Friday, March 26, 2010

A Christian, but not a Disciple? - Part 2

Last week I challenged you to put your place in the pastor's shoes and answer the woman's question Dallas Willard shares in his book:
A lady came to a pastor who had been emphasizing discipleship and said, "I just want to be a Christian. I don't want to be a disciple. I like my life the way it is. I believe that Jesus died for my sins, and I want to be with him when I die. Why do I have to be a disciple?" (Renovation of the Heart, pg. 245)
There were some good comments made and now I would like to share my thoughts.

First, disciple is not a mysterious word. Lots of people had disciples then (like John the Baptist) and lots have them today. A disciple is literally a follower or a student of someone else.

In simple New Testament terms, however, a Christian is a disciple of Jesus.

What does that mean practically? Here are at least four examples:
  • Matthew 11:28-30 - Jesus commands His followers to take on His "yoke." A follower of any Rabbi (teacher) would take on their "yoke." It meant living by their teachings and patterning their life after the Rabbi's way. Jesus is commanding His followers to follow His way.
  • Luke 9:23-26 - Jesus commands His followers "deny" themselves and to "take up their cross daily." Clearly this indicates a total dying to oneself in order to follow Jesus. Matthew 10:38 takes it further and says to not "take up your cross" is to "not be worthy" of Jesus. Jesus is commanding His followers to give up their lives in order to gain His.
  • Luke 14:25-34 - Jesus says that people need to "count the costs" of being His disciple, implying it will cost something. Jesus is commanding His followers to totally surrender in order to be part of Him.
  • John 12:23-26 - Jesus ties together eternal life with following Him saying, "whoever serves me must follow me." Jesus' command indicates that one cannot experience eternal life if they are not a follower of Jesus.
I could go on with more examples, but I believe the point is clear that one CANNOT be a Christian if they don't simultaneously choose to be a disciple of Jesus. Discipleship is not extra credit to the Christian life. Discipleship to Jesus IS Christianity.

That, I believe, is where good people fundamentally go off course. They think being a Christian and being a follower of Jesus are two separate things. They aren't and the Bible seems pretty clear about that. There is no answer to the problem of sin and separation from God other than Jesus. Likewise, there is no answer to any fundamental question about life and how we should live it that isn't found in the basic life and teachings of Jesus. That is why Jesus is "the way, the truth and the life."

It's all found in Him and one experiences that by being His disciple.

How do you react to this? Are there other scriptures that inform your understanding of discipleship?

1 comment:

  1. One of the illustrations that Jesus used repeatedly,or rather that is recorded in the Gospels as words of Jesus , is the example of the bearing of fruit. Matthew 7:15-20 says,"So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit.Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." In John 15:2-6 also,"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit,He takes away; and and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it will bear more fruit.You are alreadt clean because of the word I have spoken to you.Abide in me, and I in you.as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me." Needs no explaination? Have to be Christian to abide in Him and a disciple to bear fruit. HSM

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