Disciple: a learner or pupil
Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.’ (John 8:31)


A True Christian Disciple

  • "A true Christian is one who has received Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior."(7)
  • "Christ’s death and resurrection has been appropriated to that person as his or her substitute for sin."(7)
  • "The Holy Spirit indwells that person."(7)
“Receiving” Christ is far more than a mental acknowledgment of truth. Satan acknowledges the identity of the Son of God. The faith that saves us also changes us.  Jesus said that anyone who wishes to become His disciple must “deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me”.  While we cannot earn salvation by sacrifice or good works, a lifestyle transformation and desire to please the Lord are direct results of being “born again”.(7)

Cultural Christianity vs True Christianity

"Cultural Christianity is not true Christianity" in that a cultural "Christian" superficially identifies himself as Christian "but does not truly adhere to the faith." (7,8)  A “cultural Christian” is a nominal believer—he wears the label “Christian,” but the label has more to do with his family background and upbringing than any personal conviction that Jesus is Lord."(7)

Being a Christian Disciple is NOT ...

  • Believing in God. Satan knows God exists. Satan is not a Christian.
  • Believing Jesus died and resurrected. Satan knows this is true. Satan is not a Christian.
  • Saying a "Sinner's Prayer" to get into Heaven without actually changing your mind about your priorities and focus in life. Christianity brings real change in a person's life. A "Sinner's Prayer" is something some people do once they have made the decision to repent and believe in Christ. It is not a certain prayer that "saves" you but rather the decision to repent and believe. (4)

Being a Christian Disciple is ...

  • Repenting, which means to change one's mind. "But to change one’s mind about what? About sin, about one’s adequacy to save himself, about Christ as the only way of salvation, the only One who can make a person righteous"(5)  The term "righteous" simply means you are morally right with God.
  • The "belief in Christ, as an expression of a change of mind, focuses on the new direction that change about God must take, namely, trusting in Christ, God’s Son, as personal Savior." (5)
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO FOLLOW JESUS?
"Question: "Why is faith without works dead?"

Answer: James says, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26). Faith without works is a dead faith because the lack of works reveals an unchanged life or a spiritually dead heart. There are many verses that say that true saving faith will result in a transformed life, that faith is demonstrated by the works we do. How we live reveals what we believe and whether the faith we profess to have is a living faith." (6)

Here are some Biblical characteristics of a True Christian Disciple
  • Deny yourself, take up your cross, follow Him (Matthew 16:24)
  • Find out what pleases the Lord (Ephesians 5:10)
  • Stand firm and hold to the teachings of Jesus (2 Thessalonians 2:15)
  • Keep His commandments (1 John 2:3)
  • Live for the will of God ( 1 Peter 4:2)
  • Forsake earthly ties (Luke 14:26)
  • Devote yourself to learning the Bible, fellowship and the breaking of bread, and to prayer (Acts 2:42)
  • Regularly assemble together and encourage other believers (Hebrews 10:25)
  • Do not conform to the pattern of this world (Romans 12:2)
  • Do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance (1 Peter 1:14)
  • Give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
  • Cast all your anxiety on him (1 Peter 5:7)
  • Keep your conduct honorable (1 Peter 2:11)
  • Speak truthfully (Ephesians 4:25)
  • Be kind, compassionate and forgiving (Ephesians 4:32)
  • Be humble, gentle, and patient (Ephesians 4:2)
  • Give cheerfully and generously (2 Corinthians 9:6-8)
  • Love one another (John 13:35)
  • Serve one another (1 Peter 4:10)
  • Make every effort to add to your faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)
  • Be prepared to tell anyone who asks about Jesus (1 Peter 3:15)
  • Make the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 5:16)
  • Teach others to obey everything Jesus has commanded (Mathew 28:20)
  • Make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19)
  • Rejoice when you suffer because of Christ (1 Peter 4:13-16)
  • Understand you will suffer ridicule (Matthew 10:24-25)
  • Understand you will suffer persecution (Timothy 3:12)
  • Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds as this produces perseverance and maturity. (James 1:2-4)
  • Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3)
  • Live a life worthy of the calling you have received (Ephesians 4:1)
  • Be willing to lay down your life in following Jesus (Luke 14:26)
This is NOT the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Following Jesus is NOT a promise of ...
HEALTH
WEALTH
PROSPERITY

Recommended Article: 5 Errors of the Prosperity Gospel

Real Disciples. Real Change.

Stephen Baldwin (5:33)
Actor/Producer/Author
"I was Stephen Baldwin, working on a TV show, making movies, thought I was cool" 
- Stephen Baldwin
Lecrae (5:27)
Rapper/Record Producer
"My uncles were young and wrapped up in the streets and ya know gangs and drugs and just promiscuous and I idolized it."
- Lecrae
Kirk Cameron (2:00)
Actor/Producer
"I grew up an arrogant, self-righteous atheist in Hollywood ... It was a challenge to my ego to consider the claim of Christ" 
- Kirk Cameron
Joanna Gaines (4:17)
HGTV Series Fixer Upper
"I can look back now in the pattern of my life and really believe God has a purpose for me but He also has a purpose for you"
-  Joann Gaines

How Do I Become a Disciple of Jesus Christ?

1. Gain a Biblical understanding of the Gospel. This just makes sense! Before you can decide if you want to become a pupil of anyone or anything, you will want to find out what it is all about. Find out about Jesus and why He had to die and be resurrected. Find out how humankind went from being perfect in God's eyes to disobeying God, thus making humans now accountable for their disobedience. Find out what happens if a person does not restore and reconnect the relationship with God.

2. Count the cost of following Christ. In other words, give serious thought to what following Christ will mean for your life . Becoming a Christ follower is more than simply saying a prayer in an effort to get into Heaven and then have your life look almost identical to how it did before you started following Christ. Following Christ will mean definite changes in your life direction! And those changes will all be for your long-term benefit and for God's glory.

3. Repent and Believe. Scripture tells us to confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and to call on the name of the Lord and be saved. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. If we have experienced a true change of mind, then this will be reflected in the way we live our lives.
The Great Commission

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"
Matthew 28:19 ESV

Learn More ... Recommended Videos
Are you a Disciple? Open question to all "Christians" (2:32)
by For God Films
Don't Be Deceived, Disciples Make Disciples (8:51)
by Francis Chan and David Platt
The Cost of Discipleship (54:25)
by Francis Chan
What Does Discipleship Look Like on a Day-to-Day Basis? (3:46)
by David Platt
Why People Don't Make Disciples (7:00)
by David Platt
Disciple Making, Fruit Of Being A Christian (7:24)
by Francis Chan And David Platt
References
1. Billy Graham Evangelical Association Answers - Be A True Disciple of Christ
2. What It Means to Follow Christ
3. 39. A Biblical Profile of a Disciple
4. Sinner's Prayer & the SBC (Part 2 of 2)
5. Is repentance necessary for salvation?
6. Why is faith without works dead?
7. What is cultural Christianity?
8. What is nominalism? What is a nominalist?



Page References
What is a Disciple?
Blue Letter Bible.org
Bible Study Tools.com
Bible.org
Site Map
Additional Resources
Photo used under Creative Commons from Tim_in_Ohio