I have been a Christian for a little over 20 years, and have had the privilege of teaching God’s infallible Word for the past 12 years of my life. I have sought to read and understand the fundamental truths of the Christian faith and have discovered that the best way to describe a Christian is through a simple but profound word, discipleship. Discipleship is the priority of the Christian life, for there is no genuine Christian living without discipleship. It is the very tool that God uses to mold, and shape us into the likeness of Christ.
The Disciple and the Making of Disciples
Over the past two decades, no passage of Scripture has made a greater impact upon life than the words recorded in Luke 9: 23-26. The text reads as follow:
“23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? 26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.”
The Bible describes the goal of our lives as Christians in various ways: to be transformed into Christ’s image and likeness (II Corinthians 3:18) or to become complete in Christ (Colossians 1:28). Consequently, scripture enjoins us to surrender our lives to Christ and to love Him with all our hearts, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:28-30, NIV). God’s desire is for us to grow in the likeness of His Son through a discipleship experience that includes a yearning for spiritual growth and spiritual things (things from above).
We are constantly reminded in scripture of the necessity to die to self and to live our lives in the power of Christ. Hence, to “take up our crosses and follow Him”; this is the essence of the spiritual journey for the Christian. And since the spiritual life consists of the joint activity of the Holy Spirit and the saved person, it has both an individual and corporate benefit. Our experience and expression of spiritual life has the capacity for growth; therefore, we have the duty of cultivating Christian virtues (I Peter 2:1-2).
Jesus said, “Come to Me” (Matt. 11:28) and “Follow Me” (4:19). Mark records that, “He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him, and that He might send them out to preach, and to have authority to cast out demons” (Mark 3:14, 15). Notice that Jesus’ relationship with His disciples preceded His assignment to them (Luke 9:1-9). Discipleship is being before doing, maturity before ministry, and character before career.
Words of Wisdom
Every Christian, including you, is both a disciple and a discipler in the context of his or her Christian relationship. As a discipler, you are always a disciple who is learning and growing in Christ. This Christmas I urge you to take the words of the Apostle Peter to heart for he wrote:
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen” II Peter 3:18
May you experience the joy of growing in Christ as you celebrate the coming of God’s Son to save humanity! So rejoice for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! God bless you all!
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