Nature of discipleship

Discipleship involves learning

Learning from God

John 6:45 ESV

It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—

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Learning from Jesus Christ

Matthew 11:29 ESV

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

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Learning from the Holy Spirit

John 14:26 ESV

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

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Learning from other people

Philippians 4:9 ESV

What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

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Learning to do what is good

Titus 3:14 ESV

And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.

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Jesus Christ calls people to be his disciples

Matthew 4:19 ESV

And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

See also Jesus Christ calls James and John; ; Jesus Christ calls Matthew; ; Jesus Christ calls Philip;

The consequences of discipleship

Following Jesus Christ

Matthew 10:38 ESV

And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

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Serving Jesus Christ

Colossians 3:24 ESV

knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

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Obeying Jesus Christ

John 8:31 ESV

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,

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Responding immediately to Jesus Christ’s commands

Matthew 8:21–22 ESV

Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

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Living for Jesus Christ and not for oneself

2 Corinthians 5:15 ESV

and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

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Loving others

John 13:12–17 ESV

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

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Total commitment is required of Jesus Christ’s disciples

Matthew 10:37–39 ESV

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

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The purpose of discipleship is to become Christlike

Ephesians 4:22–24 ESV

to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

See also ; ; God’s purpose in election; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; the purpose of Scripture; a call to holiness; ;

Examples of secret discipleship

John 3:1–2 ESV

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

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