We are interested here in deciphering the requirements for a person to be a genuine disciple of Jesus Christ. In the Bible we find three connected terms: follower, disciple and Apostle. A follower is one who is attracted to a leader whom he or she would like to imitate, whereas a disciple is one who is totally attached to a master from whom he or she would like to learn and live accordingly. An Apostle is a messenger, officially sent by one who holds authority, to deliver a message or teachings. An Apostle has to be a disciple and a disciple has to be a follower of the leader in order to be a genuine Apostle or disciple.
A disciple of Jesus Christ has to first listen to the Gospel and understand the implications of the Good News proclaimed by Jesus. The Good News is rooted in the promise made by God to Abraham: "And through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me" (Genesis, 22:18).People who fight over Isaac or Ismail as the promised issue think only carnally and not spiritually. Jesus Christ is the spiritual issue bringing salvation and blessings to all peoples and all Nations. This promise, therefore, is fulfilled in Jesus Christ whose disciples we want to be. Jesus started with the first level of discipleship, i.e., to be his follower: " If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me" (Mark, 8:34). He gave a stunningly shocking reason for this stringent condition: " For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the Gospel's will save it" (Mark, 8:35).
More is, however, required from a disciple of Jesus by way of self-transformation. This is a transformation from the present world-view we hold to the one held by Jesus in order to be a new person through conversion (repentance).As a result, a disciple is able to follow the new commandment: " I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John,13:34-35). The Apostle Paul reminded us about this transformation when he wrote that the disciples should not be conformed to this world, but should be transformed by the renewal of their minds. As for their bodies, offering them as living sacrifices is their spiritual worship (Romans, 12: 1-3).
The earth-shaking demands of Jesus to hate one's own father and mother etc. (Luke, 14:26-27) are precisely that in order to shake us out of our lethargy resulting from our attachment to the world. This and similar passages are meant to wean us out from undue attachment even to our loved ones through practice of detachment (See our Post on 'Detachment'). We might wonder how to live in the world, society, family etc.if we strictly follow the words of Jesus wishing to lead a peaceful life. This is the crux of the problem: what we now consider as peace is no peace at all, but only adjustments by mutual give and take for maintaining a sort of materialistic life. Unless and until we shake off our present mode of thinking and living, we shall never be liberated from the shackles that bind us to our harmful self-love making us slaves to our desires driving us into unhappiness in due course. This is why Jesus said that trying to save one's own life is to lose it and losing it is to save it!
What is the way out then to be whole and lead a full life in our day-to-day life in the world? It is possible through self-mastery practiced by means of self-control in order to conquer not only ourselves but also the world. For this the most apt means is to be a genuine disciple of Jesus who conquered the world by conquering himself (John, 16:33). The natural reaction of anyone with human nature to the tough conditions Jesus imposed on those who want to follow him would be: why should I? The simple answer is that there is no other way for our real well-being both in this world and in the world to come. Jesus differs from every other human being by becoming what he professed and preached and thus turning out to be the way, the truth and the life (John, 14:6).
The core of self-control may be summarized in two types of actions performed by us. 1. As we cannot escape from the world and the things therein even in our spiritual life, in engaging and enjoying the world we have to take care not to be controlled by our passions as well as the attractions of the world. We should not be their slaves, but masters and enjoy the world on our own terms. We enjoy life in the world on our own terms when we live according to our true nature that is the source of our happiness and not when dictated by the world. 2. We have to curb our 'ego' that is the despoiler of all right relationships with God and people around us. The practical way of doing it is to deny our self-importance and be ready to serve in humility as Jesus has shown by washing the feet of his own disciples. Let us be genuine disciples of Jesus Christ in order to reign with him in his glory.
A disciple of Jesus Christ has to first listen to the Gospel and understand the implications of the Good News proclaimed by Jesus. The Good News is rooted in the promise made by God to Abraham: "And through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me" (Genesis, 22:18).People who fight over Isaac or Ismail as the promised issue think only carnally and not spiritually. Jesus Christ is the spiritual issue bringing salvation and blessings to all peoples and all Nations. This promise, therefore, is fulfilled in Jesus Christ whose disciples we want to be. Jesus started with the first level of discipleship, i.e., to be his follower: " If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me" (Mark, 8:34). He gave a stunningly shocking reason for this stringent condition: " For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the Gospel's will save it" (Mark, 8:35).
More is, however, required from a disciple of Jesus by way of self-transformation. This is a transformation from the present world-view we hold to the one held by Jesus in order to be a new person through conversion (repentance).As a result, a disciple is able to follow the new commandment: " I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John,13:34-35). The Apostle Paul reminded us about this transformation when he wrote that the disciples should not be conformed to this world, but should be transformed by the renewal of their minds. As for their bodies, offering them as living sacrifices is their spiritual worship (Romans, 12: 1-3).
The earth-shaking demands of Jesus to hate one's own father and mother etc. (Luke, 14:26-27) are precisely that in order to shake us out of our lethargy resulting from our attachment to the world. This and similar passages are meant to wean us out from undue attachment even to our loved ones through practice of detachment (See our Post on 'Detachment'). We might wonder how to live in the world, society, family etc.if we strictly follow the words of Jesus wishing to lead a peaceful life. This is the crux of the problem: what we now consider as peace is no peace at all, but only adjustments by mutual give and take for maintaining a sort of materialistic life. Unless and until we shake off our present mode of thinking and living, we shall never be liberated from the shackles that bind us to our harmful self-love making us slaves to our desires driving us into unhappiness in due course. This is why Jesus said that trying to save one's own life is to lose it and losing it is to save it!
What is the way out then to be whole and lead a full life in our day-to-day life in the world? It is possible through self-mastery practiced by means of self-control in order to conquer not only ourselves but also the world. For this the most apt means is to be a genuine disciple of Jesus who conquered the world by conquering himself (John, 16:33). The natural reaction of anyone with human nature to the tough conditions Jesus imposed on those who want to follow him would be: why should I? The simple answer is that there is no other way for our real well-being both in this world and in the world to come. Jesus differs from every other human being by becoming what he professed and preached and thus turning out to be the way, the truth and the life (John, 14:6).
The core of self-control may be summarized in two types of actions performed by us. 1. As we cannot escape from the world and the things therein even in our spiritual life, in engaging and enjoying the world we have to take care not to be controlled by our passions as well as the attractions of the world. We should not be their slaves, but masters and enjoy the world on our own terms. We enjoy life in the world on our own terms when we live according to our true nature that is the source of our happiness and not when dictated by the world. 2. We have to curb our 'ego' that is the despoiler of all right relationships with God and people around us. The practical way of doing it is to deny our self-importance and be ready to serve in humility as Jesus has shown by washing the feet of his own disciples. Let us be genuine disciples of Jesus Christ in order to reign with him in his glory.
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