Are You Displaying the Signs of a True Disciple?
The greatest hindrance to being a genuine disciple of Christ is the sin of idolatry. Anything we idolize above God hinders our ability to be an authentic disciple of Jesus. I define a disciple as anyone who treasures Christ above all things. Though simple, this is the most accurate mark of being a follower of Christ.
Jesus declared that “if anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26).
At first, this remark seems a bit extreme, but Jesus was using a rhetorical device to make a point. No, you are not supposed to literally hate your family or yourself, for when speaking to husbands God commands them to “love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church … for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church” (Ephesians 5:25, 29). So then what was Jesus getting at when He said we needed to “hate” our family members?
Jesus was making a comparison. He was setting the standard of true discipleship by showing how the separation between our love for the things of this world and our love for God must be dramatic. He chose the things that most of us cherish most on this earth, our family and ourselves, to bring this truth home.
Christ was saying that to be a disciple of His, we must treasure Him far and above all other things that this planet has to offer. Our relationship to Him must always rank supreme.
In his commentary on Luke 14, John Gill argues that if our family or our fleshly desires ever terminally threaten our communion with God that
“These are to be neglected and forsaken, and turned from with indignation and resentment, when they stand in the way of the honour and interest of Christ, and dissuade from his service: such who would be accounted the disciples of Christ, should be ready to part with their dearest relations and friends, with the greatest enjoyment of life, and with life itself, when Christ calls for it; or otherwise they are not worthy to be called his disciples.” [1]
This may seem radical in a Western context, but this is the harsh reality for many worldwide. It is not uncommon for Hindu family members to disown a brother, sister, child, mother, father, etc., if they reject the gods of Hinduism to follow Jesus. This is in direct fulfillment of what Jesus said would happen to those who treasure Him above all things.
Though called the Prince of Peace, Jesus knew that the decision to follow Him would stir up great conflict among even the closest relationships. When speaking to the disciples, Jesus says,
Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household (Matthew 10:34-36).
Nothing can stand in the way of giving our whole heart to God. Anything less than 100% commitment to Jesus proves you have yet to become His disciple. This does not mean that we are perfect in how we follow God, “for we all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2). What this means is that we have set our hearts to love and obey Him fully. We have burned our bridges to this world and have decided to stand with Christ regardless of the consequences.
A Life or Death Decision
Not only does a disciple risk losing their closest relationships for the gospel, but they must also be willing to sacrifice their very life. Choosing to become a disciple is choosing death to your former way of life. You are no longer the center of your story; Christ is!
Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25).
This life-or-death decision transpires in the life of a disciple daily. Each day we are challenged to overcome fleshly desires in our pursuit of living wholeheartedly for God.
For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please (Galatians 5:17).
Thankfully we are not on our own as we journey toward greater sanctification, “for since He Himself [Jesus] was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18). It is only by abiding in Christ that we can crucify “the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24).
For some, the decision to follow Christ results in much more than resisting sinful desires. Many throughout the world are giving the ultimate sacrifice of their very lives for the cause of the gospel.
Jesus prepared His disciples with this warning:
If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you ... Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you (John 15:18, 20).
But that is not all. Christ went one step further by telling the disciples that “everyone who kills you” will actually believe “that he is offering service to God” (John 16:2).
In the famous chapter on faith, the writer of Hebrews describes how some who followed Christ “experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword” (Hebrews 11:36-37).
This is a reality that we must all embrace in our pursuit of Christ. We don’t actively set out to experience persecution and death, but every true disciple of Jesus must be willing to give their life for their Master! If you are unwilling to die for Jesus, I am afraid you have not yet become His disciple.
More Than A Decision
Maybe you are among those who claim they are willing to die for Christ. That is amazing! I have met many who champion their devotion to Christ by expressing their willingness to die for Him. The real question is … are they willing to live for Him?
Many have a false understanding of devotion. The same people who say they would quickly give their life for Christ are often among those steeped in sin, lethargy, and bitterness toward the rest of the world. As disciples, some may be called to die for Jesus, but one thing is for sure, everyone is required to live for Him.
Following Jesus starts with a decision, but the choice always leads to action:
But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves (James 1:22).
Christians know that it is only “by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9). Yet genuine faith will always result in good works:
What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself (James 2:14-17).
Let me be clear, it is impossible for man to be saved by good works, “for whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all” (James 2:10). Salvation comes from faith alone in Christ.
As protestant believers, we have certainly done well to focus on this critical aspect of the gospel. The problem is that some have taken this theology and used it as an excuse to remain idle and comfortable. Authentic faith will always result in tangible action! Our belief is demonstrated through our works.
Christ claimed that if there is no good fruit, then the tree itself is flawed:
So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:17-20).
Many inside and outside the church believe in the existence of God. But assuming that God exists is not true biblical faith. “You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder” (James 2:19).
Being a disciple is far more than knowing God is real. Being a disciple requires faith that leads to loving action. This is how we become the hands and feet of Jesus to a hurting and broken world.
[1] John Gill, "Commentary on Luke 14," The New John Gill Exposition of the Whole Bible, (1999), https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/geb/luke-14.html.