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Discipleship

Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ?  Do you know what the conditions of discipleship are?  The word of God is very clear about what the conditions are;

Mathew 16:24: then said Jesus unto the disciples, if any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.

[Then Jesus said unto his disciples, if anyone desires to be a disciple, let him deny himself (disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests and take up his cross and follow Me (cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living, and, if need be dying, also.] Amplified version

Luke 14:26: If any man comes to Me, and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.

[If anyone come to Me and does not hate his father and mother (in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God) and (likewise) his wife and children and brothers and sister—(yes) and even his own life also—he cannot be My disciple.]

Like 14:27: and whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

[Whoever does not persevere and carry his own cross and come after (follow) Me cannot be My disciple.]

Luke 14:33: so likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple.

[So then, any of you who does not forsake (renounce, surrender claim to, give up, say good-bye to) all that he has cannot be My disciple.]

Romans 8:13 for if we live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

[For if you live according to (the dictates of) the flesh, you will surely die.  But if through the power of the (Holy) Spirit you are (habitually) putting to death (making extinct, deadening) the (evil) deeds prompted by the body, you shall (really and genuinely) live forever.]

Galatians 5; 24 and they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO CRUCIFY THE FLESH?  IS THAT SOMETHING YOU DO?

Romans 6:6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

[We know that our old (unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with Christ in order that (our) body (which is the instrument) of sin might be made ineffective and inactive for evil, that we might no longer be slaves to sin.]

Romans 8:36  As it is written, for Thy sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

2 Corinthians 4:11  For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

[For we who live are constantly (experiencing) being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake that the (resurrection) life of Jesus also may be shown forth by and in our bodies.]

Galatians 2:20   I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.

[I have been crucified with Christ (in him I have shared His crucifixion): it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.]

Colossians 2:20  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world are ye subject to ordinances?

[If then you have died with Christ to material ways of looking at things and have escaped from the world’s crude and elemental notions and teaching of externalism, why do you live as if you still belong to the world?]

Colossians 3:3  For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God.

[For (as far as the world in concerned) you have died, and your (new real) life is hidden with Christ in God.]

2 Timothy 2:11  It is a faithful saying; for if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him.

No you do not DO the crucifying of your flesh…. You simply AGREE WITH GOD that you are already crucified with Christ…. It’s a sovereign (absolute) work of God, based on the completed work of Christ, according to the WORD.

There are some clear indicators in a disciple’s life that she/he is indeed a disciple of Jesus Christ.  They are;

STEADFASTNESS

John 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed.

[So Jesus said to those Jews who have believed in Him, if you abide in My word (hold fast to my teachings and live in accordance with them), you are truly My disciples.]

FRUITFULNESS

John 15:8  Herein is my father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be My disciples.

[When you bear (produce) much fruit, My father is honored and glorified and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine.]


HOW DO YOU BEAR FRUIT?  IS THAT SOMETHING YOU DO?

John 15:4-5 Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine: no more can ye, except ye abide in Me.  I am the vine, ye are the branches.  He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.

[Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you.  (Live in Me, and I will live in you).  Just as no branch can bare fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bare fruit unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine; you are the branches, whoever lives in Me and I in him bear much (abundant) fruit.  However, apart from Me (cut off from vital union with me) you can do nothing.]

Romans 6:22  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life.

Ephesians 5:9  For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.

[For the fruit (the effect, the product) of the light or the Spirit (consists) in every form of kindly goodness, uprightness of heart and trueness of life.]

Philippians 1:11  Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God.

[May you abound in and be filled with the fruits of righteousness (of right standing with God and right doing) which come through Jesus Christ (the anointed One) to the honor and praise of God (that His glory may be both manifested and recognized).]

Fruit in your life is a result of your abiding in Jesus, it is something God, by the Holy Spirit, creates, produces and manifests in your life.  You can’t make fruit, only God can bear fruit in you.

BLESSINGS AND PROMISES ARE MADE TO THE FOLLOWERS/DISCIPLES OF JESUS.

Luke 18:29-30  And He said unto them, verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left his house, or parents or brethren or wife or children for the kingdom of God’s sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE

Ho 6:3  Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the later and the former rain unto the earth.

[Yes let us know (recognize, be acquainted with and understand) Him; let us be zealous to know the Lord (to appreciate, give heed to, and cherish Him).  His going forth is prepared and certain as the dawn and He will come to us as the (heavy) rain, as the latter rain that waters the earth.]

SPIRITUAL LIGHT

John 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them saying, I am the Light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.

[Once more Jesus addressed the crowd.  He said, I am the light of the world.  He who follows me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the light which is life.]

GUIDANCE OF THE STILL SMALL VOICE

John 10:27  My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow Me.

[The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to MY voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.]

HEAVENLY HONOR

John 12:26  If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be; if any man serve Me, him will My Father honor.

[If anyone serves Me, he must continue to follow Me (to cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and if need be, in dying) and wherever I am there will My servant be also.  If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.]

Ephesians 5:1  Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.

[Therefore be imitators of God (copy Him and follow His example), as well-beloved children (imitating their father).]

A DIVINE EXAMPLE

1 Peter 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps.

[For even to this were you called (it is inseparable from your vocation).  For Christ also suffered for you, leaving you (His personal) example, so that you should follow in His footsteps.]



When you follow Jesus Christ, He will lead you to a life that is surrendered to His Father’s will.  He, by the Holy Spirit, will bring you to places necessary for you to learn how to YIELD the RIGHT of WAY that Jesus purchased for you when He bought you by paying the price required by His Father for your redemption.

Jesus is your firm foundation, learn to REST in Him, learn to LEAN on Him, learn to TRUST in Him. Let Him be your ALL and ALL.

MEMORY VERSE

THEN SAID JESUS UNTO HIS DISCIPLES, IF ANY MAN WILL COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS AND FOLLOW ME.

Mathew 16:24