Are you ready?

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When I became a Christian, I had thought that discipleship is for a select few people and the rest are called to be normal believers where we attend Sunday meetings and rest of the time - just follow our passions and ambitions. But that is not what the Bible teaches us. Every single person who has put their trust in Christ have been been called to be a disciple. Christian life is a disciplined life. When I say disciplined, I mean to say that it is a life where we become more like Christ. And in that journey, we will have to forsake the worldly pleasures as we travel down the narrow path that leads to eternal life. Instead of going after our desires, the expectation is to imitate Christ and follow His footsteps. Discipleship is a process where we grow in the Lord Jesus Christ and be transformed into the likeness of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).

According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, a disciple is the one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another. In relation to our context, the primary duty of a disciple is to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and spread the gospel to others. Following Christ means much more than following His teachings. It is a personal relationship we have with Christ. We enter into a covenantal relationship with the Lord where we are united with Christ and His righteousness becomes ours by putting our trust in Him. Unless we have a personal relationship with Christ, we cannot become a true disciple.

Mark 8:34b says - “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” The Dictionary of Bible Themes defines self-denial as “the willingness to deny oneself possessions or status, in order to grow in holiness and commitment to God.” What Jesus meant by “deny yourself” is to crucify our passions and desires so God will be glorified through our life. John 3:30 says – “He must increase, but I must decrease.” The question we need to ask ourselves is this : “Is God being glorified everyday through our thoughts, deeds and actions?” or “Do we tend to think high of ourselves which can lead to self-centeredness?”

Philippians 3:7–8 says : “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ”. The purpose of self-denial - counting as “loss” all earthly gains is to become more like Jesus in holiness and walk in obedience to God. That is the kingdom-mindset where our goal should be eternity rather than the temporary pleasures of the world or the possessions what the world has to offer us. Does that mean we should not pursue our ambitions or a good career in life? Not at all!! So how do we know if what we pursue is godly or not? The perfect answer lies in Galatians 1:10 - "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." So the question is - "Am I pleasing God or man?"

Submission is a core aspect in our spiritual growth. We have to yield to the Holy Spirit in every step of our life. Though we are saved, there is a battle between our redeemed nature and the corrupted nature inside us as Paul says in Romans 7. The Holy Spirit indwells us and teaches us all things to lead a godly life. But unless we are in complete submission to God, we cannot lead a sanctified life. So how do we resolve that? The perfect model for us to look unto, is Jesus Christ Himself. Though being co-equal to God the Father and God the Spirit in Trinity, he lived a life on this earth in complete submission to God. If Christ submitted to God the Father, how much more should we be compliant to the will of God ? Our sanctification is the will of God (1 Thess 4:3).

Once we deny ourselves and surrender completely to God, we are responsible to take up the cross of Christ and follow Him. Taking up His cross doesn’t just mean to carry the burdens of this world and suffer through physical illness or troubles in this life. It goes to the extent where we should even be willing to die for Christ at any cost. Taking up cross means complete submission and allegiance to God and declaring Him the Lord of our life in every area. Shame, suffering, torture, persecution are part of our cross-bearing. That is the fruit of absolute surrender to God.

A disciple should walk in the way of the cross. How does Bible define the way of the cross? It is a path that is narrow and can be full of thorns and bushes but leads us to Christ. The question is this : Are we ready to walk down that path where we may need to give up our dreams, hopes and idols for the cause of Christ? I know it is much easier said than done and is particularly difficult since it is a radical commitment. So how do we carry out these responsibilities expected out of a disciple? We know it can’t be fulfilled by our might or strength or efforts. That is why God has put His spirit in our hearts who equips, comforts, counsels and empower us everyday of our life. So let us be submissive to the Spirit who can train us to become a true disciple in every aspect of our life. Soli deo Gloria !!