Be a Disciple, not a Follower

Follower

It might have been 2,500 years ago when these words were first spoken…”Don’t forget to like, share and subscribe!” YouTube and Facebook may not have existed during the times of Jesus, but social media sure did. As far back as 500 B.C. the Romans had their Rostra and the Greeks had their Pnyx. These were public forums where anybody with something to say or something to preach could take center stage. While on stage, these “influencers” could present their theories or philosophies to the public in hopes of gaining “followers”.

Those who liked the influencer’s message would subscribe to the message by incorporating it’s concepts in full or in part, as they saw fit. Some followers would share the message with others, although there was no obligation to do so. Followers had no personal relationship or commitment to the influencer. The rest of their life could go on as usual and they were free to follow other influencers as well.

Disciple

“Go and make disciples of all nations…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). Jesus wasn’t simply an influencer asking people to live their lives in a particular way. He wasn’t looking for followers to “like” Him or His message and incorporate the parts they liked into their life. Jesus wanted disciples.

In the Jewish context, discipleship meant developing a close relationship with the teacher, who was often referred to as “master”. Being a disciple involved more than learning a concept or theory from a teacher and following their message. A disciple immersed themself into the life of the master and shaped their beliefs, character and life after the master. A disciple basically became the image of the master, conducting themself as the master would and bringing in new converts to the master’s ways.

The call to discipleship

I could have been knocked over by the proverbial feather when I found out the Jewish nation had neither concept nor desire for evangelization and conversion of pagans. The word “evangelize” never appears in the Old Testament and the word “disciple” only appears twice. Nowhere in the Torah does God command the Jewish nation to go into the world and teach others about Yahweh.

The Jewish religion was entirely internalized. They were Yahweh’s people. Yahweh was their God and their God alone. Conversion to Judaism occurred through assimilation, not evangelization. Foreign wives of Jewish leaders like Samson and Solomon would become converts. Slaves of Jewish leaders would also convert sometimes. Converts usually had to wait a period of time and prove the sincerity of their intentions before the Jewish courts would allow them to legally convert.

Internalizing one’s religion all changed with Jesus. The Son of God came to bring salvation to the world, not just to the Jews. Jesus is “the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:2). The good news of God’s salvation now had to be sent out into the whole world. The need to bring Jesus to the whole world is primarily why Jesus calls for disciples, not followers.

Jesus spoke to His disciples concerning the requirements for discipleship. Those requirements are still important for Christian discipleship  today.

“If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Disciples must disown themself as the center of their own existence, put their own will aside and be detached from any pleasures in life that keep them from God. Disciples must willingly and cheerfully bear all trials and sufferings which come to them because of their discipleship to Jesus.

“If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own self - he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26). This sounds strong, but “hate” is not the correct translation. The Greek word used is “miseo”, pronounced mis-EH-o (Strong’s Greek, 3404), which literally means to love less or esteem less. A disciple esteems no earthly relationship higher than their relationship to God.

Discipleship reaches out to others

Think about worship, praise and obedience to God for a moment. These three pillars of religion are very important, yet all have one thing in common…they internalize the relationship between the believer and God. There is no concern for others and no outreach to the world. This was the entire basis of the Jewish religion in the Old Testament.

Christianity isn’t about “me and God”. It isn’t a religion based on personal duties to God. It is a religion based on personal duty to bring salvation to the world. Worshiping and praising God while sitting alone in one’s room or in church is good, but does not and cannot bring Jesus to the world. Until Christ’s mission to make disciples of all nations is complete, Christians must be ready to serve. When God calls out “Whom shall I send?” every Christian should be ready to respond “Here I am, send me!” (Isaiah 6:2)

Failures in discipleship

Many Christians don’t meet the requirements of being a disciple in one way or another. Some have no real relationship or commitment to the Master. They don’t seek to conform to His image or to do His will. Some continue to seek pleasures of the world and serve themself. Some put other relationships and loves above God. As such, Christians who are merely followers of Jesus cannot fulfill Christ’s mission to make disciples of others. They are not even disciples themselves. Sometimes, Christians don’t even comprehend or consider how they fail in discipleship. The following is a good example.

The story is told of Gandhi taking an interest in Christianity and deciding to see what worship was like in a Christian church. As he approached the doors of the church two “guards” stopped him. They explained to him that this particular church was only for whites and high caste Indians, so Gandhi was turned away. While people attended Mass internalizing their religion and focusing on their own relationship with God, Gandhi’s soul was left outside to fend for itself. It would have been quite paradoxical if the opening hymn was “All are Welcome”. I wonder sometimes what the effect would have been if Gandhi wasn‘t turned away from Christianity. Would all his converts been Christian instead? How different might the world be today?

Discipleship is more than preaching about Jesus

Discipleship is often considered to be the same as evangelization and “saving souls”. Discipleship must not be perceived in such a narrow view.

In the first place, discipleship means becoming the image of Christ. One cannot be a disciple of Jesus and continue living in the ways of sin and the world (Romans 6:6, Ephesians 4:22-24, Colossians 3:9-10). When one doesn’t conform their life to the image of Jesus, their very life denies Jesus and hinders any efforts to evangelize others and bring others fully to Jesus as disciples.

In the second place, when evangelization concerns itself only with “saving souls”, it falls short of Christ’s mission. Souls should be led to discipleship, not to become mere followers who say “Lord, Lord” and then go about their life without any changes. “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near’” (Matthew 16:24). Even the Apostles’ message of evangelization was “Repent and be baptized” (Acts 2:38). To evangelize without mentioning repentance, turning from sin and becoming a disciple is to fail in preaching the full gospel of Christ.

Finally, discipleship doesn’t require all Christians to stand on a street corner and evangelize. Paul explains, “There are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. There are different ways of working, but the same God works all things in all people” (1 Corinthians 12:5). Peter agrees, “As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10-11). All of the following ministries are important to God’s work in making disciples of others: evangelization, teaching, service, works of mercy, intercessor prayer, singing, welcoming and more. Not every gift will make a convert; but every gift can make a disciple. Christians who are incapable of “going into the world” because of age or physical limitations can be just as effective in making disciples through intercessory prayer and living a virtuous life. The Lord deems all ministries important and all equally benefit His mission.

Holiness and discipleship

The life of holiness is a life of discipleship. Each step along the path of holiness enables and grows discipleship. Without holiness, it is impossible to be a true disciple of Jesus.

The first tenet of holiness is to break attachments to anything which keeps one from being set apart for God. Discipleship requires a heart and mind set only upon the master, with a focus to please and serve the master.

Holiness immerses one into God’s love and love for God. As holiness grows, there naturally comes a deeper union with God. This opens the door to discipleship, as discipleship begins with love for the master and desire to have a relationship with the master.

Holiness turns spiritual knowledge into spiritual understanding. Knowledge is in the mind and tells us what to do. Understanding is in the heart and gives us conviction in what we do. Disciples understand the master and act accordingly. They don’t simply follow what the master says. They have conviction in their heart concerning what the master teaches.

Holiness replaces duty to God with love for God. Duty to God leads to attending Mass and keeping the Ten Commandments primarily to avoid God’s punishment. Love for God leads to worship, praise, prayer and Sacraments out of love alone. Disciples act out of love for the master, not fear or duty to the master.

Holiness transforms us into the image of Jesus. Disciples seek to become just like the master, taking on the beliefs, mannerisms, character and very life of the master. Disciples want to be good representatives of the master to others, so others will want to join the master.

Holiness is not only being set apart for God, it is being set apart for God’s purpose. This means going beyond religious actions such as prayer, praise and obedience. It means serving God. Discipleship means doing the will of the master at all times. Our Master’s ultimate will is for everyone to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). Disciples of Jesus will, at all times, seek to bring salvation and the full knowledge of truth to others.

Be a disciple, not a follower.

This article may be freely downloaded at Catholic Paths