You’re invited to Discipleship: Three Ways to Follow Faithfully

I am not known for my math skills. It is a struggle for me to do anything that requires me to do any mathing! Yet, to finish my schooling, I had to have it. I had to embrace the hard parts of math to do what I knew God called me to do: counsel others. Even through these hard moments of mathing, I learned to embrace those moments because I focused on the outcome.

Is the same not true of discipleship?

The Discipline of Discipleship

Dietrich Bonhoeffer stated, “Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ.” If we know Christ, discipleship is a component of our relationship with him. There is never a time he does not call us to discipleship. Moreover, this does not mean it will be easy; Jesus never hid the cost of discipleship. However, it does mean that if we focus on the outcome (Him), we will have what we need to endure the discipline and cost of discipleship.

The Greek term for disciple is manthano. The term means “a learner, pupil, disciple.” This term describes someone who commits himself to a teacher to embrace both the teacher’s instruction and way of life. We see this with Jesus’ twelve disciples, others who followed Jesus during his time on earth, and those who after his death and resurrection continued to spread his truth. And is still the way of discipleship today.

Discipleship, then, is more than knowing what Jesus taught; it is learning to live as Jesus lived. It requires surrendering our preferences, reshaping our priorities, and allowing His truth to transform our character. Jesus made the cost clear: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23, NIV).

Jesus’ states in Luke 9:23 three things we must do to be a disciple: deny ourselves, take up the cross daily, and follow Jesus. As we examine each of these, we need to be honest with ourselves and assess our committment to discipleship.

Three Ways to Following Faithfully

1)        Denying Self

There is nothing easy about denying ourselves. We have grown accustomed to things of this world and ways of this world. This a part of humanity and it is a battle we face. However, as disciples, we are often called to deny what we’ve grown accustomed to in this world.

To “deny self” means a “selfless” dependence on God. Instead of relying on what we know, our own strength, our overall beings, we make a conscious, daily decision to rely on God, to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” (Matt. 6:33, NIV). And if we are unwilling to deny self, we may consider that if we do not deny ourselvs, then who we are denying?

2)        Take up our cross

We may have been taught that “take up our cross” means to shoulder or carry burdens. It is often used to describe something unpleasant, a difficult situation, a terminal condition, etc. that we may endure. However, while suffering is something we will endure, this was not what Jesus was communicating.

In Jesus’ era, Jesus’ words were a shock to hear. During the time he spoke these words, taking up the cross was a one-way ticket. Those carrying crosses were heading to their death. Offenders were required to carry their own cross showing complete submission. Therefore, Jesus was calling his followers to certain opposition, pain, and possible death. While pain may be a part of taking up our cross, it is a call to submission. It is a daily decision to deny self and choose Jesus over self.

3)        Follow

To deny self and take up our cross in full submission to Christ is a call to follow him. There can be no half-way point. We cannot simply choose to do one and not the others. This call is a lifestyle. Salvation and obedience are not separate movements. Rather, they work in tandem. As we commit to Christ, surrendering ourselves and will in complete submission to him, we declare our discipleship to him.

The act of following Christ is not one of ease. It goes against the flow of this world. We are following a man who was condemned and despised by humanity. However, the daily on-going decision we make to follow Christ allows us, even in the face of adversity, rejection, and suffering, to live in the hope of the resurrection as we follow the one who defeated death and hell for us!

Final thoughts

We are invited to discipleship, but we should not mistake the invitation for one without cost. Following Jesus will cost us our comfort, our preferences, our self-reliance, and our insistence on controlling outcomes. Yet what discipleship costs cannot compare with what it cultivates: eternal hope, transformed character, and a formidable faith.