To Be a Disciple /Follower of Christ!
A disciple of Christ, has different and specific requirements and conditions, than that of becoming (saved), which is a believer who issaved by grace through faith in Jesus. Salvation is a gift from God, to those who believe in the completed work of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. The meaning of being a disciple, is to be a pupil, a student, an understudy, a follower of the doctrine of the teacher or that school of thought; or it could also be one of the personal followers of Christ during His earthly life.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. NKJ
Jesus gave, what appeared to be some very hard, difficult and demanding requirements for a person to become His disciple. That would be a person whose beliefs, principles and doctrine line up with Jesus’ word and beliefs. Jesus explained, that to be His disciple they will need to hate father, mother, wife, children and even their own life and follow Him or else they cannot be His disciple.
Luke 14:26-27 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. NKJ
This may sound like an egotistical, narcissistic and self-absorbed God, but in fact these are loving and kind words coming from an omnipotent (the all-powerful, invincible and unstoppable), God who is also omniscient (the all-seeing, all-wise, all knowing). God is the source of love and without God we will not know how to love others or ourselves well.
We see so many broken lives because people were trying to love others out of their own self-centered and selfish concerns and desires. When we come to God, who is our source and allow Him to show us how to show love, in this life we can have peace and joy. It is when we operate under the manufacturer’s instructions, that we are able to get maximum results. We have seen people who try to put together or operate machinery without reading the instruction manual, only to see the product damaged.
The enemy is still telling the same lie he told in the garden and trying to make people believe that God is holding them back. That God does not want them to have fun or be happy, the devil is a liar and deceiver. It wasGod’s good pleasure to create all that was in the garden and all that is in the earth and all the marvelous things seen in nature for us to enjoy.
One thing we must understand when reading Jesus’ word is that He was speaking in a middle-eastern language and their words often times have many and various meanings, so everything must be read within the context from which it was written. God gave us the principle of having two or three witnesses to establish a matter. In the same way the Bible confirmsand certifies every principle in two or three scripture text and that is how the word of God verifies and validates itself.
Deuteronomy 19:15 “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.
Matthew 18:16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ NKJ
The word hate used in this text was miseo, which can mean to detest or to love less. In this context Jesus is telling His disciples that they must love less their father, mother, wife, children and even their own life if they want to become His disciple. Jesus never demands allegiance, commitment or loyalty. He gives everyone the choice to choose, “if” you come to be my disciple, if your aim, hope or desire is to become My disciple you must choose to love Me more that all of these. Jesus is not telling us to despise our family or ourselves but, as followers of Christ, we are to put Him first. Jesus knew that it is in our best interest and benefit to put Him first, and love Him more because in Him is where all our needs are truly met.
Mark 12:30-31 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
We are to love God with our total being, our body, soul and spirit. With our body, (our mouth) we confess our belief in Christ, with our soul, (our will, mind, intellect and personality) we believe in our hearts that God by His grace sent Jesus to save us. Then our dead spirit is revived, renewed and restored so that we may be, once again alive in the family of God.
It is only when we love God more and put Him first that we are able to love others well. It is God who instructs and teaches us how to operate in humility and not pride, how to forgive and not be bitter and to love even when it is unrequited, or we do not receive love in return.
If we do not love God more than father, mother, wife, children and even our own life, we will operate out of a fallen and depraved mindset which, leads only to destruction of the things that we say we love. To be a disciple of Jesus we are to follow His ways, His teaching and His doctrine.
John 15:12-13 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
1 Peter 2:21-23 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;
As followers of Christ, we are instructed to put Jesus first and foremost and to love others less, even ourselves. If we do not put our love for Godfirst, we will not know how to love others appropriately.
Integrity- People of God 