the needs of others, then there is a sign that you are one of His disciples. You are bearing the fruit of discipleship.
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John 8:31 – 32 “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
IF you allow the only truth, God’s words, to direct every aspect of your life, then you can consider yourself a disciple of Jesus Christ.
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Mark 14:34b – 35 “IF anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.”
IF you deny your own wants and wishes and live for the Kingdom of God then you can consider yourself one of Jesus’ disciples.
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Luke 14:26 “IF anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”
IF your allegiance to Jesus comes before your allegiance to all others, including yourself, then you can consider yourself a disciple of Jesus Christ.
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Luke 14:27 “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
IF you’re willing to give your life for Jesus then you can consider yourself a disciple of Jesus Christ.
When I left school, I became an apprentice Tool Setter. I was put under the teaching of a qualified Engineer who had served his time as a Tool Setter.
He taught me the skills of tool setting and I went to college to learn about Engineering.
When I was twenty one years old, I qualified as a skilled Tool Setter.
I put into practice all the things that I had been taught, I was a true Tool Setter.
I was not just a Tool Setter in name but I was a Tool Setter in practice.
There were others however, that did not finish the course and dropped out of the apprenticeship training and therefore did not qualify. They went on to do other jobs.
Therefore, they could not be called true Tool Setters.
There were those that followed Jesus and were Jesus disciples but when the going got tough they gave up and no longer followed Him.
One such person was Judas Iscariot, who followed Jesus and listened to His teachings.
However, He did not only leave Christ but also betrayed Him for money.
Many that followed Jesus, fell away.
Mark 14:50 Then all the disciples deserted Jesus and ran away.
John 6:60 -66 60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”
61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you?
62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before?
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.
65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.
A believer can and should be a true disciple, but it is not a requirement of Salvation.
When one becomes a Christian believer, it is by grace through faith, they are made righteous in Christ, they are redeemed and do no longer come under condemnation.
Romans 8 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Note: They are not saved by being disciples. They are saved by grace, through faith. Salvation is a free gift of God to all those that believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8,9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
To be a true disciple, one must go on and put into practice all those things that Jesus taught.
They were disciples because they believed and practiced what the master had taught them.
One is a true disciple, only IF one believes and does the will of his master.
What are the things that we must do to be a true disciple of Christ?
Be committed to Jesus Christ.
Christ should come first in our life.
Luke 14:25 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.”
Love for all People, Love for the brethren.
Jesus was our example. He showed His love to sinners and His sheep alike.
1 Tim 1:15 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
John 13:34-35 “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.
Be a Servant / Slave
You cannot serve two masters
Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Matthew 23:11 The greatest among you must be a servant.
Jesus purchased us with His blood, We were bought with a price and we belong to Him.
1 Cor 6:19, 20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
20 you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.
Submit to the Holy Spirit.
When one is born again, they are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
It is He who guides us, teaches us and fills us.
We must listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
John 14:16-17 “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it does not see him or know him. But you know him, because he lives with you and he will be in you.”
1 Thess 5:19 Do not quench the Spirit.
Submit to the authority of scripture.
God’s Word is truth. Disciples have made a decision that they must lift up the Word above their feelings, even when it’s difficult.
The Bible is our instruction book for Christian life, What the scripture teaches is what we must do.
John 8:31-32 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Live Morally, Pure lives.
Because God is a good Father, He invites us to share in His character. As followers of Jesus, we have been forgiven and made holy. But because God is holy and we are made in His image, we’re also called to live like Him.
1 Peter 1:15-16 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Romans 13:14 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Share the Gospel in the world.
Many people in the world are searching. They need someone who’s bold enough to share their faith and show them the love of the Father. Now is the time to stand out and be different to share the great news about Jesus!
True disciples are obedient to the commission of Christ.
Fellowship with other Christians.
A true disciple of Christ cannot live alone, all Christians are part of the body of Christ, each with gifts and ministries, which is for the edification and building up of the body of Christ.
Christians function best in the context of biblical community. We are the family of God through faith in Jesus, so we don’t have to run this race alone.
Acts 2:42 They spent their time learning from the Apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread and prayed together.
Hebrews 10:25, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."
The objective of a disciple.
The main objective of a true disciple of Jesus Christ is to makes other disciples.
Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
The command to “go and make disciples” has for many years been understood to be the same as “go and make converts.”
In other words, go out to share the Gospel with the unbelievers and help them come to faith in Jesus Christ.
This is not wrong, But this is only the start.
We definitely need to go out and testify to our faith; Always being ready to give an account of the hope within us.
We also need to help them affirm that faith by being baptized as our scripture says.
All of these things are important and belong to the first part of making disciples.
However, there is a second part, it is teaching them to observe [obey] all that Jesus commanded .
Sadly, this is the part that has been widely neglected in the church for centuries. Of course, a few have always taken it seriously, and their lives have stood out and brought glory to God, whether they were great leaders or simple uneducated peasants. And a few take it seriously today. But for the most part, it is neglected.
Evangelism is mainly left to the Pastor or the Leaders. It is easier to invite someone to church and let the preacher share the Gospel.
When one comes to faith in Christ and goes on to follow the ways of Jesus and put His teachings in to practice, it is only the beginning of discipleship.
When Jesus told His disciples to wait at Jerusalem for the promise of the Holy Spirit, He said:
“Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” – Luke 24:49
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
You shall receive power, power to do what?
"and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth".
This power is available to all Christians, young and old. We are to be endued with power to be a witness to the saving grace of Christ.
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So, to return to our original questions.
Can one be a disciple and not be a true Christian?
The answer must be Yes.
Judas Iscariot is an example. The other eleven disciples followed Jesus and in the process of following and learning, came to faith in Jesus as the Christ.
Mark 8:28, 29 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
29“But who do you say I am?” He asked. Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”
After following Jesus for quite a while, John the disciple came to faith in Jesus and declared:
John 20:28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
I remember when as a young 26 year old, I came under the ministry of the Gospel. I was being persuaded, it was beginning to make sense to me.
I remember going into my work place and preaching the things that I was hearing and yet, I was not born again.
Eventually, my eyes were opened to the truth of the Gospel and I believed in my heart that Jesus was the Christ.
As the hymn says:
My dungeon flamed with light, my chains fell off, my heart was free. I rose, went forth and followed Thee.
John Wesley was the same, he preached the Gospel for years, until one day he heard a street preacher and realized that he was not born again.
Yes, one can follow Jesus and not be saved.
Can one be a Christian and yet not be a true disciple?
The answer must be yes.
There is lots of confusion about this question today. Is being a disciple a requirement for salvation?
Some say yes. This is known as “Discipleship salvation”, or “Lordship salvation”.
One must be objective about this and not subjective.
Just because one says “I am a disciple of Jesus”, does not make him saved.
As was quoted earlier, salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
This is objective, a true statement.
John 8:31 – 32 is an example.
Jesus made a statement that standing alone would suggest that one must be a disciple to be saved.
“if ye continue in My words, Then ye are my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”.
However if you put that verse into context, it reads completely different.
Jesus was confronting the Pharasees by saying that He was the light of the world and they did not believe Him.
Joh 8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
Joh 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
As Jesus spoke these words:
Joh 8:30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.
These that believed were not yet disciples.
This is the context of vv 31 and 32.
“if ye continue in My words, Then ye are my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”.
Jesus was speaking to those who had believed in Him.
Salvation is not based on the fact that you are following Christ, for that would be works.
We truly follow Christ because we believe He is the Christ.
A Christian should be a disciple, a disciple, Greek “mathetes”, ( a learner, a pupil).
A person is saved by grace through faith alone in Christ. It is at this moment that one is sealed by the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit dwells in his heart.
Discipleship on the other hand is working for the Lord and obeying His commands and following His precepts. Denying self and taking up our cross daily.
Can one be a Disciple and a Christian?
The answer is quite clear, Yes and so he should.
If we are truly Christian, we should not follow Christ from a distance. We should be at His heel, learning and putting into practice all the things He teaches.
Matthew 4:19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
