 |
| Photo credit : Unsplash |
How can we know that discipleship has taken place in
the life of a believer? At what point can we say that a new Christian has
become a Disciple of Jesus Christ? I have said earlier in my previous post that
being born again or receiving salvation does not automatically make one a
disciple of Jesus Christ. That means, a new Christian is not yet a disciple. He
only becomes a disciple when he is nurtured, groomed and trained to grow and
mature in the ways and principles of Christ.
The major problem the church is facing today is that
we have too many baby Christians and few disciples of Christ. This accounts for
most of the scandals and bad stories we hear these days among church people. From
the pews to the pulpit, it’s all the same thing. One truth you must know is
that not everyone that calls himself a Christian is a disciple of Jesus
Christ. There are marks that identify a
true Disciple of Jesus Christ. Apostle
Paul said,
“From
henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord
Jesus” Gal 6:17
In this post, I want to share with you the
discipleship characteristics that will help you to know the marks of a true
disciple of Christ. We have fed so much on milk, it’s now time to eat strong
meat so we can develop and grow up into a mature Christian, ready for every
good work in Christ. Please read with confidence, you will get value.
1.
A DISCIPLE ABIDES
IN JESUS' WORDS
“Jesus
said to those Jews which believed on him, if ye continue in my word, then are
ye my disciples indeed” John 8:31
One of the characteristics of a true
disciple is that he abides in the words of Christ. He does not believe today and disbelieve
tomorrow. What he believes in the morning about the Lord Jesus Christ is what
he believes in the afternoon and night. His faith and convictions are the same
no matter where ho goes. There are people that once they leave the environment
of their Church, their character and mindset will change negatively. But a true
disciple is not like that. What he believes in the village is what he will
believe in the city. He abides in the words of the Lord. Whether he is in
Nigeria, America, Europe or China, it makes no difference. He abides in the
words of the Lord Jesus Christ. A true disciple is a lifetime student of the
teachings of Christ and a doer of the word (Matt 7:21-27, James 1:21-25)
2.
HE LOVES THE
BRETHREN
 |
| Photo credit : Unsplash |
“A
new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you,
that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my
disciples, if ye have love one to another” John 13:34-35
One
of the discipleship characteristics that mark a true disciple is love for the
brethren. A true disciple loves other Christians with a love patterned after
the love of Jesus ("as I have loved you"). He loves the brethren, not
just his few friends or those from his own denomination with a love that is
visible to the world ("by this all will know"). You can’t truly love
Christ and won’t love His people. People are human and not spirits to know what
is in your heart. So they will judge you from the physical things they see
about you. If you are a loving, kind and generous Christian, people will
identify you as a disciple of Christ. Love is an invitation that no one can
reject. Even a blind man can see love, the deaf can hear it and the lame can
walk by it. Love is not in words but in action. The Jesus kind of love is one
that lays down his life for others. It is a sacrificial love.
3.
HE BEARS MUCH
FRUIT
“Herein is my
Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples”. John
15:8
Another
characteristic of a true disciple of Jesus Christ is that he bears much fruit. Notice
the word "much", Jesus is not talking about an occasional good deed but
a lifestyle which prompts people to glorify God! (Matt 5:16, 1Peter 2:12).
Failure
to bear much fruit will result in being severed from Christ (John 15:1-2).
To
be a disciple of Jesus Christ means more than just a casual church member.
It requires commitment, especially in regards to the teachings of Christ, the
love of brethren and bearing fruit. I do not believe that being a
disciple of Jesus Christ means a lifetime suffering in poverty or frustration.
At the early stage of discipleship, there are many things to contend with, but
as the disciple grows up, there should be fruits, result and evidence to prove
that Christ is real in His life. Christianity without result will be liable to
mockery. Christianity is not synonymous to mediocrity and being a disciple of
Jesus Christ is not a reason for failure and frustration in life. We are
redeemed to be rich and called to live a life of glory and virtue in Christ. The
end of every argument is proof. There are people who won’t believe your
preaching until they see the benefits of your faith in Christ. I tell you the
truth, result can silence insult in the life of a disciple of Christ. Your life
must bear fruit in Jesus name.
4.
A DISCIPLE
ABIDES IN THE HOUSE
 |
| Photo credit : Unsplash |
“And a slave does not abide in the house
forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you
shall be free indeed”. John 8:35-36
A
true disciple of Christ abides in the house of God forever. He is not a mere
visitor or stranger but a free son of the house. The importance of abiding in
the house and having constant fellowship with the brethren cannot be over
emphasized. Many people say they do not need to come to church because they can
have service right there at their homes watching a live broadcast or a television
program. This however is very wrong. The bible said we should not forsake the
assembling together of brethren (Heb
10:25). There are spiritual operations of the heavenly hosts that take
place in the house of God, each time believers gather together in fellowship to
the Lord. 1 John 1:7 reveals that
when we have fellowship with the brethren, the blood of Jesus Christ the son of
God cleanses us from all sins. Hebrews
12:22-23 shows us a mystery that takes place each time we come to
fellowship in the church of the firstborn and His general assembly. We
encounter angelic visitations and mingle with the spirits of just men made
perfect. In the church we have the privilege of meeting with the Spirits of
father Abraham, Elijah, Apostle Paul and several others. This is so important
that David said,
“Behold how good and how pleasant it is for
believers to dwell together in unity”. Psalm 133:1
5. HE IS NOT
DISLOYAL TO CHURCH AUTHORITY.
“And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great]
delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of
rams. For REBELLION [is as] the sin of WITCHCRAFT, and stubbornness [is as]
iniquity and idolatry”1 Samuel 15:22-23
One
of the discipleship Characteristics that identifies a true disciple of Jesus
Christ is that he is not disloyal to church authority. When a believer
flagrantly disobeys the divine instructions given by the church leaders, that
believer is not a true disciple of Jesus Christ. When the leading pastor says the church will
fast for 21 days, a true disciple does not fast for 3 days. He follows divine
instructions to the letter. If a meeting is scheduled to start by 5pm in the
church and everyone is asked to come by that time, a true disciple will keep
the time, no matter what happens. A true
disciple does not take important steps or decisions in life without seeking the
counsels of the church authority which he submits to. A believer who travels at
random without even letting his pastor know is not a true disciple. Sometimes,
a true disciple can give up his own ideas and choice to obey the godly
instruction and counsel of his mentor. This is a sign of his loyalty. If you bring a woman or man that you want to
marry to your pastor and he doesn’t approve the marriage because of the reasons
best known to him, what will you do? If you buy a new car and your mentor tells
you to park the car and go to your business or job with public transport, what
will you do? Loyalty is a mark of a true disciple.
CONCLUSION
The
mark of a disciple tells of the authentication of the discipleship of someone.
A true disciple of Jesus is the one who abides in His word, loves the brethren,
bears much fruits, loves to fellowship with the brethren and is not disloyal to
church authorities. Are you a true disciple? Then these are the heavenly
expectations God has for you. Remain blessed.
Was
this post helpful?
Please
use the comment box below and tell me one thing you learnt from this post. Feel
free to ask any question in regards to this post. There is love in sharing,
please share with your friends.
Follow Pastor Damian Alamba on YouTube, CLICK HERE: https://tinyurl.com/44uhf3p9
Join Our Ministry's WhatsApp Group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FuJdNa2dWorIpLQKVsL6ou
For love gift, Seed of Faith or Prophet's Offering, send to Damian Alamba, 2022807940, UBA OR VIA PAYPAL: damianalamba03@gmail.com
0 Comments