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True Discipleship Tim Smelser We hear the word "disciple" used quite a bit in the religious world today. there are those who call themselves the Disciples of Christ; those who are a part of the Discipling Ministries; and many churches offer discipleship classes. Such usage should cause us to seek a better understanding of discipleship. In John 8:31 Jesus said, "If you abide in my word, then are you truly my disciples." This better helps us define disciple as one who is a learner or a follower. If we are going to follow Jesus and learn from him then we need to study and learn from his word. Once that word is learned, then we must not stray. We must "abide in it." There were those in the New Testament who epitomized the attitude of discipleship. The Bereans, in Acts 17, received Christ's message with "great eagerness" and then they "searched the scriptures daily, whether these things were so" (17:11). We need to do this today if we are to be true disciples. A true disciple will also strive to follow the example of Jesus' life. Peter wrote that we should follow in the steps of Jesus because He suffered for us and left us an example (1 Peter 2:21). Far too many times we make men our role models when in fact, the Christian should emulate and imitate the actions of the Savior. As one considers the many people in the religious world today who claim to be disciples, or who call themselves disciples, it is readily apparent that not all of them teach, believe, or practice the same things. This is disheartening to the sincere seeker of truth and it is distressing to our Creator. As we seek to be learners, followers, disciples of Christ, we should always keep John 8:31 in the forefront of our minds. "If you abide in my word, then are you truly my disciples." Jesus considers us His disciples only if we remain in His teachings and forsake that which is innovative and from man. John adds that if we so remain, we have the Father and the Son (2 John 9). This is what it means to be a true disciple.
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