Why we must be discipled in the Gospel
By Jay Wegter
I. As disciple-makers, we must know why the good news of the gospel addresses the condition of the human heart.
Paul chided the Corinthian believers for boasting in men (1 Cor 4:7). Why do we boast in human distinctions if God alone is the distinction-maker? In terms of receiving God’s saving grace, the apostle states, “Why do you boast as if you had not received it?” Sin is not only lawlessness, it is self-justification, and it is religious pride. It is the desire to seek intrinsic differentiation from others by means of personal exponents—this was at the heart of the Corinthian catastrophe. Because we fallen insecure creatures due to original sin, in our hunger for status we tend to divide the human race up between those who are achieving a standard and those who are not, between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’. Then we draw from that distinction our differentiation from others. Christians are not exempt from this error—Corinth is proof.ⁱ (EX.—How we love our ‘score cards’!)
The grace of God demands that we see ourselves from the divine perspective. This is absolutely essential in living out gospel community as a local church. Only the gospel gives us identity in the Lord instead of in our achievements. Because of the gospel, all true differentiation; all individual identity is a gift by grace which frees us from self (i.e. ‘self-justification’). This is part and parcel of ‘grace living’. (The West’s cultures are erected on human achievement.)
The redeemed have freedom and identity by a different ‘measure’ than the one applied by mankind—the child of God has status, favor, sonship, identity, acceptance, and standing ALL by divine grace through Christ. “Who made you to differ (God alone), why are you boasting as if you did not receive it from someone (from Christ)?” (1 Cor 4:6-7). It is easy to extrapolate from this that this that the matchless grace given to us in Christ is designed to give us true community.
As disciplers we must know that only the gospel can reverse our tendency to be self-justifiers. Self-justification is the action of defending our intrinsic worth. This defense of our intrinsic worth has manifestations (flesh fruits, Gal 5:19-21), which are all traceable to original sin. BUT, through the wonder of ‘guilt transfer’ at Calvary’s cross, Christ has brought believing sinners all the way to God (1 Pet 3:18). Self under judgment cannot possibly experience close proximity to God or to others (Job 3:25). We require a substitute, or we will forever be banished from God’s presence, favor, life, love, light, and blessedness.ⁱⁱ
The good news of the gospel is about God’s action to accomplish such a work of guilt transfer by substitution. God alone is free to affect that moral transfer (Jn 1:29; 10:18; Rom 6:23). (Quickly we forget the implications of this!)
Christ died for me—this is a one to one substitution (Gal 3:13; 2 Cor 5:21; Rom 7:25). We have life by His blood (Lev 17:11; Rev 7:13-14). Christ voluntarily assumed our moral liabilities, our guilt, and our condemnation. He became of no reputation (Phil 2:6-8). He was sold under sin and thus paid the price of that sin as our substitute (Rom 7:14).
As disciplers we must know why the gospel is good news. The gospel is ONLY incredibly good news if we realize that the human condition was a kind of dead end—like a cul de sac. There is no escape; no exit except by guilt transfer (acceptable to the Judge)—without that guilt transfer, all of our hopes, dreams, and meaningful relations will turn to ashes once we enter our death bed.
The wonder of redemption is that we are dealing with “the atoned and the atoning God.” God has plucked out His own heart in the bruising of His Son for us (Is 53:4-10). He has “split” Himself so to speak in order to accomplish this guilt transfer. His requirement of moral perfection in the human being necessitated a guilt transfer in order for us to be restored to Him.ⁱⁱⁱ
Now the dynamics of our blood-bought life in Christ free us to radical honesty in our biblical self-confrontation. The gospel has set us free from self-justification—from attempting to prop up self by enforcing distinctions from others. Therefore, because our status in Christ is immutable, we can afford to face the worst things about ourselves without fear of being diminished.
This is the dynamic for close caring relationships (the vehicle of discipleship). Christians comprise ‘a new humanity’ for the believer’s life is “life as it is in the Son” and “life as God imputes to us through Christ.” This is a formula for radical heroism in dealing with sin. It is a formula for humility, for service, for true community—for intimacy through Christ—for trust and closeness —for freedom from paralyzing self-consciousness/self-protection.
II. As disciple-makers, we must know why the cross of Christ gives the believer the power to deny self and put sin to death.
Paul’s disciple-making always begins with “we proclaim Him!” The admonishing and the teaching follow. It is the proclamation of Christ in His fullness that is the foundation for all ethical action and religious devotion (Col 1:28-29). Paul knew that his listeners must also build upon Christ. All of their own striving and repenting must rest upon Christ and Him crucified. The centrality of Christ must always be our proclamation in discipleship—or our efforts will be met with disappointment. Our proclamation: know your ‘assets’ won at the cross!
We proclaim Him and His cross-work—for only in the Christ-centered— cross-centered life do we find the divine power and love necessary to make a disciple. Only in His glorious Person and work upon Calvary are found the divinely powerful resources necessary to make a disciple. When Paul was among the Corinthians, his message focused upon the cross, the heart of the gospel—this is the truth with which God associates His power (Rom 1:16-17). “For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2). Only in Christ are the resources found to make a disciple of Christ (know your assets; employ your assets).
The cross produces real transformation—radical changes that can only be adequately described as an entirely new creation. In Christ’s atoning work there is a death applied to us, a resurrection performed upon us that implants a new life principle, there is a spiritual circumcision in which the dominance of the flesh is surgically cut, severed, and removed as a tyrannical force (Gal 6:14; Col 2:11-12).
Christ’s death and resurrection affects these changes in the believing sinner. Therefore, our approach to discipleship must have the centrality of Christ at its center. For it is in the hearing and believing of this sweet message of the God-man standing in your room and stead that the poor sinner receives the power and the motives for discipleship. That means that when we proclaim Christ, we do so with the goal in view of making disciples and bringing them to maturity.
For the Word of the Cross is a message filled with divine power. When the converted sinner hears what Christ has done to slay our old man and how we have been resurrected to an entirely new form of existence—it opens his understanding to spiritual realities that are life-changing. He discovers the source of power for personal holiness (“Christ in you” Col 1:27). This has immense consequences and crucial application for our own methodology in making disciples. We proclaim Christ, admonishing and teaching (See Rom 6:1-13). (Ex. Phil Lexow story).
We must follow the Pauline order—we proclaim Him—then we admonish and teach. Because only Christ and His cross can make a true disciple—you cannot by your own efforts. All of our instruction, exhortation, pleading, and admonishment must be anchored in Christ and His cross.
And here is why—because the devotion, the diligence, and the sacrifices made by a true disciple constitute a series of faith responses to Christ, the Lord of Glory. The life of obedience lived out by a true disciple takes place because he has ever clearer views of his Savior. Faith-based obedience is never separated from its object; the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, as disciple-makers, we proclaim Him—for in Christ there is limitless transforming power. That a neglected truth in the church today—that the message of the cross actually produces and secures consecration and devotion to Christ.
III. Paul gives us our growth pattern; he joins the power of God in the cross with the believer’s response of diligence and consecration.
The power of the message of the cross believed produces consecration and devotion to Christ. Our disciple-making must be characterized by both proclamation and practice, by exhibiting the supremacy of our Savior and by exhorting believers to follow Him without limits or reservations.
Bare principles and moral injunctions will not produce lasting change in the listener. In the final analysis, our most impassioned pleas for our listeners to be good; to try harder; to stop sinning—must be joined to the display of Christ —or the flesh will conclude that in itself are the meager resources necessary to crucify the flesh. We must preach to our hearers what we preach to ourselves— that Christ is the Divine Architect of the new man (Col 3:9-11; Eph 4:20-24).
The cross of Christ has redeemed and purchased us, making us God’s possessions for His holy and loving purposes. Christ’s mediatorial work has poured us into a (new man) life mold—totally shaping us to live for God’s glory (Col 3:10-11). On this side of the cross, true discipleship is living the new life Christ has wrought for us. We do not live a life of self-denial so that Christ will accept us—no, God has accepted the believer in the Beloved (Eph 1:3-6). Discipleship, with its life-style of self-denial, is living the life Christ has wrought for us. Consecration is a fruit of blood-bought grace (see Titus 2:14).
By means of the Holy Spirit, our Savior lives through us (Gal 2:20). Paul’s overflowing joy as a disciple of Christ emanated from his understanding that he was living an exchanged life. Paul could say with complete confidence that Christ was living His life through Paul. The old Paul had been crucified with Christ. The new Paul was nothing less than a daily cognizance of the reality that Christ lives in me. Paul was animated by this truth—it permeated his understanding. Christ is expressing His personality through the vehicle of my fleshly body (Gal 2:20). Paul was so conversant with his divine resources/assets in Christ that he could actually say of himself, “It is no longer I who live!”
IV. Proclaiming Christ and His cross guards against the pitfalls of performance Christianity.
There are dangers we might encounter if we don’t keep sharing with our disciples the resources they have in Christ. Let us mark this down in our own disciple-making—exhortation without this Word of Christ and Him crucified can produce exasperation. I remember the formula this way: exhortation without enablement equals exasperation.
When we exhort— we must never fail to imbue our listeners with their infinite resources in Christ.
But, admittedly, these gospel spiritual realities of identification with Christ stretch our understanding/comprehension to the limit. Just to think that in the mind of God, the elect were so fully identified with Christ their Head as to gain His life. So intimate was this identification that in Christ’s crucifixion, our fallen human natures were judged so that we should no longer be slaves of sin (Rom 6:6). This is Paul’s victory cry—those who have died are freed from sin—sin is no longer master over them (Rom 6:5-10ff.).
Our Adamic nature with its original sin—that bottomless vile vent of rebellion and pollution was once and for all judged in the body of Christ in His death. That is the basis for our victory over indwelling sin.
V. This doctrine of co-crucifixion is frequently neglected because it is difficult to understand, and therefore not viewed as practical.
The Apostle does not relegate this doctrine of co-crucifixion with Christ to the realm of theory. He immediately plows it into practical use. The believer is to reckon, count, consider himself dead to sin and alive to God. He is to present the members of his body to God as instruments of righteousness (Rom 6:11-13). How blessed it is to know that our fruitfulness as disciple-makers is tied to the Word of the Cross. The message of Christ and Him crucified assures us that the message of the gospel is God’s power to all who believe (Rom 1:16-17).
The proclamation of Christ’s indestructible life and His intercession for us in His passion and His glory cannot fail to produce a life of true discipleship in the elect. You and I need that assurance. Paul was seeking to prove to the consciences of the Corinthians that Christ was in him (2 Cor 13:3), and that all of his motives in ministry issued from the Person and work of Christ (see 2 Cor 5).
Paul’s point is that only Christ’s cross can produce the mindset of a true disciple of Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5, the Apostle expounds his motives for serving God, and he expounds the source of those motives. Paul’s motive for service was the controlling love of Christ. This motive issues forth in an action— the believer no longer lives for himself—he lives the life of a true disciple. “For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf” (2 Cor 5:14-15).
Paul says that he is constrained or controlled—he is so affected by a sense of incarnate love as to be ‘bounded by it’. He makes the will of Christ the rule of obedience. The true Christian is controlled by a sense of divine love so as to consecrate his life to Christ. By contrast, the one who lives supremely for family, science, sports, mankind, or whatever else is not a Christian. Christ died and rose on our behalf. That is, He died in our stead. The theology of this verse (5:14) is more profound than merely an obligatory response of our love to Christ’s love.
The cross has an inner result only understood in terms of substitution. He died for me as Substitute. He met the demands of justice for me (the basis and reality of my justification)—I died with Him—co-crucifixion is the basis for the whole possibility of my discipleship and sanctification.
Thus, the power of Christ’s cross is life-transforming. The sacrificial work of Christ is not merely an example of ultimate obedience for the disciple of Christ to emulate. The cross of Christ exerts the power in the lives of believing sinners to make new creatures who will walk as disciples of Christ.
VI. Let’s review so that these gospel realities so that they become fixed in our hearts as genuine ‘take away’s’.
Being a new creation in Christ is a profound truth in relation to discipleship because the cross of Christ produces actual changes in the sinner— changes which make the new believer willing to pay the cost of true discipleship! Therefore, we must fix in our minds that the cross provides each of the following three necessities for true discipleship. The cross provides the: 1) motivation to live as a disciple (we are controlled by the love of Christ); the cross provides the 2) obligation to live as a disciple (we are to no longer live for ourselves); the cross provides the 3) enablement to live as a disciple (we have died with Christ).
We cannot emphasize the power of the cross too strongly. When the cross of Christ is applied to a believing sinner by the Holy Spirit, not only is salvation the result, but also there will be a willingness in the individual to meet the demands of true discipleship—cross applied = the yoke is regarded as ‘easy’ (2 Cor 4:15).
The nature of the atonement is learned from its effect—one effect is “therefore, all were dead” (lit. Grk.) (2 Cor 5:14). His death secured their death. “Having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died” (5:14). The use of the word “all” in the last clause serves grammatically as a ‘qualifier’, in other words, it limits (or qualifies) the atonement as to its design and effect. Thus, we surmise that, “Christ died for all who died when He died.”ⁱᵛ Christ’s people are so united with Him that His death is their death (their death to the reign of sin and self) (the same argument of Christ’s solidarity with His people is set forth in Romans 6:1-14 and Galatians 2:20).
VII. In terms of the ‘power source’ for our putting sin to death, the message of co-crucifixion is the greatest resource in our arsenal.
Dying with Christ involves death to sin and self and involves the obligation to die to sin and self. All who died with Christ receive the benefits of his substitutionary death (imputed righteousness, forgiveness, adoption, sanctification, sonship, deliverance from the sin’s dominion; etc.). The specific character of the atonement—it was ultimately designed for those who partake of that new life of which Christ’s resurrection is the pledge and pattern. This is how Paul defends his conduct before the Corinthians. Christ’s love claims him in such a way that in relation to others, he can no longer exist for himself. In contrast, Paul’s opponents (the false apostles) were boasting to the Corinthians that they are religious, spiritual, and something in themselves.
Paul wanted his readers to know that his old self-centered life was gone (now it is righteous, resurrection life in Christ). Paul’s ministry motives come from agape love; they are a result of the cross. God’s design in the atonement was to found/establish the relationship with the forgiven sinner so that all emanates from being in Christ. Divine love proceeds from Christ and streams down to the elect; producing conformity to their divine Head (Rom 8:28-29).
“Having concluded this” or “We thus judge” (2 Cor 5:14). This clause in v. 14 assigns the reason why Christ’s love exerts constraining, animating, controlling power. Christ’s death not only placed upon the believer the
obligation for devotion, it
secured that devotion!!
They died in Him to a self-directed selfish life. Now, our faith response to this reality involves reckoning ourselves dead to sin. “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24).
Faith in His having died for us (and our having died in Him) is the source and principle of the Christian life. Paul’s motive—the constraining love of Christ—is followed by another action—as a new creature in Christ, he no longer judges according to the flesh (2 Cor 5:16-17). To ‘judge after the flesh’ means judging by the external or outward side of life. Paul is saying that since his conversion, he no longer estimates any man by the world’s standard of judgment.
Thus, Paul exposes the error of his opponents with a powerful argument: his opponents used the same criterion of evaluation on Paul that the unbelieving Jews did on Christ! Christ’s weakness (as the suffering Servant and Savior) was a stumbling block to both unbelieving Jews and to Gentiles.
Now that the cross was the center of Paul’s existence, he had obtained a new knowledge of Christ and a new set of values. Paul had known Christ “according to the flesh.” Prior to his salvation, Saul of Tarsus, by means of ‘fleshly judgment’, viewed Jesus as a crucified messianic pretender, cursed of God. When he saw Christ according to the flesh, he regarded Him as unbelieving Israel did—as an imposter perishing under the displeasure/disfavor of God (Is 53:3-4).
VIII. The believer’s eternal value system flows from the transforming reality of the cross of Christ.
Paul’s new values center upon his ‘theology of the cross’—to know the power of Christ’s resurrection, we share in His sufferings (we are like Him in His death—‘conformed to His death’ v. 10) (Phil 3:7-14). As a saved man, Paul now recognizes that Christ’s suffering was vicarious—accomplished in the room and stead of Christ’s people (direct substitution). God is making all things new by means of His Son’s cross (Rev 21:5). Paul, as theologian of the cross is theologian of heaven. On earth, Christ’s true identity as Lord of Glory was hidden behind weakened mortal flesh—but Paul now knows Christ as both suffering Messiah and exalted Lord of Heaven.
Union with Christ has transformed Paul—as a new creation, he has a different standard of judgment—old opinions, views, plans, desires, principles, and affections have “passed away.” Now he has new, clear views of truth, new apprehensions of his destiny and purpose. Our work as disciple-makers involves repeatedly proclaiming Christ and the accomplishments of His cross as these realities shape our value system (producing Kingdom consciousness).
Our disciples need to grasp that the Spirit’s work in regeneration is a “first fruits” creative work that makes each believer a representative of a coming new world order! The transformation has affected a kingdom transfer (Col 1:13). Here we are, radically identified with the cross, yet citizens of the new heavens and the new earth (Phil 3:20-21). The recreated man in Christ is part of the new cosmos coming (the theme is replacement—new world, new body, new values).
With this perception comes a new standard of judging, new treasure—the pretensions of the world sink into insignificance. A new creation by union with Christ is the ground of all our hope. A true disciple, like Paul, is animated by Christ’s love and a true disciple does all his evaluating by means of kingdom values. Friends of the cross have an eternal value system. No man who sets his mind on earthly things can be said to be a friend of the cross (Phil 3:18-19).
QUESTION # 1: What is the crucial role of the gospel in discipleship?
Do most believers only think of the gospel as the entrance into the Christian life? Unlike genuine Christianity, cultural Christianity is unmoved by spiritual realities and the precious things of God. This unbiblical form of Christianity is characterized by adherents who have no spiritual eyes to behold the infinite riches of Christ; therefore they do not regard heavenly treasure as their primary pursuit in this life.ᵛ (see Eph 1:15-18; 3:14-16.) Cultural Christianity is not missional in its mindset and direction—it has no controlling passion to advance the Kingdom of God. It is not sacrificially devoted to the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Its expression of Christianity is compartmentalized and shrunken and, worst of all, is tailored to the tastes of the religious consumer.ᵛⁱ
QUESTION # 2: What is the first step in locating a ‘gospel solution’ to barrenness of cultural Christianity. A critique of contemporary Christianity is needed in order to emphasize that true discipleship (as the heart of the Great Commission) has fallen by the wayside—it is being neglected in even the most respected evangelical churches. We are paying a high price for ignoring discipleship. Singular devotion to Christ is never a private solitary matter, it always issues forth in faith-energized vision for ministry and truth-driven service to the body of Christ. Consecration to Christ is expressed by love to the brethren; lived out by offering sacrificial help to them for their growth to maturity as Christ-followers.ᵛⁱⁱ Assisting others in their spiritual growth is the very essence of discipleship (Col 1:28-29)—gladly obeying the ‘people to people’ commands.
QUESTON # 3: Is being discipled in the gospel the necessary ‘lens’ for beholding the glory of God? Jonathan Edwards offers the scriptural insight that true spirituality is knowing, tasting, and seeing the beauty of God’s holiness. What sets the saint apart from all others is that he sees the glory or beauty of divine things. If deprived of the regular revelation of Christ’s glory, the church becomes spiritually malnourished, for, she was called into existence to glorify Christ and to commune with the Godhead by feeding upon Christ. It is by the church’s intake of Christ that she is able to manifest Christ. Without this feasting upon the things of Christ, she will experience declension, ineffectiveness, cold formalism and institutionalism. It is Christ who has purchased His church—it exists for Him. He owns the church and rules the church by His infallible Word. When believers forget that Christ owns and rules His church and is enthroned upon her praises (1 Pet 2:1-10)—there will be an inescapable pull toward man-centeredness.
QUESTION # 4: The gospel keeps defining for us our relationship with the Lord, that continual input is so important for our disciple’s spiritual growth. As disciplers we must know that only the gospel can reverse our tendency to be self-justifiers. Self-justification is the action of defending our intrinsic worth. This defense of our intrinsic worth has manifestations called, ‘flesh fruits’ (Gal 5:19-21), traceable to original sin. But, through the wonder of the ‘guilt transfer’ at Calvary’s cross, Christ has brought believing sinners all the way to God (1 Pet 3:18). Left to our depravity, self under judgment cannot possibly experience close proximity to God or to others (Job 3:25). We require a substitute, or we will forever be banished from God’s presence, life, love, light, and blessedness.ᵛⁱⁱⁱ This gospel reality of guilt exchange is the foundation of why our relationship with the Lord shapes all of our other relationships.
QUESTION # 5: If the liberty of the gospel takes us off ourselves so that we begin to behold Christ as a habit, how would that affect our personal holiness? As disciplers we must know why the gospel as the glory of Christ is the indispensable key to ongoing holiness. We must frequently meditate on the glory of Christ to be free from earthly cares and sinful affections. “But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Cor 3:18). Only the saved see and savor the glory of Christ. God’s glory in the face of Christ ought to be the aim of gospel preaching. Christ as revealed in the gospel is our totalizing worldview; we are to see all of life through Him—our purpose, desire, direction, and hope emanate from Him.ⁱˣ Only a continual view of the glory of Christ will stir us up and encourage us to watch and continually fight against the deceitful workings of sin. To experience the things of Christ’s glory has the power to make us want to do the things that please Him (2 Cor 5:9). This revelation of Christ in the gospel is our ‘food’—without a steady diet of Christ as He is displayed to the saints in the gospel, the church cannot fulfill her mission.
QUESTION # 6: How does beholding Christ’s glory in the gospel form desires in the believer/disciple to minister to others? The power of Christ’s love received has an effect upon our lives of enabling us to bear fruit for the glory of God. The church cannot maintain its fervency apart from communion with Christ. Christ’s intent is that we ‘feast’ with Him by means of these spiritual refreshments (Rev 3:20). How are we to receive these things? Look on the glory of Christ by faith; His humbling of Himself to come into the world—His present high position in heaven—His love and grace. Our hearts will be spiritually affected in some degree by His constraining love (2 Cor 5:14)—which is the source of all our spiritual comforts and power. Christ knows perfectly the eternal blessedness which will be enjoyed by those who believe in Him (Jn 10:10).ˣ Without the experience of these things (the spiritual comforts Christ brings), our Christianity is heartless, lifeless, and useless. We can say we believe the promises about the eternal glories of heaven, but where is the proof of our faith if we do not experience the enjoyment of these spiritual blessings here and now? (Rom 15:13; 1 Pet 1: 3-9). We must take a steady view of Christ’s glory—and seek Him with all our heart. In this way alone will the believers who collectively make up the church recover from stagnancy. Christ’s glory alone will bring us back to joy—to love in our hearts, in our souls, and in our relationships.ˣⁱ
QUESTION # 7: How does the gospel provide the right motives for sanctification? Gospel discipleship stresses that justification drives sanctification. God accepts us in the Beloved. Our righteous status in Christ is the basis for our sanctification. Thus, the Pauline model of sanctification is grounded in gospel discipleship: our practice and walk is founded upon our position in Christ. This dynamic is seen in the relationship between the indicative (what God has accomplished in Christ) and the imperative (our commensurate walk enjoined) which characterizes Paul’s epistles. The indicative drives the imperative.
The benefits of utilizing our mind to dwell on things above (Col 3:1-2) (or gospel realities) are manifold. When we do so, our fellowship with God increases; for when God is honored in our truthful and adoring thinking about Him, we are holding communion with Him and He manifests His presence to us. When you practice dwelling on things above, you’ll abide in Christ as a habit (Eph 3:14-19).
QUESTION # 8: Does this dynamic of gospel transformation play a major role in guarding the believer from living a compartmentalized life? Only the gospel consistently applied can give us a united heart which is loyal to the Lord (Ps 86:11)—aspiring after what is referred to as ‘universal obedience’ (a holistic, comprehensive obedience). The full-orbed gospel permeates every area of life—it is designed to have a holistic effect upon the believer, in other words, no compartments. Our gospel focus is care for your relationship with the Lord which has been given by grace at the moment of salvation. Fixing your mind upon all God is toward you in Christ removes the element of “just do it”—or, “grind out your religious duty.” Religious duty moves to delight only when the spiritual affections are engaged. All God is toward us in Christ must be displayed to our affections (this includes His sovereign initiation which invited me into His Kingdom plot with its unspeakable majesty, infinite dimensions and eternal scope).
QUESTION # 9: What can we do in our discipling of others which will keep the emphasis on transformation instead of merely information? The disciple-maker as well as the disciple is also a growing, Christ-follower. Therefore, he is learning through the discipleship relationship as well as his disciple. Here are some suggested questions and topics that can bring added ‘realism’ to discipling in the gospel. Why is it so hard for us as believers to learn that Christ carries our status before God? Though discipling others is to be deliberate, it is also to be a lifestyle of love and spiritual parenting—discipleship is the most grace-based when we are not carrying the burden of whether or not our efforts succeed in the short term. How can we stress that true discipleship involves radical self-denial: dying to self and dying to the flesh and its desires? (See Gal 5:24; 6:14-15; Rom 8:12-13.) How can we keep checking to see if the heart affections are being reached in our discipleship efforts? If training in righteousness is helping the disciple learn to obey what Christ has commanded, shouldn’t the disciple welcome feedback regarding his level of obedience? Why should the following ‘gospel grid’ permeate every area of our discipleship curriculum: Who the believer is in Christ; and who God is toward the believer in Christ?
End Notes:
i Paul F. M. Zahl, A Short Systematic Theology, pp. 54-55
ii Ibid, p. 56
iii Ibid, pp. 68, 70, 76-77
iv Hodge, MacArthur, et al
v Ibid, pp. 42-43, 53, 68
vi Ibid, pp. 71-72
vii Ibid, pp. 76-81
viii Ibid, pp. 56-57
ix John Piper, God is the Gospel
x Ibid.
xi Ibid.