What is a Disciple? Biblical Perspective

What does the bible say about being a disciple of Jesus Christ?? We know that it was only the disciples that were called Christians according to the bible.. but what does the bible show us about being a disciple??

1. To be a disciple of Jesus Christ one must be called of God… chosen of God or Jesus Christ. One does not get to choose to be a disciple… nor does one that has not heard from God, learned of God, or drawn by God come to Jesus to be a disciple.

Jhn 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Jhn 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

Mat 12:18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

Jhn 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

2. To be a disciple of Jesus Christ, one must sell all that one has. One is to forsake it all before one can be a disciple… that includes lands, houses, even one’s own life, and way of life before you can be a disciple.

Luk 14:26 If any [man] come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

Luk 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Luk 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

3. To be a disciple of Jesus Christ, one must then keep the commandments and teachings of Jesus Christ. He must not pray other than where designated by Jesus… He must not do almsgiving other than as prescribed by Jesus’ teachings, he must not resist evil, must bless those that despitefully use him, and all the other things that Jesus taught in the bible…

Jhn 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Jhn 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Jhn 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

1Cr 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

1Jo 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

1Jo 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1Jo 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

1Jo 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

Rev 22:14 Blessed [are] they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

Jhn 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

4. Once a person has done the above things, just as the bible shows.. then Jesus will give them power over unclean spirits and to heal the sick and they will be sent out to do that and only that.. so that they themselves will see the evidence of the power of God being in the flesh of men.

Mat 10:1 And when he had called unto [him] his twelve disciples, he gave them power [against] unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

Mar 6:7 And he called [unto him] the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;

Luk 9:1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

Jhn 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:

5. Those commandments are followed, in detail, until the Holy Spirit of God comes upon them, through their obedience to the commandments of God given by Jesus Christ, and then and only then is it that those disciples are sent out to TEACH others to observe whatsoever Jesus commanded His disciples to observe.

Luk 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Luk 12:12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

Jhn 14:26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Jhn 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on [them], and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

6. Those that follow the discipline of Jesus, will then be seen in the communities and nations around doing what Jesus did… and greater things, and the people will see the power of God with them, and they will be called Christians by others… never something that they call themselves… always what others call them.

Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

7. Then will they hear the voice of God, be lead of God just as Jesus was.. and be as Christ hearing from God as Jesus did and speaking what it is that God gives them to speak!

Mat 10:27 What I tell you in darkness, [that] speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, [that] preach ye upon the housetops.

8. Those that are filled with the Holy Spirit and believe will evidence the fruits of that by always being in one accord, and of one heart and one soul… and if they have lands and houses, they will sell them and lay the proceeds at the feet of the disciples… and only disciples.. who have first themselves been disciplined by the teachings and are following them…. and that will be so that none will suffer lack!

Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Act 4:31-35: And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any [of them] that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid [them] down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Those are the words of the Bible regarding what is a disciple… and who it is that is one! Do not be deceived by those that are not disciples… that have not been chosen of God in Christ as disciples… and are not following the bible’s clear evidence of what a disciple is…. or be beguiled by them to go out teaching others another way.

Also note that the ones that are filled with the Holy Spirit of God and believe that have land and houses will sell them and lay the proceeds at the feet of the apostles… which were disciples, who had forsaken all they had… was disciplined by the teachings of Jesus and then were later after receiving the Holy Spirit of God sent out… and were still following the commandments of Jesus Christ, to the degree that when they were seen by others they were called Christians.

Most are trying to make disciples/converts… are teaching others about God and Jesus but are not themselves disciplined by His teachings, so they are simply out to deceive the people.. and make the bible and the words of God of none effect with their doctrines and traditions of men. Be not deceived! The bible makes it clear what a disciple is….. and so you need nothing more than the bible to know what a disciple is… to know what the foundation for being a Christian is from the biblical perspective.

Remember also, if you are not a disciple yourself… then according to the bible… no one that is not first disciplined himself was ever sent out by God or Jesus Christ… for it was ONLY those that were disciples of Jesus, following His teachings, and doing what He commanded to be done.. that were given the great commission….

Matthew 28:19-20: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.

The bible is clear on this matter… so either we accept what the bible says… and know from it’s words what a disciple is… or we call it all a lie and accept what someone else tries to tell us that has been traditions of men for years, or that has been accepted by millions that have simply gone against the very bible that they say is the word of God.

Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.