Discipleship

by J. H. PYPER | Category: Discipleship | Sept 1951

It has been truly said that a disciple is one who learns to follow his Master and who follows to learn. In this matter of discipleship a dual responsibility rests upon the child of God. Firstly, he himself is responsible to follow his Lord, and, secondly, he is responsible to instruct other believers so to do.

"If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Matthew 16.24), and, "Go ye therefore and make disciples of all the nations ..." (Matthew 2g. 19) are examples in, point.

How important it is then that we should be following the disciple pathway ourselves before we seek to instruct others!

Discipleship (following the Lord) should be for life, right from the moment we are saved (Acts 16.1; 1 Timothy 4.12). It should know of no interruption (2 Timothy 4.7) but be openly manifested to all (compare Joseph of A. in John 19.39). It should be progressive, the standard being continually raised in the believer's lifetime (Acts 14. 1).

As none should be content with the standard of discipleship achieved at any one period in his Christian life, an earnest consideration of the Lord's claims upon us will always be opportune and of permanent importance to both old and young.

Those in a Church of God have a prime responsibility of guiding believers in the first steps of discipleship and of leading them along in the disciple pathway by teaching and example, using the Scriptures as the supreme guide.

The first step of discipleship for the believer is that of baptism. The Master who was obedient to John's baptism (Matthew 3.18-17) has left the disciple an example that he should follow His steps (1 Peter 2, 21). Have, you yet, dear believer, taken this first step? Have yon been immersed in water and so baptized into, the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the, Holy, Spirit? (Matthew 28.19).

Baptism is only the beginning (but an important beginning) of a succession of steps in the pathway of true discipleship, as we find in Acts 2.41, 42. "They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them, in that day about three thousand souls. they continued stedfastly in the apostles teaching and, fellowship in the breaking of bread and the prayers." See also Matthew 28.20.

Here is our starting point through life as loving, obedient disciples Him who should be our Lord as well as Saviour (Acts 2. 36). It is from this viewpoint that we invite consideration of the following scriptures on the matter of discipleship

In Luke 14. 25-33 the Lord Jesus set forth the essence of true discipleship, He said, "If any man cometh unto Me, and hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple." This clearly shows that the Lord Himself must have the first place in the heart, that He must be loved more than the nearest and dearest earthly friend, yea more than one's own life, or discipleship is impossible.

Then the Lord told two parables enforcing His teaching, and as these two parables are joined by the little word "OR" they must represent different aspects of the one subject - discipleship.

"For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doth not firs sit down and count the cost, whether he have wherewith to complete it? Lest haply, when he hath laid a foundation, and is not able to finish all that behold begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

OR what king, as he goeth to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and asketh conditions of peace.

So, therefore, whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple."

The first parable is that of a peaceful builder, the second that of an, aggressive warrior. These are two aspects of discipleship that we, as earnest disciples, must seek to cultivate, paradoxical though this may appear.

Whatever it costs us to build or to fight, we must, be prepared to pay to the full, if we are really going to be true disciples of our Master. If we lightly enter on discipleship, thinking the cost to be a trifle, we will be like the man who began to build and was not able to finish, for it is no easy matter to follow the Lord in discipleship. The cost is high! But oh, it will be worth it all w" hen the Master at last says, "Well done, good and faithful servant: ... enter thou into the joy of thy Lord ".{Matthew 25.21).

We view discipleship then in two aspects. Firstly, that of the disciple building; building up his own Christian character and graces, with the Holy Spirit's help, without which it would be impossible; building acts and deeds, good works arising out of a true Christian life. Then secondly, that of the disciple warring; being a good soldier of Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 2.8), utilizing again the victorious help, of the, indwelling Holy Spirit.

Let us look at the" building" process first of all. It will be a great help to us if we make a comparative analysis of the scriptures, dealing with

(1) Putting away the old man and putting on the new man;

(2) The fruit of the Spirit, and

(3) Practical points, and the groupings of the three passages, where applicable, under these headings, will be of practical advantage.

(1) PUTTING AWAY THE OLD MAN AND PUTTING ON THE NEW MAN.

(Ephesians 4.22-5.2).(Colossians 3.8-14).

(a)"That ye put away, as concerning " ... seeing ye have put off the old your former manner of life, the old man with his doings, and have put on man, which waxeth corrupt after the new man ... "

the lust of deceit: and that ye be

renewed in the spirit of your mind,

and put on the new man, which

after God hath been created in

righteousness and holiness of truth."

(b)"Let all bitterness and wrath, and "But now put ye also away all these: anger, and clamour, and railing, be anger, wrath, malice, railing put away from you, with all malice."

(c)"Let no corrupt speech proceed out "shameful speaking out of your of your mouth, but such as is good mouth:"

for edifying as the need may be, that it

may give grace to them that hear."

(d)"Wherefore putting away false-"lie not one to another, ... "

hood, speak ye truth each one with his

neighbour: for we are members one of another."

(e)"And be ye kind one to another"Put on therefore as Gods elect holy tenderhearted, forgiving each other,and beloved a heart of compassion, even as God also in Christ forgavekindness humility, meekness long

you."suffering, forbearing one another and forgiving each other if any man has a complaint against any, even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye. "

(f)"Be ye therefore imitators of GodAnd above all these things put

as beloved children; and walk inon love, which is the bond of perfect- love, even as Christ also loved you."ness."

(g)"Let him that stole steal no more:

but rather let him labour, working

with his hands the thing which is good,

that he may have whereof to

give to him that hath need."

NOTES (i) Putting away first and then putting on.

Although Ephesians 4. 22 24 and Colossians 3 9 10 expressly state that this is the order and although it is the order we should logic-ally expect, yet we fear that the temptation is rather to reverse the order.

The things of the old man that we are told to put away are like weeds. The ground must be cleared of them first of all and then the new man will grow and the fruit of the Spirit (as in the next section) will begin to appear.

On reflection, is it not true that bitterness must first of all be rooted out of the heart before it can display kindness? How can wrath, anger and malice towards anyone be harboured in the heart and expect that, at the same time, tenderness and love can emanate from it? "Out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth the fountain send forth from the same opening sweet water and bitter? Can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine figs? Neither can salt water yield sweet" (James 3.10-12).

Let us then take stock of our old nature and resolutely decide that, whatever the cost, whether in tears, apologies or rigorous self-control, we will, with the Holy Spirit's help, .be prepared to pay that cost, and seek to subdue in our jives the nature of the "old man" that so hinders our spiritual growth in discipleship. Let us remember that "our old man was crucified with Him (Christ) that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin" (Romans 6.6).

(ii)What are the things we are exhorted to put away, and those we are enjoined to put an?

A comparative listing of the above Ephesian and Colossian scripture brings out the following

Put away bitternessPut an kindness*

wrathtenderness

angerforgiveness clamourcompassion

railinghumility

malicemeekness* long suffering* forbearance corrupt speechedifying speech liestruth

stealinglove*

Those marked with * will be dealt with again- in the next section "The Fruit of the Spirit."

We each in the days before we were saved, exhibited different sinful characteristics of the old man. Perhaps some or perhaps all of the above vices, the case may be. But rest assured, now that we are saved, shall redouble his attempts to influence the old nature in us, if we are not careful, even dormant sins, that we were not aware of previously will come to life.

It may cost you or me more to " put away" anger from our lives and to substitute a forgiving spirit than it would an, other brother or sister. But it might cost them more to "put away" corrupt speech and substitute speech that edifies. So whatever the cost may be in, our individual cases we should be prepared, if we really intend to be disciples, to meet fully that cost.

J. H. PYPER | Sept 1951
Discipleship