Who are True Disciples?
“A lifestyle that reflects one’s belief” describes a true disciple.
A true disciple of Christ is one who not only has “partaken in Christ,” meaning he has received God’s Spirit, but one who has also “partaken of Christ,” meaning he is living Christ’s Life, His Love, and His power. In other words, he is not only following Christ around, listening to His sermons, he is also obeying and doing what he hears. Just because we are learners or followers of Christ does not necessarily mean we are “true disciples.” Remember Judas? He was a follower of Christ, but not a true disciple.
Being a disciple indicates that a life action is accompanying our belief. A true disciple not only proclaims the message of Christ with his words, he also shows forth Christ’s Life in his actions.
Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Galatians chapter 5:
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
A true disciple is one who does the Will of God. He is one who denies himself, picks up his cross, and follows Christ. He is one who has forsaken all in order to follow Him (Luke 14:33).
Jesus spoke in Mark chapter 8:
34 Jesus had His disciples and the crowd gather around him. And He said to them: “If you truly want to follow Me, you should at once completely disown your own life. And you must be willing to share My cross and experience it as your own, as you continually surrender to My ways.
35 For if you let your life go for My sake and for the sake of the Gospel, you will continually experience True Life. But if you choose to keep your life for yourself, you will forfeit what you try to keep.
36 For what use is it to gain all the wealth and power of this world, with everything it could offer you, at the cost of your own life?
37 And what could be more valuable to you than your own soul?
38 If you are ashamed of Me and My Words while living among sinful and faithless people, then I, the Son of Man, will also be ashamed of you when I make My appearance with my Holy messengers in the glorious splendor of My Father!”
Real overcomers are true disciples!
Jesus also spoke this Truth in Luke chapter 14:
25 As massive crowds followed Jesus, He turned to them and said,
26 “When you follow Me as My disciple, you must put aside your father, your mother, your wife, your sisters, your brothers; it will even seem as though you hate your own life. This is the price you’ll pay to be considered one of My followers.
27 Anyone who comes to Me must be willing to share My cross and experience it as his own, or he cannot be considered to be My disciple.
28 So don’t follow Me without considering what it will cost you. For who would construct a house before first sitting down to estimate the cost to complete it?
29 Otherwise he may lay the foundation and not be able to finish. The neighbors will ridicule him, saying,
30 ‘Look at him! He started to build but couldn’t complete it!’
31 “Have you ever heard of a commander who goes out to war without first sitting down with strategic planning to determine the strength of his army to win the war against a stronger opponent?
32 If he knows he doesn’t stand a chance of winning the war, the wise commander will send out delegates to ask for the terms of peace.
33 Likewise, unless you surrender all to Me, giving up all you possess, you cannot be one of My disciples.
A true disciple of Christ, therefore, is one who has done a complete reordering of his life. He constantly relinquishes his self-life to the Lord and in exchange, Christ gives him His. He is one who not only spends time in the Word, but he also lives what he preaches. Divine power seems to be the mark of a true disciple of Christ. Weakness (or yielding to Him) is the prerequisite for this kind of Divine power.
Jesus told Paul, “My grace is always more than enough for you, and My power finds its full expression through your weakness.”