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A Side-by-Side Comparison of Discipleship and Apostleship

 


Being a follower of Jesus is what it means to be a disciple. Being an apostle entails being a sender, or a messenger. A disciple is a learner under another Christian who has been on their path with God longer than you have. An apostle is one who delivers those teachings to others, whereas discipleship is learning under another Christian who has been on their walk with God longer than you have.

Apostleship: A Definition


In Biblical words, an apostle is a plenipotentiary or representative of his lord. The apostle would be someone who talks on behalf of his master, the person he represents. God chose a group of individuals to create the basis for the church and a guarantee that the New Testament was written. Pastors and instructors at the church today wield power, but not to the same extent as the apostles of old. When Judas died and committed suicide in the New Testament, the apostles got together to see if they could find a successor for him.

Discipleship: A Definition


A disciple is someone who follows Jesus. Being a disciple also entails being a student of God's Word and a student of Christ. Other Christians coming alongside a new believer and encouraging them to a life of service to Christ are an example of discipleship. Being disciplined by another Christian might entail meeting on a regular basis to figure out how the new believer would study the Bible, where the new believer will attend church, and answering concerns about God, theology, or prayer life.

What's the Difference Between an Apostle and a Disciple?

Here are some distinctions between apostleship and discipleship:

Apostleship

  • During Jesus' time, several of the early disciples and Christians were granted the status of apostle.
  • Today, it appears that there can be no apostles save in the broad sense of all Christians that has been “sent.”
  • The church's foundations have already been laid and do not need to be re-laid. This task has been completed. 
  • It was possible to quit the function of apostleship if one so desired (when Judas abandoned his ministry).
  • The apostle who departed did so because they no longer wanted to be a part of the ministry, not because they were slain.
  • There is no demand in the Bible that all Christians are apostles.

Discipleship

  • One cannot be replaced once they become a disciple (the follower of Jesus Christ). They will always be a part of God's family.
  • A disciple (follower/ student/learner) of Jesus can be anyone.
  • Discipleship is for everyone, not only for a specific people group at a specific time and location in history.
  • It is possible to both being a disciple and to create disciples of other people. This is discipleship; they are intertwined.
  • Throughout reality, God mandates all Christians to create disciples of Jesus in the Bible.
  • Discipleship is a job that should be carried out throughout our lives and will not end until Christ comes.

All of Jesus' apostles were disciples, and we should have comparable traits, though in different roles. We should study how Jesus, his followers, and the apostles lived in the Bible because they provide excellent models of how all Christians should pursue God in a sinful and suffering world. Until then, God mandates that we participate in the job he is now doing in the world.


Read other posts:

https://discipleshipchristian.blogspot.com/2021/05/what-is-causing-so-many-young-people-to.html

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