The Definition of a Disciple:
And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch (Acts 11:26).
There Is A Cost To Being A True Christian (Luke 14:25‑35).
And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
We Must Love the Souls of All Men (John 13:34).
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
But We Must Hate All Others as a Master (Luke 16:13‑15).
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. 15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
We Must “Bear Our Cross.” This Means We Must Die to Ourselves (Mark 8:34‑37).
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. 36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
The Cross Is an Instrument of Death. When We “Take Up Our Cross,” We Are “Losing Our Life.” We Must Live This Way Every Day (Luke 9:23‑24)!
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
The Old Paul Was No Longer Alive. It Was Christ Living in Paul. We Must Be Like That (Gal. 2:20).
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God (Col. 3:1‑3).
We Must “Forsake All That We Have.” Before Becoming a Christian, We Live to Do Our Own Will, Pleasures, Or Desires (Eph. 2:2‑3).
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
But We Must Become Like Christ, by Forsaking Our Own Will (John 6:38).
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
We Must Not Do Anything of Ourselves to the Point Of Dying, if We Must (John 8:28‑29).
Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. 29. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do ALWAYS those things that please him.
We Can See That It Is Not Good Enough to Give God a “Share” or “Portion” or Just a Part Of Our Lives. We Must Not Live For Ourselves Any More At All, But, Rather, For Christ and Him Only (2 Cor. 5:14‑15).
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him ONLY shalt thou serve (Matt. 4:10).
This Includes Every Thought We Think . . . (2 Cor. 10:5).
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity EVERY THOUGHT to the obedience of Christ;
This Also Includes Every Word That We Say And Every Deed That We Do (Col. 3:17).
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do ALL in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
We Must “Continue In Christ’s Word” To Be a True Disciple (John 8:31).
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
We Will See That Continuing In Christ Will Cause Us To Bear Fruit (John 15:1‑2, 8).
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
We Must Bear Much Fruit to Be Christ’s Disciple. If We Don’t, We Will Be Taken Away From The Vine.
How Do We Bear Fruit (Col. 1:10)?
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Though “bearing fruit” is often associated with converting someone to Christ, we see that doing any good work causes us to bear fruit. Evangelizing is one kind of good work. Obeying any command of God is a good work. Therefore, we can bear fruit any time we obey a command of god. Continuing in Christ’s word will cause us to bear much fruit, which will make us a true disciple (Luke 6:40).
The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
The End Goal of the Disciple Is to Be Perfect (Complete) Like Christ (1 John 2:4‑6).
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
The only way to fulfill our purpose as a disciple is to continue in (keep) all of Christ’s word!
Early on we learned that home educators are particularly blessed with an edge. They have the benefit of access to their children 24/7, leading by example and exercising a powerful influence, primarily because they have the luxuries of time and togetherness. Yes, after I became a homeschooling mom, my thoughts have often been occupied with pencils, papers, and curriculum, but my overriding mission and passion has always been more about imparting spiritual concepts to our children than simply pursuing an academic agenda.
MULIEBRAL VIEWPOINT 