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In Real Life, How Does Discipleship Appear?

The Greek term for "disciple" in the New Testament is mathetes, which indicates more than just "student or learner" in this context. A disciple is a "follower" who completely adheres to another's teachings, making them the basis of his or her own life and conduct in the process. As a result, we must put into practice everything we have learned about Jesus in our own lives.

Let me summarize disciples in John 13:34-35 as Jesus does: “I issue a new commandment to you: Love one another. You are to love one another as much as I have loved you. If you love one another, everyone will know that you are my disciples.”

Why is love the true litmus test of discipleship?


LOVE CAUSES US TO BECOME THE MOST LIKE GOD

 “Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves knows God. Because God is love, anyone who does not love does not know God.” – 1 John 4:18–19

THE ISSUE OF LOVE IS IN THE WORD OF GOD

“He told him, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. 'This is the most essential and powerful command. The second is similar to the first: love your neighbor as you love yourself. These two precepts are the foundation of the whole Law and Prophets. '” 22:37-38 – Matthew 

JESUS PROMISED IT

 "Then Jesus responded to the Jewish who had believeth him, 'If you keep my word, you’re truly my disciple.'" – John 8:31 (NIV)

People feel they are good disciples because they are well-versed in a number of areas and follow a set of criteria that they have established for themselves. I say "their own set" because they are generally regarded as a preferred subset of biblical teachings—going to church, studying our Bible, paying our tithe, praying, and caring for others like us—all wonderful Christian activities, but not those that Jesus described as the ultimate evidence of the true disciples (Matthew 7:21-23).

A DISCIPLE'S ULTIMATE EXPRESSION

Love is the vehicle through which we put what we've learned about God into action. We have a deep love for God, but we also have a deep love for our neighbors. The upward aspects of true discipleship are in our relationship with God, but it also has outward repercussions with those in our immediate surroundings.


This is what Jesus told an Old Testament legal expert in the book of Luke 10. Nevertheless, in order to justify himself, the Old Testament legal expert “asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?'” (And who is my neighbor?) According to Jesus' response to this question, a parable was told about a Samaritan who came to the rescue of a man who had been attacked and left half-dead on the road to Jericho. Despite the fact that these two men were diametrically opposed, love was able to transcend race, culture, political party, social status, tradition, and geographical location. One of the main lessons of the tale is that genuine, unfettered love is the ultimate manifestation of a real disciple.

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Location: Melbourne VIC, Australia

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