Becoming a Disciple of the Lord JesusHow?

According to the Bible we only have two paths. One is broad, without moral restrictions, without obedience to the divine law, and leads to destruction, while the other one, the narrow path, follows Christ, and leads to eternal life. (Matthew 7 !", !#$ %ou can serve &od, or you can serve the ruler of this world, the wic'ed one, ((ohn !) "!$ there is no in*between choice. %ou serve one and upset the other, one cannot slave for two masters.+Matthew , )#. Many people profess being -Christians,. yet they do not follow the /ord and his teachings, rather they follow 0atan and the principles of this world. 1t is vital to learn the truth about ourselves, as our ultimate destiny depends eternally on the answer we give to the 2uestion, -Are you a disciple of (esus3. 1f you are false disciple, (&alatians ) #$ or you claim to be one without actually being, then you will go to the eternal fire, to destruction, (Matthew 7 !4*)"$ while the true disciples will go to heaven to 5oin the /ord whom they had served.+(ohn !) ),. 6he /ord (esus left over a hundred commandments, laid down within the Christian 0criptures. 7o you 'now them3 7o you observe them3 7o you obey the /ord in every moment of the day3 1n everyday life do you ma'e decisions on your own, or you ma'e them after chec'ing in with the 8ead, Christ3 7id you meet the re2uirements Christ had set in the &ospels for becoming one of his disciples3 By analy9ing your life, you will see how your situation loo' lies and you will reali9e, if you are honest, whether you are one of his disciples or not. /et us consider.

Steps to Becoming One of Jesus Christs Disciples

7iscipleship starts in the first place by hearing the good news, or the &ospel, about 8im, (Mar' ! !4*):; Acts !# !4, )!, ))$ when you are taught by the /ord<s disciples. 6hat is the word of (esus Christ. ((ohn = "!; >omans ! 4; ! 6imothy ) 7$. As a conse2uence of listening to the &ospel, the 8oly 0pirit starts wor'ing. 6hen comes the reali9ation of sins ((ohn !, =$, which leads to a real and genuine repentance, (Acts " )!; ): ):*)!$ then to a faith without any hypocrisy in the /ord and his ?ord. (Mar' ! !4; ! Corinthians !4 !, ); ) 6imothy ! #$ @aith leads to obeisance to the /ord and meeting the re2uirements needed to become one of his disciples. After you become one of 8is disciples, by learning and living the ?ord, ((ohn # !$ the water baptism follows. (/u'e " )!, )); Acts ) "=$ But even after baptism, the disciple 'eeps himself in obeying to (esus, (Matthew )! ,$ following him, (Mar' , !$ and letting himself taught by 8im in all aspects of life.+Matthew !! )A; /u'e , #:. 6he re2uirements for the Christian discipleship are clearly set out the &ospel, when the /ord said If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself and pick up his [cross] and keep following me !or whoe"er wants to sa"e his life will lose it, #ut whoe"er loses his life for my sake will find it $ (Matthew !, )#, )4; see also Mar' = "#*"=; /u'e A )"*),$ 6his scriptures provides us three conditions. % Disown himself $ ?hat does it mean3 Although many priests, religious leaders, -pastors. tal' only about what we benefit from becoming (esus< disciples, 8e tells us from the start that discipleship means first of all to lose something. %ou have to lose yourself, your plans, and your interests in order to win 8im. Only if you disown yourself and listen to 8im will you be able to win 8im over and fill yourself with 8im and gain a new life+everlasting life, a new belonging+a heavenly and spiritual treasure, a new family+the /ord<s family. ?e cannot tal' of discipleship without self*disowning, because we have to disown any desires or interests not in harmony with the Master<s will. 6hus, if previously we had desires directed towards ourselves, through self*denial we reach a state where all our desire are directed towards Christ. By becoming one spirit with the Master (! Corinthians , !7$, his will becomes our will, his desires become ours, his pleasure becomes oursB But his life too will become our life, his nature becomes our nature through our gaining fellowship to divine nature, () Ceter ! #$ his 'ingdom will be our 'ingdom too.+) 6imothy ) !!, !). ?hat else does it mean to disown ourselves3 6he /ord (esus eDplains it in (ohn !) )4 saying &hoe"er is fond of his life destroys it, #ut whoe"er hates his life in this world will safeguard it for e"erlasting life $ 0o this self*denial starts by hating our lifeB 6he /ord<s disciples hate their lives, they are not fond of themselves, because they have something more dignified, more valuable to be fond of+ Jesus life. ?hen you loo' at him, when you loo' at his glory, and then you loo' at your sinner state, at your being a slave of sin, you never postpone one second giving your life in order to gain his perfect, holy and sinless life. (&alatians ! !,; ) ):$ %our old life, your sinful lifestyle will seem li'e garbage, li'e something worthy of being thrown away in comparison to the One who is truth and life, the perfect light and love. 6hus those who follow 8im, love (esus, the 0on of &od, more than their own live and have the disposition to sacrifice on the altar of this love anything of their life which might hinder us from obedience, from being disciples of the One who called us to live 8is life in us. Conse2uently, if we hate our life, we are ready to any sacrifices for our Master and 6eacher. Isnt it worth to give something what we cannot keep, namely our life on this earth, for gaining something that does not pass, everlasting life? 2. '(ick up his cross ) ?hat does (esus refer to here3 8e does not spea' of wearing a cross on a nec'lace or of venerating this instrument of eDecution and moc'ery. Eo. Cic'ing up one<s cross means to be determined on a daily basis to crucify in your life the sin, the sinful nature, the world, the fleshly pleasures. (&alatians ) ):; 4 )#; , !#$ 6a'ing your cross might mean to suffer moc'ery or persecution for his EameB Bearing the cross on a daily basis implies leading a life of sacrifice, governed by offering
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yourself to others, because (esus did not come to be ministered to either, but to minister and give his life as a ransom in eDchange for many. (Mar' !: #4$ 6hus we sacrifice our personal comfort, well*being or maybe our luDury to follow the /amb of &od and to minister to any sheep*li'e person, even to death. (>omans = ",; ! Ceter ) )!$ ?e should carry the cross on a daily basis, not 5ust occasionally, as (esus said in /u'e A )" If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself and pick up his [cross] day after day and keep following me $ Cic'ing up the cross day after day means that in every moment our decisions reflect obedience, that we crucify the instincts of our flesh when they pull us in another direction, that we crucify any unlawful pleasure for the sa'e of holinessB 6his means 'eeping ourselves in his ?ord in any circumstance, even if obedience means suffering or bearing the crossB+(ohn = "!. 3. *eep following me $ ?hat does it mean to follow (esus3 6o follow (esus means to melt ourselves into his will, to put personal interests aside, to be loyal despite trials, li'e the eleven faithful apostles. (/u'e )) )=$ 6o be a disciple does not mean following (esus occasionally, but continuously and permanently. (esus himself told a man, who was first into his personal interests +o man who has put his hand to a plow and looks at the things #ehind is well, suited for the *ingdom of -od $ (/u'e A ,)$ 6herefore, it is not about following (esus only on 0undays or only during specific seasons, we have to keep following him, without ever loo'ing bac' to what we might have lost. /et us not loo' bac' as /ot<s wife did, (&enesis !A ),; /u'e !7 ")$, but loo' forward to the one who loves us and died for us. 6o 'eep following (esus also means wal'ing faithfully on 8is footsteps through the guidance of the 8oly 0pirit.+ Fphesians " !7; 4 !7, !=. 4. Hates $ On another occasion, the /ord said If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and #rothers and sisters, yes, and e"en his own life, he cannot #e my disciple $ (/u'e !# ),$ 6o hate your own family or even your own life means to love Christ more than anything. 8e eDplains this in another scripture &hoe"er has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me. and whoe"er has greater affection for son or daughter than for me is not worthy of me $ +Matthew !: "7. Eotice what (esus had told on one occasion to one of his disciples. /hen he said to another0 'Be my follower ) /he man said0 'Lord, permit me first to go and #ury my father ) But he said to him0 'Let the dead #ury their dead, #ut you go and declare a#road the *ingdom of -od )$ (/u'e A 4A, ,:; see also Matthew = )!, ))$ ?hat would have you done in this situation3 ?ould you have followed the /ord by going to preach or you would have put the family<s interests first3 5. '-i"e up his #elongings ) EeDt, (esus highlights another common obstacle to following him In the same way, you may #e sure that not one of you who does not gi"e up all his #elongings can #e my disciple $ (/u'e !# "", footnote$ Only by giving up all we have in favor of Christ can we ma'e sure that the passing things will no longer become for us a form of idolatry, (compare Fphesians 4 4$ and henceforth we will only have heavenly and divine goals, interests and activities. Otherwise, leading a materialistic life will eat up our time, thoughts, will and energy. 1n /u'e chapter != we read the following words of (esus on this matter How difficult it will #e for those ha"ing money to make their way into the *ingdom of -od1 It is easier, in fact, for a camel to get through the eye of a sewing needle than for a rich man to enter the *ingdom of -od $ (vss. )#, )4$ 6hose did not give up on riches have given up on Christ, because you cannot serve &od and Mammon, the god of riches, at the same time.+Matthew , )#. Being one of Christ<s disciples implies not only obligations, but also rights. 6he /ord gives his disciples the following promise If you remain in union with me and my sayings remain in you, ask whate"er you wish and it will take place for you $ ((ohn !4 7$ 1f the disciple remains in the /ord by obeying 8im, he has the grace of receiving anything he as's for. %es, you have the privilege and the grace to be one of 8is followers, to represent 8im in this rotten, sinful world, for nowadays today<s people prefer following celebrities, music artists, movie stars, fashion icons, they rather read such maga9ines, they dress li'e them, groom li'e them, tal' li'e them, live li'e them and re5ect the Christ of the living &odB 6hey don<t want to hear of a crucified Christ, they don<t want to pic' up the cross and follow him, because they love themselves, they are lo"ers of pleasures rather than lo"ers of -od1$+) 6imothy " #. Wh t !i! "ou !eci!e to !o# !e r re !er$ Do "ou trul" % nt to &e one of the 'or!s !isciples$ FDamine yourself sincerely by as'ing yourself the following 2uestions Did you disown yourself and your interest for riches to #ecome one of Jesus) disciples? Do you #ear your cross day after day crucifying your sinful flesh or do you turn the pain of the cross #y gi"ing in to fleshly desires? Do you hate your own life and family in the sense that you lo"e Jesus more than anything and anyone, and do you sacrifice your personal and family related interests for Him? Does your thought, your speech and your conduct show that you follow Jesus?