Being A Disciple - Part 2

By Mark McCrary

This article continues from last week where the questions addressed were “What is a Disciple?” and “Why is it Important for Disciples to be Like Christ?”

What Is Expected of a Disciple?

The life of a disciple is marked by several key characteristics. First and foremost, a disciple is a learner (Matthew 11:28-30). Jesus calls people to Him to learn and grow. Baptism marks the beginning of this journey, but it’s not the end. Continued learning—through personal Bible study, attending Bible classes, and listening to teaching—is essential for growth. This is why the early church made preaching and teaching such an important part of their gatherings (Acts 20:7).

Second, being a disciple requires following Jesus with total commitment (Lk 9:57-62). In the same way the disciples left their nets to follow Jesus (Lk 5:11), we are called to leave behind anything that would keep us from fully following Christ. Commitment is essential because without it one cannot receive the crown of life (Rev 2:10). This is one of the failings of the teachings of “once saved, always saved” and “preservation of the saints.” These teachings fail to understand why we are saved—to represent God.  If we fail to do so, we fail in our role as disciples and do not have the blessings that come to disciples.

For this reason, obedience is another vital aspect of discipleship. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Our love for Him compels us to obey His teachings, and that obedience transforms us. As Paul writes in Romans 12:1-2, we are to be “transformed by the renewal of our mind.” This transformation is evident in the lives of disciples who speak like Jesus, act like Jesus, and love like Jesus.

A true disciple also makes a public confession of faith (Matthew 10:32-33), openly declaring allegiance to Christ even when it is unpopular or risky (Acts 4:19-20).

Love, service, and sacrifice are further hallmarks of a disciple’s life, as seen in the early church (Acts 2:42-47). The early Christians lived lives of love and humility, drawing many to Christ through their example. Following Jesus may require self-denial and even carrying a cross (Matthew 10:38), but the life of a disciple is one of continued growth (2 Peter 1:5-10; Colossians 2:6-7).

Making More Disciples

Understanding discipleship reshapes the way we approach evangelism. The goal isn’t simply to "save" people from hell but to bring them to God and teach them to follow Him. Importantly, baptism is a crucial step, but it is not the journey's end.  In 1 Corinthians 1:16-17, Paul said he didn’t come to baptize, but to “preach the gospel.” The goal isn’t merely to escape judgment, but to live transformed lives that reflect “the gospel”—the good news of Jesus!

This, then, changes how we evangelize. Instead of focusing solely on warning people about hell, we lift up Jesus for the world to see (John 12:32). The best way to do so is not through fear of hell, but through love—God’s love for us and then our love for others.  This is the impact of Jesus’ teachings on our lives.  As disciples, we become living testimonies of Christ’s teachings (Matthew 5:16; John 13:35). Our transformed lives, marked by peace, joy, and purpose, become the most powerful witness to the gospel (1 Peter 2:12; Romans 12:2). Then, in words, we share the teachings of Jesus with others.

Conclusion

Being a disciple of Jesus is more than knowing facts or performing rituals. It’s about living a life that mirrors Christ, deepening our relationship with God, and showing others what a transformed life looks like. As we follow Him, we become reflections of His character in the world. This is the life Jesus calls us to live. Through our discipleship, we offer the world a better way—a life of purpose, peace, and joy in Christ.

God So Loved the World

By Paul Earnhart

God’s love for mankind has been expressed in more ways than we can count.  His creation of man was an act of love, to say nothing of the wonderful world which He made for our habitation.  He gave us eyes to see and mountains and flowers and colorful sunsets to behold.  He gave us ears to hear and the song of the birds and the roar of the ocean to enjoy.  He gave us the gift of taste and delicious food to satisfy our appetites.  Who can count the material and physical benefits He has provided?

But when we try to describe the love of God, all of these things become insignificant beside the gift He gave for satisfaction of our spiritual needs.  Jesus described it in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  God knew that the needs of the inner man are greater than those of the outer man.

God’s love is surely the greatest love of history, and it was expressed in the greatest gift of all time…the gift of His only begotten Son.  Its purpose was to rescue each one of us from the greatest possible tragedy: eternal death.  And to provide for us the most valuable blessing we can hope to attain: eternal life.

Our world does not now comprehend what God did.  Our thinking is so dominated by our concern for here and now, for the needs of our physical bodies, that most people give little attention to the needs of the spirit.  But one day, all of that will change.  Regardless of how we may prosper in material things, there will come a day when none of those things can help us.  When we come to the time of our death, the important thing will be our relationship to God.  If we are not right with Him, all will be lost.  Jesus is our way to God (John 14:6).  Only those who believe in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.  And belief in Him means full submission to Him.

The Desperate Need for Love

By Mark McCrary

The world is in desperate need of love. A lack of love and compassion is at the very heart of most of the problems plaguing us today—war, racism, mass shootings… the list goes on and on. In a time where there seems to be so much division, hatred, and fear, it is more important than ever to embrace love as the answer to our problems. The Bible tells us that love is not only important, but it is also essential to our well-being as individuals, as a church, and as a society.

In 1 John 4:8, the Bible tells us that "God is love." Love is not just something God does; it is who He is. It is the very essence of His nature. The Bible also tells us we are made in His image (Genesis 1:26). That entails many things, but certainly that we need to reflect Him to the world around us.  Therefore, if He is love, we must be love as well; we need to love as He loves. Jesus reminds us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40). In John 13:34-35, He tells us, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Love has the power to overcome hate, to heal wounds, and to bring people together. When we love others, we are showing them the same grace and mercy that God has shown us. We are breaking down the barriers that divide us and building bridges of understanding and compassion. Love allows us to see people for who they are, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, or background.

In 1 Corinthians 13, often referred to as the "love chapter," the Bible describes what love looks like in action. “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

This kind of love is what we need more of in our world today.  And beloved, it is our duty as Christians to model it.  Our families, friends, and coworkers need to see this love alive in us.

Am I showing this kind of love? To people who make me angry? To sinners? Let’s ask God to help us accept the words of the apostle John while examining our hearts: “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).

The world needs love right now because love has the power to transform lives and bring about positive change. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to love others as He loves us. We need to be agents of love, showing kindness, compassion, and understanding to those around us. If we all choose to love one another, we can make a difference in our world and bring hope to those who need it most.

Divisiveness & Social Media

By Brent Lykins

We live in an era where social media plays a large role in our communication with each other.  It’s very easy for us to type away, letting our fingers put our thoughts out in the open for the whole world to see.  

Unfortunately, when we are behind keyboards and not face to face with someone, it becomes slightly easier to let opinions and dialogue flow that may not have flowed otherwise.   We all have opinions, right?  We have opinions about current news headlines, politics, the status of the country, and we even have opinions about how others should think, act, or speak.  

Satan loves this.

Satan loves this because it’s just one more way that he can slide a toe in between the door and the doorpost.   Once a toe is in, it becomes easier to get a foot in…then a leg…and then eventually Satan is standing in the middle of us, making himself a full divider between brethren because of a social media post.

In an election year, there are literally thousands of posts across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and whichever news outlet that you may frequent online.  Everyone is eager to get their point across.  Everyone is eager to “one-up” the other and then “drop the microphone.”   It’s so easy for us, brothers and sisters, to be tempted to “one-up” someone else or feel the satisfaction of dropping the mic in front of everyone who may be reading at the time.  

Satan loves that.

In a year full of racial disturbances, protests, riots, shunning the police, and wearing masks, everyone is eager to speak their opinions and viewpoints.  And once again, everyone is eager to “one-up” the other and then “drop the microphone”.  Once again brothers and sisters, it’s easy for us to be tempted to partake in those actions.  

Satan loves that.  

Let me remind everyone reading that even though we are the body of Christ, each of us have our own will and each of us have our own thoughts.   Your thoughts may not represent the majority.  Your opinion may not represent the majority.   We may not all agree.  There’s not necessarily anything wrong with that, but let me also remind everyone that sometimes we get caught up in some very sensitive subjects that may also tie into our pride, our upbringing, or even our underlying beliefs.  It should be understood that once you publicly make a hit on someone else’s pride or underlying belief that it probably will not be accepted with open arms.   In fact, you may hurt someone’s feelings or possibly provoke someone to lose their temper.   Just as we all don’t share the same opinions, we also don’t share the same personalities.   One may let a criticism roll right on by.  Another may hold that criticism deep in their heart and it may cloud their future view of the one who wrote it.  

May I be rogue and suggest that it may be better for Christians to keep their personal opinions about the hot topics of the times to themselves?

I have already seen brothers and sisters “defriend” and “unfollow” each other over differences of opinion.  I have seen public arguments between brethren that will be saved forever and are able to be viewed by people who look to us to be examples.  

A few on-topic passages to leave you with:

Romans 12:18 – “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

Galatians 5:14-15 – “ For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command:  ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.  If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

Proverbs 17:14 – “Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam, so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.”

Serving One Another

By Paul Earnhart

Marriage has fallen on hard times in America and its agonies have filled many with a desperate longing for the healing of the home. The appetite for books on this subject seems insatiable. Unfortunately,  much of this concern is for a quick and easy method— “15 Minutes a Day to a Happy Marriage.” There is no such magic formula. But there are answers, real answers, to marital anguish. They have been there all along.

The Bible is the grandest marriage manual ever written; not because it was written for that purpose, but because it is a book about relationships. It deals primarily with a man’s relationship to God and, out of that, his relationship to himself and others.

Marriage, as a union between a man and a woman, has about it some unique qualities of companionship and intimacy, but it is, at its heart, a relationship and the fundamental principle which rules it and moves it to a profound closeness is the same one which nurtures human relationships of every kind. A powerful statement and practical application of that principle is found in Ephesians.

Ephesians 5:1 is a bridge. It is the concluding thought of one exhortation which leads to another. Paul is in the midst of a practical application of the great principles of God’s redemptive work in Christ. He has been speaking of walking worthily of our calling (Ephesians 4:1), walking in love as God’s beloved children (Ephesians 5:2), walking as children of light, carefully, wisely (Ephesians 5:8, 15). He urges the Ephesians to be filled with the sobering influence of the Spirit rather than the wild indiscipline of wine. Such a Spirit-filled life, he says, will reveal itself in concrete ways— in the heartfelt worship together of God, and in mutual subjection to each other (Ephesians 5:18-21).

It is on the last phrase fo the paragraph, “subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ,” that Paul fixes his attention on the succeeding verses (Ephesians 5:22-6:9). Here he finds the principle upon which all relationships in Christ must be grounded. It is an idea which occurs frequently in Paul, and he always derives it from what God has done in Christ and the cross. This calling, with which we must live harmoniously, is out of the rich mercy and goodness of God who, by His grace, has elevated us, sinful and undeserving, to sit in heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10). This calling demands that those who receive it live with all others in a humble, long-suffering, forgiving love (Ephesians 4:2, 32) and find the greatest delight in serving the needs of others rather than their own. Such was the self emptying mind of Christ (Philippians 2:1-5). So He taught, lived, and died (Matthew 20:26-28; 23:11-12).

It is for this reason that in the succeeding discussion of the responsibilities of husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and servants, that the one whose role it is to submit is dealt with ahead of one whose task it is to lead and guide (Ephesians 5:22-6:9). There is no role in life which so suits the mind of Christ as the role of submission. No disciple of Jesus should find it demeaning to submit— whether a wife to a husband, a child to a parent, or a servant to a master— when he follows the One who “emptied himself, taking the form of a servant…” (Philippians 2:7); who came “not to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). The reason for the submission of the wife, child, or servant, is to bless the husband, parent, or master— and to honor Christ.

More difficult perhaps is the role of the leader. He, too, must subject himself. The husband must subject himself to his wife, the parent to his child, the master to his servant. This does not remove him from his responsibility of headship and leadership, but it means that his guidance must always be ruled by the best interest of those who must follow and not his own. The husband is not to rule his wife for his own selfish ends, but in order to bring blessing and fulfillment to her. The parent is not to rule his children arbitrarily, as if he owned them to do with as he pleased, but, as a steward of God’s gift, to nurture them after God’s purposes and for their own eternal good. The master (employer, manager) too, must in his guidance of the affairs of his servants (employees) seek their good and not merely his own.

This spirit of sacrificial love will revolutionize any relationship, especially marriage. The root problem of our modern marital trauma is not technique, but sin. Selfishness and pride have destroyed our ability to live humbly for the sake of another. We come to marriage, as to other relationships, not to give, but to get, not to forbear, but to demand, not to bless, but to use. How is this problem to be solved? In the same way every sin problem must be solved— by a heartfelt repentance which seeks God’s forgiveness and turns to serve Him humbly again. It is only as we come to know and emulate the servant-mind of God’s Son that we will find peace and blessing in our relationships with others. And in that most intimate of all human relationships, especially.