Thursday, October 29, 2020

Defining Discipleship

 

Matthew 28:19-20 “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, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

 

The word “discipleship is defined as: the state of a disciple or follower in doctrines and precepts. It is the “being and associated actions of the continual student and follower of the Christian teaching and commandments in the Word of God to observe all things that the Lord has commanded them. Creator Father God created us to be fruitful, holy and godly in righteous thoughts, conversation and actions in a balanced and sanctified world, but sin caused the fall into darkness that called the Great Commission as restoration via the Gospel of salvation. Increasing the population of Heaven, decreases the population of Hell. In this secular world without a moral compass today, Christian discipleship seems needed now more than ever.

 

But, the discipleship framework is built on a foundation. The first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism is: “What is the chief end of man (humanity)? The answer is: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. The Purpose of Mankind is about how as human beings we were designed to worship and glorify God. In reading for frameworks of discipleship ministry, I read that our primary work becomes worshipping and adoring God, and all our other tasks in successfully accomplishing the Great Commission flow from that union. Surely, this speaks of the abundant life that Jesus Christ makes possible. 

 

The author asks, “What is the equivalent means of grace that the disciples of Christ are offering our communities to corporately connect with God?” Then, states that authentic community must be sustained by the presence of God. Efforts make disciples artificially can only result in ugly, lifeless caricatures birth and sustained in the flesh. Because of whose we are in Christ, we are who we are; Christians on the commission mission of His church. Does our discipleship ministry promote Spirit-filled fruitful communion, dedicated godly community or the devoted mission of evangelism for the salvation of souls, or is it just a filler implemented for the sake of activity or attraction? Pointing others to a loving relationship with their Savior at the foot of the Cross for forgiving reconciliation with God in repentance and saving faith is the mission.  We are not just blindly going through the motions or mindlessly completing items on a ministry checkoff list. There is supernatural power of God in the Gospel to transform the sinner unto eternal life.

 

In Matthew 22:35-40, one of the Pharisees, a lawyer, asked Jesus a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Never get the second commandment in front of the first commandment. Relationships with people will never substitute for an authentic relationship with God through Christ. Yet, true Christian relationship and fellowship with fellow believing brothers and sisters is the nature fruit of the union. When members of the Christian community of Believers seek to find in one another what can only be found in God, there will be disappointment and dysfunction. 


The primary goals of making disciples for the kingdom community of God are (1) giving glory to Christ, (2) displaying the reality of the good news of the Gospel, and (3) being conformed into Christ’s image. Connection between people is meant to be a means of moving us towards realities beyond the relationships themselves. It is imperative that Jesus Christ and His kingdom remain the central focus and purpose of discipleship. 

 

In Christ, Brian

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