The Life of a Disciple

In relation to my last blog, God has been challenging my heart in the area of discipleship and what it really means to be a disciple of Christ. In studying all the gospels, but especially Mark 8, here are 7 characteristics that I found should be true in the daily life of a disciple of Jesus:

1. A Life of Suffering (Mark 8:31)
In teaching His disciples, Jesus spoke about how it was necessary that He must suffer many things. Peter did not like this and Jesus rebuked him and called him Satan! Why? I believe that Peter's thoughts on suffering were wrong and were actually Satan's thoughts on suffering. Satan would have us avoid suffering at all costs. This idea of suffering is setting our mind on the things of man and Satan, and not on the things of God. (v.33)

2. A Life of Rejection (Mark 8:31)
Dietrich Bonhoeffer says in his book, The Cost of Discipleship, "There is a distinction here between suffering and rejection. Had he only suffered, Jesus might still have been applauded as the Messiah. But in the passion Jesus is a rejected Messiah." So, as I understand it, to "take up his cross" has this idea of both suffering and rejection, which means that Christ was not talking about the normal difficulties of life which everybody has. I believe that Christ was talking about taking radical risks for His cause and the gospel's which would incur suffering and rejection upon us. Therefore, if I'm not experiencing suffering and rejection ever, then it must mean that I am not living as a disciple of Christ. Of course, the kind of suffering and rejection that each disciple faces varies, depending on what God sovereignly chooses.

3. A Life of Complete Imitation of Christ (Mark 8:34)
A true disciple of Christ seeks to follow Christ in every area of his life. This will look different for each disciple, based on the amount of knowledge that he possesses. The question here is, Are you doing and being all that Christ would do and be, if He were you? Many Christians are picking and choosing in what areas they want to follow Jesus, but this means they are not true disciples of Christ.

4. A Life of Hate Toward Ourselves (Mark 8:34-35)
"Let him deny Himself." How is this going to happen? He must hate himself. "Whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." (John 12:25) I appreciate Jesus' words here, because they indicate an all-out war on our old nature which seeks to love itself and preserve itself. Mark 8:35 says that "whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it." This is the 2nd expression most used by Jesus in the gospels. The old nature fights against losing one's life for Jesus and seeks to preserve itself. "Whoever seek to preserve his life will lose it..." (Luke 17:33)

5. A Life Without Shame (Mark 8:38)
"For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed..." A true disciple is not ashamed of Christ and His words, but is actually bold and proud of His Master.

6. A Life of Love for Christ (Mark 8:35)
"For my sake..." This is the key to being a true dedicated disciple of Christ. My love for Christ is the only way I can suffer and be rejected for His sake. My love for Christ is the ultimate motivation for following him completely. The reason I hate myself is because I love Him so much and I don't want myself to get in the way of my love for Him. I am not ashamed of the One that I love more than anything and anyone. Matthew 10:34-39 is an interesting text because it states that Christ came to "set a man against his father". Basically He has come to cause division. Why so? He explains that "whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me..." In other words, the reason why He would cause division is that He calls for us as His disciples to love Him more than our family, which can cause division. In Luke 14:26-27, Jesus uses even stronger language to emphasize our love for Him. "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sister, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple." Obviously He is not teaching us to hate our family, but that our love for Him should be so strong that our love for family seems like hatred.

7. A Life Without Regret (Mark 8:35)
"For whoever would save his life WILL LOSE IT..." If we are not willing to pay the actual costs in following Christ we will lose our life. I believe this is saying that we will waste our lives. I like how Luke 9:25 puts it: "For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself." I have forfeited many opportunities for Christ and the gospel and I regret this. I don't want to look back at my life anymore and have more regrets. The life of a true disciple of Jesus Christ is a life without any regrets because of how it was lived. It is a life well-lived.

JT