CHARACTERISTICS OF A BIBLICAL DISCIPLE

1) A pivotal issue that I must deal with is Christ’s lordship over my life.

In other words, I have considered the claims of Christ, and have concluded that the best workable relationship is for the Lord to be in charge of my entire life. One of Christ’s claims is that of ownership (having authority over that which is owned).

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 7:23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

God’s ownership of me is a factual truth, which is not dependent on my acknowledgment of it. I do not bestow ownership, I can only acknowledge and act upon what He states to be already true.

New believers will typically not be resistant to this truth, because they don’t have preconceived ideas of God’s expectations. In contrast, older believers tend to accept this truth intellectually, but be resistant to the implications. What are the implications of ownership? What rights or authority are generally conveyed by ownership? Does an owner have the right to do whatever he wants with his property?

He Owns Me (Whether I Believe It or Not). His Ownership is Not Dependent on My Acceptance

It (being a disciple) involved personal allegiance to Him, expressed in following Him and giving Him an exclusive loyalty. In at least some cases it meant literal abandonment of home, business ties and possessions, but in every case readiness to put the claims of Jesus first, whatever the cost, was demanded. Such an attitude went well beyond the normal pupil-teacher relationship and gave the word ‘disciple’ a new sense. (The New Bible Dictionary)

2) A Biblical disciple has reconciled Christ’s command for His followers to accept a Master-servant relationship with Him.

Luke 14:25-33 Now great crowds were traveling with Him. So He turned and said to them: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. … In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not say good-bye to all his possessions cannot be My disciple.

NOTE ON LUKE 14:25-33 The stress here is on the priority of love. (Compare Matthew 10:37 The person who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; the person who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.”)

Romans. 6:19 … so now offer them (members of our physical body) as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification.

1 Corinthians 7:22 … he who is called as a free man is Christ’s slave.

1 Peter 2:16 As God’s slaves, live as free people, but don’t use your freedom as a way to conceal evil.

One’s loyalty to Jesus must come before his loyalty to his family or even to life itself. Indeed, those who did follow Jesus against their families’ desires were probably thought of as hating their families.

(Walvoord, John F., and Zuck, Roy B., The Bible Knowledge Commentary, (Wheaton, Ill: Scripture Press Pub., Inc.)

3) A disciple has a desire to know God, not just know “about” Him.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 This is what the LORD says: … But the one who boasts should boast in this, that he understands and knows Me—that I am Yahweh, showing faithful love, justice, and righteousness on the earth, for I delight in these things. This is the LORD’s declaration.

Luke 10:38-42 … He (Jesus) entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.” The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”

John 17:3 This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent—Jesus Christ.

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

4) A disciple has the attitude of one who follows the Lord, not one who “leads” the Lord.

Luke 5:10-11 … “Don’t be afraid,” Jesus told Simon. “From now on you will be catching people!” Then they brought the boats to land, left everything, and followed Him.

Luke 9:23-24 Then He said to them all, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will save it.”

John 12:24-26 “I assure you: Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces a large crop. The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me. Where I am, there My servant also will be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.”

These four characteristics of a Biblical Disciple should not imply that as a disciple of Jesus I’m “super spiritual” or beyond the capacity to sin.

Although my acceptance of Christ’s yoke gives the Holy Spirit the freedom to mold me, I still have the capacity to disobey, and can submit to my sinful human nature for varying lengths of time.

When I make the choice to acknowledge the Lordship of Christ over my life it has set the general direction of my Christian life. The everyday application of assimilated convictions will depend on my continual willingness to yield up areas of my life to His authority. The battle has been won, but there are many skirmishes.

Caution: I can find myself in a quagmire of defeat if I do not understand how to consistently abide in fellowship with the Lord. (See Lesson 1-9)

One of the responsibilities of Church leadership is to convey to the congregation that each believer should aspire to be used by the Holy Spirit as a “witness,” and also as a “discipler” (spiritual parent or mentor)

Go to Final Discussion Questions

Characteristics of a Biblical Disciple