What is Christian discipleship?

Answer

By definition, a disciple is a follower, one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another. A Christian disciple is a person who follows Jesus Christ and accepts and assists in spreading the good news of salvation through Him. Christian discipleship is the process by which disciples grow in the Lord Jesus Christ and are equipped by the indwelling Holy Spirit to overcome the pressures and trials of this present life and become more Christlike. This process requires believers to respond to the Holy Spirit’s prompting to examine their thoughts, words, and actions and compare them with the Word of God. This necessitates that we be in the Word daily—studying it, praying over it, and obeying it. Additionally, we should always be prepared to give testimony of the reason for the hope within us «but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: », (1 Peter 3:15) and to disciple others to walk in His way. According to Scripture, being a Christian disciple involves personal growth characterized by the following:

1. Putting Jesus first in all things (Mark 8:34-38). The disciple of Christ needs to be set apart from the world. Our focus should be on our Lord and how to please Him in every area of our lives. We must put off self-centeredness and put on Christ-centeredness.

2. Following Jesus’ teachings (John 8:31-32). We must be obedient children and doers of the Word «But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. », (James 1:22). Obedience is the ultimate test of faith in God “because you did not obey the voice of the LORD, nor carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, the LORD has done this to you today.”, (1 Samuel 28:18). Jesus said, “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me” “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”, (John 14:21). Jesus is also the perfect example of obedience as He lived a life on earth of complete obedience to the Father even to the point of death (Philippians 2:6-8).

3. Bearing fruit (John 15:5-8). Christian disciples should live fruitful lives, showing the fruit of the Spirit, good works, and “the peaceful fruit of righteousness” “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”, (Hebrews 12:11). Technically, producing fruit is not our task; our task is to abide in Christ, and the fruit will come (John 15:1-8). God’s aim is for us to produce “much fruit” (verse 8), as Christ uses us to bring about blessed change in a broken, fallen world.

4. Loving other disciples (John 13:34-35). Love for other believers is evidence of our belonging to God’s family “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

fest, and the children of the devil: whosoever does not righteousness is not of God, neither is the one who does not love his brother.” , (1 John 3:10). Love is described in 1 Corinthians 13:1–13. These verses show us that love is not merely an emotion; it requires action. To love, we must actively engage in the process. One way to demonstrate love is to esteem others more highly than ourselves and to consider their interests (Philippians 2:3-4). Another way to show love is to practice patience and not be easily provoked “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” , (1 Peter 4:8).

5. Making disciples of others (Matthew 28:18-20). Disciples multiply. One of the last things Jesus said to His disciples before His ascension was the command to “go and make disciples of all nations” “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” , (Matthew 28:19). This involves evangelism—sharing the gospel and urging people to repent and believe in Christ—but it also includes discipleship. Christians should be actively involved in training individuals who will, in turn, train others. This is the model we observe in Jesus’ ministry: He trained eleven men who then spent their lives making disciples, training others to do the same. This pattern is also evident in 2 Timothy 2:2.

A Christian disciple is someone who prioritizes Jesus, obeys the Lord, bears good fruit, loves others, and disciples more individuals. Such a person is suc

Strive to make an impact in this fallen world for the glory of God.