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o those of
us who follow Jesus, discipleship should be a central aspect of our faith. This
is because Jesus commanded His followers—in what is commonly referred to as “The Great Commission”—to “go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you” (Matthew 28:18-20).
It’s not a suggestion that Jesus makes here. It’s a command, a charge.
What is discipleship? Put simply, discipleship means intentionally
partnering with another Christian in order to help that person obey Jesus and
grow in relationship with Him—so that he or she can then help others do the
same. Jesus taught His disciples to follow
Him and obey His commands so that they could lead others to do the same after
His death, resurrection and ascension. The Apostle Paul continues the pattern
with Timothy and encourages him to keep the cycle going: “What you have heard
from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be
able to teach others also” (1 Timothy 2:2).
Discipleship Isn’t Easy.
Salvation is free, but discipleship will cost us our lives. Jesus put it
bluntly:
“Whoever
wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and
follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses
their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole
world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?” (Luke 9:23-25)
To be a disciple of Jesus means that we have given up our lives in order
to follow Him wholeheartedly and unreservedly. It means that our lives are no
longer our own—they are His.
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