The Life of Discipleship: An Introduction

What is Christian discipleship and how is it lived out in our everyday lives? That is the theme of this series, which will explore various topics related to the discipleship journey. We’ll focus on core concepts for discipleship, such as what it means to love God with our whole being and to love others, to abide in Christ and align our lives according to the principles in His Word. We’ll consider the ways in which discipleship is lived out in the context of today’s world. How do we practice it in our everyday lives? What does Christian discipleship look like in the workplace?

Some dictionary definitions for the word disciple include a follower of a person or an idea; one who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another; an active adherent, as of a movement or philosophy. In applying this to Christianity, we can conclude that a disciple of Jesus is a person who (1) accepts and follows His teachings; (2) applies His teachings to their life; (3) is a participant in sharing the good news of the gospel with others—the message of Jesus.

The word disciple comes from the Greek word mathetes, meaning a learner. It is interesting to note that in the New Testament the word disciple is only used in the Gospels and the book of Acts. In particular, the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts, both of which were authored by Luke, give us insight into Jesus’ teaching and how the application of His teaching played out in the early church. Together, they give us an idea of what discipleship meant in the time after Jesus’ resurrection.

In Acts, we find that the word disciples was often used interchangeably with the word believers when Luke refers to those who believe in Jesus and follow His teachings as followers of “the Way” (Acts 9:1–2). Those who belonged to the Way were believers—disciples of Jesus.

Later in Acts, we read that after Paul and Barnabas had preached in a number of cities “and had made many disciples,” they returned to visit them, “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith” (Acts 14:21–22). Here again, we see believers being referred to as disciples. In the latter part of the book of Acts and in the Epistles, we find that believers collectively came to be called “the church,” and Luke recounts that it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians (Acts 11:26).

The fact that being a Christian is synonymous with being a disciple of Jesus helps us to understand that the principles that Jesus taught His disciples are meant to apply to all of us. When Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15), He wasn’t referring only to people in full-time Christian service, such as missionaries, pastors, or other Christian workers. Jesus’ words are directed to all Christians, and all of us are called to believe and apply those words to our lives.

The disciples of Jesus throughout the centuries have come from different walks of life, different parts of the world, different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds, and different socioeconomic and educational backgrounds—and the church of today is no exception. The discipleship calling is a personal one and is lived out according to God’s plan and will for each of His followers (Philippians 2:13 NIV).

So what does discipleship mean in the context of today’s world? A disciple is someone who follows hard after God, patterns their life according to God’s will as expressed in the Bible, and seeks His specific will for their life, career, family, and personal pursuits. It means living your life according to His teachings. As Tim Keller wrote,

God does not want his people to be passive believers but active disciples. Jesus called his apostles to go into all the world, to evangelize and baptize, and the ultimate goal was to produce not merely converts but disciples (Matthew 28:19–20). The word “disciple” is packed with meaning, but it is clear from the New Testament that it meant, first and foremost, students of Jesus. They followed him and learned from him (Luke 10:38–42). Second, it meant putting allegiance to Jesus first in your life (Mark 1:16–20). Lastly, it meant to be a man or woman in mission, sent into the world to minister both in word (Luke 10:1–20) and in deed (Luke 10:25–37), both sharing your faith and loving your neighbor. ¹

Many of the teachings of Jesus are very challenging and guarantee that the discipleship journey will require work, commitment, and sacrifice, and will be a lifelong process of learning and growing. Jesus’ teachings of self-denial, taking up our cross daily, following in His footsteps, seeking first the kingdom of God, and realigning our perspective on material wealth require a profound change of worldview and lifestyle.

The cost of discipleship is high, but the rewards are much greater. As the apostle Peter wrote, “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Peter 1:8). He has promised us life in abundance (John 10:10), and in the world to come life everlasting (Mark 10:30).

Disciples are incredibly important, as it’s through them that other people are introduced to Jesus and salvation. It’s through committed disciples that Christianity grows and God’s light shines on the world, so that people seeing our good works, give glory to our heavenly Father (Matthew 5:16 NKJV). Disciples are key to the spreading of Christianity, to fulfilling the commission Jesus gave to His first disciples, those originally tasked with bringing the good news to the world of their day. As disciples today, we are tasked with bringing the gospel to the world of our time.

A Christian disciple is a person who follows Jesus Christ and accepts and assists in the spreading of the good news of salvation through Him. Christian discipleship is the process by which disciples grow in the Lord Jesus Christ. … According to Scripture, being a Christian disciple involves personal growth characterized by: …

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.

Following Jesus’ teachings (John 8:31–32). … Jesus said, “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me” (John 14:21).

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.” …

A Christian disciple is one who puts Jesus first, obeys the Lord, produces good fruit, loves others, and makes more disciples. Such a one is sure to make an impact in this fallen world for the glory of God.—Got Questions²

Discipleship can be understood as the process of aligning oneself with Christ, and in the process of doing so, our priorities change. Discipleship calls for giving Jesus first place in our lives and making Him and His teachings our priority. This doesn’t mean that our former goals and desires are no longer important, but that they no longer hold the same priority.

Growing in our discipleship is a lifelong process as we choose each day to place Christ at the center of our actions and decisions, and to be “transformed into his image” and become more like Him (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV). We learn to not conform to the pattern of this world but are transformed through the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2).

In Paul’s epistles, he speaks in terms of “putting on” and “putting off” certain things as we follow Jesus. For example, in Ephesians 4:22–24, Paul says to “put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life,” and “be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” In Colossians 3:9–10, we are told to “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” This is part of the transformation process whereby believers are called to progressively grow in Christlikeness.

A key factor in becoming more like Jesus is developing godly character. No Christian is perfect; we all make mistakes and sin, and none of us can attain complete Christlikeness in this life. Our goal is to allow the Holy Spirit to work within us, to transform our thoughts, goals, desires, and our whole lives to become more like Jesus.

Growing in Christlikeness calls for making conscious choices to allow the Holy Spirit to transform our character and our entire way of looking at things. It entails grounding our decision-making over and over in the principles in God’s Word until it becomes second nature, part of who you are as a person. Paul refers to this as “training yourself for godliness,” which he tells us “is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:7–8).

The following excerpts offer helpful insights into the process of our spiritual development.

You were created to become like Christ. From the very beginning, God’s plan has been to make you like his Son, Jesus. God announced this intention at Creation: “Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image and likeness’” (Genesis 1:26 NLT). … What does the full “image and likeness” of God look like? It looks like Jesus Christ! The Bible says Jesus is “the exact likeness of God,” “the visible image of the invisible God,” and “the exact representation of his being” (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3)…

God’s ultimate goal for your life on earth is not comfort, but character development. He wants you to grow up spiritually and become like Christ. Christlikeness is all about transforming your character. ... God wants you to develop the kind of character described in the beatitudes of Jesus, the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23), Paul’s great chapter on love (1 Corinthians 13), and Peter’s list of the characteristics of an effective and productive life (2 Peter 1:5–8) …

Becoming like Christ is a long, slow process of growth. Spiritual maturity is neither instant nor automatic; it is a gradual, progressive development that will take the rest of your life. Referring to this process, Paul said, “This will continue until we are ... mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him” (Ephesians 4:13).

You are a work in progress. Your spiritual transformation in developing the character of Jesus will take the rest of your life, and even then it won't be completed here on earth. It will only be finished when you get to heaven or when Jesus returns. …

Jesus did not die on the cross just so we could live comfortable, well-adjusted lives. His purpose is far deeper: He wants to make us like himself before he takes us to heaven. This is our greatest privilege, our immediate responsibility, and our ultimate destiny.—Rick Warren³

In this series, we will address principles that are vital to each of us who love God and are committed to following Him and want to pattern our lives according to His teachings. We will explore Jesus’ teachings and the biblical principles that are meant to shape our worldview.

It was the teachings of Jesus, recorded in the New Testament, that changed the world. The words Jesus spoke, planted in the first disciples’ hearts, motivated them to spread the gospel throughout the world. The words Jesus spoke to His disciples, whom He referred to as His friends (John 15:15), express His heart, His vision, and His commission for those who follow Him. They express foundational principles that guide our spiritual lives and are meant to serve as “a lamp to our feet and a light to our path” (Psalm 119:105) in our discipleship journey. May we each be faithful to study and abide in His Word as we strive to grow in our discipleship.

To be a disciple is to be committed to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and committed to following Him every day. To be a disciple is also to be disciplined in our bodies, minds, and souls.―Billy Graham

Christian discipleship is a decision to walk in his ways, steadily and firmly, and then finding that [his] way integrates all our interests, passions, and gifts, our human needs and eternal aspirations. It is the way of life we were created for.―Eugene H. Peterson

Discipleship to Jesus [is] the very heart of the gospel. The really good news for humanity is that Jesus is now taking students in the master class of life. The eternal life that begins with confidence in Jesus is a life in his present kingdom, now on earth and available to all.—Dallas Willard

“God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. ... We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him” (Romans 8:29 MSG).

“If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him” (John 12:26).

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another” (John 15:16–17).

Loving Lord and heavenly Father, I offer up today all that I am, all that I have, all that I do, and all that I suffer, to be Yours today and Yours forever. Give me grace, Lord, to do all that I know of Your holy will. Purify my heart, sanctify my thinking, correct my desires. Teach me, in all of today’s work and trouble and joy to respond with honest praise, simple trust, and instant obedience, that my life may be in truth a living sacrifice, by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ, my Master and my all. Amen.—Elisabeth Elliot (1926–2015)

¹ Tim Keller, “Only Believers? Or Disciples?” Timothykeller.com, January 1, 2011, https://timothykeller.com/blog/2011/1/1/only-believers-or-disciples.

² “What is Christian discipleship?” GotQuestions.org, July 29, 2022, https://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-discipleship.html.

³ Rick Warren, The Purpose-Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (Zondervan, 2012).