Benefits of Discipleship

However, the majority of these benefits are material in nature, and aren’t convertible into spiritual currency. In other words, the temporal currency we accrue, very little of it, is eternally convertible.

And this is what separates the benefits of the world’s discipleship from the benefits of Jesus’ discipleship.

Mark 8:36 ESV

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

The greek word for profit is, Opheleo, which is defined to provide assistance, help, benefit, be of use to.

So Jesus is contrasting the benefit of this world at the expense of his soul. The context of this verse is Jesus confronting the notion of saving one’s life by the short pursuits of the world instead of losing one’s life for the sake of Jesus and the gospel.

The benefits of discipleship are built on obedience.

28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

In both admonishing statements, Jesus say’s you’ll be blessed, which means, that person would be happy or fortunate because they know it finds favor with God, and has eternal benefits.

21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

Obedience is keeping(practicing)Christ’s commandment to believe in who he is, and as a result, love the way he loved, live the way he lived, and lead the way he led.

The benefits of discipleship are temporally and eternally beneficial. Moreover, the benefits of discipleship are experienced affectionately today, and will be perfectly experienced in eternity with Christ.

In other words, we experience affectionate expressions of happiness, peace in a trying circumstance, because we believe in God’s promises, that they carry more weight than the present circumstance.

Perfectly experienced in the sense that our joy and happiness will be full, not lacking in any thing because we’ll be in the presence of God fully and actively.

For example,

1 Corinthians 13:8–13 ESV

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

This is beautiful because it demonstrates the temporal and eternal, in that, faith and hope are temporal benefits, a temporal means of grace.

Because in eternity, faith and hope aren’t necessary because we’ll be with The LORD!

However, love will be fully expressed and perfectly enjoyed in eternity because it’s His love that generates all these other benefits. Thats why love is the greatest, because it’s the source of Christ purchasing us, and the Holy Spirit applying all these benefits purchased by Christ and purposed by the Father.

Christ purchased us with His blood, securing our temporal and eternal benefits. ; ; ; .

Christ purchased every benefit; all spiritual blessings are ours.

Romans 3:25 ESV

whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

Ephesians 1:3 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

But our benefits are applied by the Holy Spirit, which is ours in Christ Jesus. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

But our benefits are applied by the Holy Spirit, which is ours in Christ Jesus.

The Holy Spirit is the source of our benefits. ; ;

And our benefits are applied by the Holy Spirit, which is ours in Christ Jesus. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

Benefits Of Discipleship

22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” .

The fruit of the Spirit summarizes nicely the benefits of discipleship. All of this fruit is ours, so take and eat.

Joy of Christ -

but the question is, are you eating of this fruit, are you experiencing the benefits today or are you waiting to experience the benefits in eternity?

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

Group Discussion Questions

Peace of Christ -

Have you ever thought about or heard about the benefits of being a disciple of Jesus Christ?

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, are you eating of this fruit, are you experiencing the benefits today?

Have you ever thought about

Do you think your wife and kids are experiencing the benefits of being a disciple, if not, how can you disciple that ?

How do you think you could apply this information to your daily life as a disciple of Jesus Christ?