Discipleship- Are You A Follower or An Imitator?

Are you becoming an imitator of Christ, or merely just another follower?

True Discipleship - Becoming Imitators of Christ

What is a disciple? The common definition is “student” or “follower”. The Greek word mathetes translates as “disciple”, and the NAS Topical Index goes on to state that a deeper meaning is “adherent” or “apprentice”- this is someone who sits under the intense training and watchful eye of a master. 

Their whole intent and purpose is to learn to imitate the person they are serving under.

I believe that the term “disciple” has taken on a light context in our culture. Not that this blase approach did not exist in Jesus day as well; there were many people who followed Jesus temporarily, until the going got too rough. These fair-weather followers were quick to jump ship when they felt the heat, when Jesus’ words struck too close to home, and when they were asked to give up more than they were willing to lay down. These were people who simply “followed” Jesus- they went were He went- but they did not become who He was.

Even among the twelve closest to Jesus, there was one, Judas, who betrayed Him. And there were squabbles and issues that arose among the faithful as well. They argued and jockeyed for position, their flesh rose and they questioned everything. They were on the mountain top one day watching Jesus glow in His glory, and in the courtyard denying His existence the next. They were real, normal, everyday people. But they had the heart to serve- they loved Jesus, and that was the key to their success in discipleship.

So what do we do? How do we lay down all to serve our master to the best of our ability? The answer lies in six specific character traits the faithful ones possessed to run the race with Jesus till the end, and influenced others to do the same. These are the traits we will be studying over the next several posts. We will be looking at the traits themselves, and see how they were fleshed out in the early followers of Christ, and even in some modern-day examples. We will ask ourselves some questions about where we are at this moment, and were we want to grow. 

The following six traits are my focus in coming posts:

Passion

Boldness

Faithfulness

Humility

Sacrifice

Worship

When you survey that list at a glance, is there a trait that sticks out to you? Is there an area that pricks your heart- knowing that you struggle to live it out? In contrast, is there something you see in that list that you feel you already excel in? We all possess strengths and weaknesses, and we are all a work in progress.

 Over the course of the next several posts I make, it is my prayer that we will all begin to see the Lord move us deeper in each of these areas, and push us out of our comfort zones. I want us to be done with our “comfortable lives”, really take up our cross, and pursue these traits; to become “Christ imitators” and influence others to do the same.

Ephesians 5:1-2 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”

We will learn, by God’s grace, to become imitators of God- walking in love- becoming more and more like the Christ who loved us and sacrificed Himself for us- and our lives will become a fragrant aroma before our God.