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Bible Question:
What is discipleship?
Bible Answer:
A dictionary would say a "disciple" is anyone who
follows another person. That is, one who wants to be like another
person and so imitates the life, attitudes, and example of that
person. When Christians talk about discipleship, they mean someone
wants to follow Jesus - to be a disciple of Jesus. How does
one become a Christian disciple? This happens when a
Christian cares enough to tell someone about Jesus, and that
one responds by believing in Jesus. Christ has asked His disciples
to tell others about Him.
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Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded
you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of
the age.” (NASB) Matthew 28:19-20
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A
disciple
is one who realizes he or she is a sinner and needs God's forgiveness.
Disciples want His forgiveness, and as a result have asked Jesus
to forgive their sins. They turn their lives over to God. A
disciple is one who wants to be at peace with God. We say
a disciple believes
or depends on Jesus.
That is how a person becomes a disciple - a Christian. Shortly
after Jesus' death and return to life many believed that Jesus
was God and followed Jesus. They were called Christians. Proof
of this is found in a comment by king Agrippa.
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And Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you
will persuade me to become a Christian.” (NASB) Acts
26:28
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What Is Discipleship?
What does it mean to be a disciple
- a Christian
? The answer to that question is given in a
previous questions and answer
along with the spiritual guidelines that Jesus used for making
Christian disciples. When a person becomes a Christian, he or
she enters a spiritual world
as a spiritual baby. We have much to learn and a lot of spiritual
growing to do. That was Jesus' point when He said,
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A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above
his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become
as his teacher, and the slave as his master. (NASB) Matthew
10:24-25
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That is what discipleship is all about - becoming like the master.
Discipleship is not knowing your Bible and it is not
witnessing
. Discipleship is not just praying, going to church, or being
a servant of God. We sometimes call that service. It is about
becoming like Jesus. Notice that Jesus said, "It is enough
. . ." It is enough to be like the master! Anything else
falls short. Being a Christian is not entering into a social
club. It is following Jesus! A Christian who does not want to
follow Jesus is not a Christian. That is what the following
verse says.
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Therefore I make known to you, that . . . no one can say,
“Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
(NASB) 1 Corinthians 12:3
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A real Christian calls Jesus "Lord" and follows. A
person who does not want to follow Jesus but wants to be with
other Christians or be at church has only joined a Christian
social group. These eople are not really Christians.
Follow
An Older, Spiritual Person. Discipleship is learning to
become like Jesus. Discipleship is illustrated in the following
event.
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One weekend, three young fellows decided to take a bicycle
trip into the countryside. Although inexperienced, they
covered forty miles in three and one half hours and congratulated
themselves on their good time. The next morning, as they
prepared to head back to their starting point, they were
met by a good friend, who had just cycled the forty mile
trip that morning and was ready to head back. He was an
excellent cyclist, and with him pacing the young cyclists
beck to town, they made the return trip in just two and
one half hours.
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In the same way, young Christians need the "pacing"
of an older disciple - Christian. God has told us this is the
best way to grow spiritually. A younger person may have had
great "spiritual experiences" and know the Bible,
but it is impossible to know if his or her spiritual life is
real or what the outcome of that life will finally be. In the
book of Hebrews God says we need to follow older Christians.
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