Occasionally, we have to boil things down to their simplest form. As God's little children, we tend to be pretty forgetful. Just like little children, as up-and-coming disciples, we need to periodically remind ourselves of the fundamentals. I need it, so I figured we all do. So here's a review of the bare minimums. It’s Discipleship 101 in its simplest form:
1. Yahweh Almighty God is God, and we are not.
2. Choose to use God's Definitions, because those are the Only Ones that Truly Count
3. Since God is perfect, we must be transformed to agree with God, because He will not change to accommodate us.
4. Take God Seriously, because He IS NOT Kidding.
5. Before we can successfully make disciples, we first have to be a Disciple.
6. To make successful disciples, we must teach people how to obey EVERYTHING Messiah commanded.
7. We Must Remember Our New Citizenship: (Think Heavenly, Desire Heavenly, Speak Heavenly, and Choose Heavenly things).
1. Yahweh Almighty God is God, and we are not.
We believe that the One True Creator (Genesis Ch. 1-2), Who is Perfect Love (1 John 4:8), the One Who revealed Himself to Noah, to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to Joseph, and to Moses; the One Who sent Yeshua of Nazareth; He alone is God (Psalm 100:3; Isaiah 45:18). He is God. He is our master, and we are not Master over Him. He is God, we are not.While He is merciful and compassionate beyond measure, everyone will be judged by Him, and we shall not be judges over Him (Hebrews 4:12-13). While Yahweh delights to do good and provide well for His children (Psalm 103; Matthew 7:7-11), we were created for His pleasure, and not to please ourselves (Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11). Therefore, by definition, if we are not desiring, if we are not seeking, if we are not learning, if we're not choosing, and if we are not progressively doing what Yahweh Almighty God says is pleasing to Him, then we are failing that purpose for which we were created, and we are wasting the gift of life which He gave us. Yahweh is our Father, we are the children (Matthew 18:3-4). We must keep that straight.
2. Choose to use God's Definitions, Because those are the Only Ones that Truly Count:
We cannot walk with God correctly unless we first learn to AGREE with God (Amos 3:3). Since Yahweh Almighty God is God, and since He is the ultimate Judge Who is going to judge us, then we MUST LEARN to DEFINE EVERYTHING, as God defines things in His Word.For just one example, we know that Almighty God REQUIRES that we repent, that means that we MUST turn AWAY from SIN, and TURN TOWARD what God says is pleasing to Him. The problem is that if we hold a definition of sin that is different from what God defines as being sin, then we will fail to repent in some important areas, because we will have developed a belief and mindset that tells us that we are not sinning, when in fact God thinks and says that we are sinning (1 John 3:4; Hosea 8:1; Daniel 9:11).
For this reason, God's Word specifically COMMANDS US NOT TO RELY UPON OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING (Proverbs 3:4-7; Jeremiah 9:23-24; Proverbs 26:12). That's because our own heart and our own understanding can deceive us with sin (Jeremiah 17:9; Hebrews 3:13). We can fall into desires, thoughts, attitudes and behavior patterns that we have convinced ourselves to be perfectly fine, but in reality, they lead to our destruction (Proverbs 21:2; Proverbs 14:12; Proverbs 16:25).
One of the biggest snares of deception that we often fall into is the snare of redefinition. By redefining key concepts to match our own preferences, we can deceive ourselves into thinking that we are walking correctly with God when we are in reality disobeying God (e.g. Luke 10:25-29). When Yahweh Almighty God judges us, He is not going to judge us according to our standards of right and wrong. On the contrary, the One Who created all things is going to judge us according to HIS OWN Righteous Standards. So, we are not walking in love, unless HE defines what we are doing as being loving. We are not walking in faith, unless HE defines what we are doing as being faithful. We are not walking in obedience, unless he says that what we are doing is obedient. Our definitions are virtually meaningless. God's definitions are the only ones that count.
3. Since God is perfect, we must be transformed to agree with God, because He will not change to Accommodate us.
Yahweh Almighty God is God and He does not change: (Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; Hebrews 13:8). Yahweh's Word, His Ways and His Laws are perfect (2 Samuel 22.31; Psalm 19:7-10;Psalm 119:142-144; James 1:25). We who claim to be HIS people are called to STRIVE to imitate HIS Perfection (Matthew 5:48; Ephesians 4:25-5:1; 1 John 2:1-6) Therefore, authentic discipleship is about submitting to God and allowing HIM to change our hearts and minds and our desires so that we will come into agreement with HIS definitions in all matters. It is NOT expecting God to adapt His definitions or adapt His standards to suit our own definitions, preferences and desires. There is a huge difference, (Amos 3:3; Isaiah 5:20-24; Matthew 6:22-23; Romans 8:5-8; Romans 12:1-2).4. Take God Seriously, because He IS NOT Kidding
Yahweh Almighty God created everything in creation by the words of His Mouth (Genesis Ch. 1-2; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 3:9; Revelation 4:11). He spoke the universe into being thousands of years ago, and it still functions, despite the fact that we have corrupted the world with sin. His words will not return empty, but they will accomplish the purposes for which He spoke them (Isaiah 55:11). The Creator said what He means, and He means what He said. Scripture is full of the Creator's Promises (2 Corinthians 1:20; 2 Peter 1:2-4). With virtually every promise that God made there are specified conditions which must be met to receive the promises. If we are not experiencing the blessings and benefits of a promise that we see in Scripture, it is because we have not properly met the conditions which God has established in order for us to receive that particular promise. I call them the "IF" clauses. For example, God is very forgiving. He provides promises in His Word to forgive our sins:“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NASB95)God offers forgiveness to me for my sins. He also offers to cleanse me of all unrighteousness. Those two things are exceedingly great promises, but there is a definite condition attached. I can only receives the forgiveness that God offers IF I agree with God, and speak in agreement with God that the thing I did for which I desire forgiveness, IS in fact SIN because it violated His Laws and His standards of righteousness, (this is because that is how God defines what it means to confess, so if I do not do that, then I did not truly confess). Another condition to receiving God's forgiveness for my sins, is that I must forgive those who sin or trespass against me (Matthew 6:14-15). Scripture is clear that if I wish to receive God's forgiveness, those are the conditions which I must meet. Almost every promise in Scripture functions in the same manner. If I want the benefits of the promise, I have to take God seriously enough to comply with the conditions which He has established.
True reverence and respect for God means that we take what God says seriously.
For example, when the Creator specifically teaches that certain desires, attitudes and lifestyles WILL inherit His blessings, believe Him. Take God and His Word seriously, and develop those characteristics, because He means it, and we need those characteristics; (Psalm 24:1-6; Psalm 15:1-5; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; 2 Peter 1:3-11; Revelation 21:7)
Conversely, when the Creator specifically teaches that certain desires attitudes and lifestyles WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD, take God seriously and turn away from such things, because He means that as well (Matthew 7:21-23; John 3:36; John 8:34-36; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 6:15–16; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Ephesians 5:5; Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8; just to name a few key areas). For a complete Scripturally detailed Biblical list of what Yahweh Almighty God specifically says will not inherit His Kingdom click here:
http://discipleshipsuccess.blogspot.com/2012/01/should-we-really-cry-out.html
“GOD SAYS WHAT HE MEANS AND MEANS WHAT HE SAYS. THE WISE PERSON IS THE ONE WHO LISTENS CAREFULLY, WHO TRULY TAKES ALMIGHTY GOD SERIOUSLY, AND CHOOSES TO WALK ACCORDINGLY. EVERYTHING LESS IS FOOLISHNESS; GOD SAVE US FROM ALL FOOLISHNESS.”
5. Before we can successfully make disciples, we first have to be one
That's pretty simple and straightforward, but it's so simple that the concept is often neglected. A healthy, productive Apple tree is known to be healthy when it produces healthy apples. Likewise, a healthy and productive disciple, will help to produce other healthy disciples (Matthew 7:15-20). By definition, a disciple is one who believes, one who follows, obeys, and walks in the steps of, and then who spreads the teachings of another. So by definition, a true disciple of Messiah would be; one who believes the Messiah, one who follows, obeys, and walks in the steps of Messiah, and then spreads the teachings of Messiah both by the way they speak and by the way they live their lives. That is a disciple (Genesis 15:6; John 8:39; Habakkuk 2:4;. Romans 14:23b; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Samuel 15:22-23; Proverbs 21:3; John 14:21; John 15:14; 1 John 2:1-6; Matthew 10:8b; Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 9:26)6 To make successful disciples, we must teach people how to obey EVERYTHING Messiah commanded
When Messiah left this world, he gave us a very specific charge, which we of commonly called the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20)“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” (Matthew 28:19-20, NRSV)First, it is worth noticing that according to Messiah, disciples are MADE. We are not physically born into discipleship, and neither is discipleship automatic when we are born again. Disciples are MADE, NOT born.
Second, Baptism is the beginning of discipleship, it is not an end unto itself. In other words, to confess belief and submission to Messiah as Lord, and then to be baptized into Christ is not an end unto itself. It is merely the beginning of the story.
Third, In order to be a successful disciple maker, WE MUST TEACH new converts how to obey EVERYTHING that Jesus Christ, Yeshua the Messiah commanded. If we do not teach people how to obey everything that Yeshua the Messiah commanded, then by Messiah's own words and principles, we have failed to make a disciple of that person. Remember as in all other key concepts, we MUST define disciple making the way that Messiah defines disciple making. According to Messiah Himself, if we are not teaching people how to obey and follow EVERYTHING that Messiah commanded, then by HIS own definition, we are NOT successfully making disciples. In such a case we are failing to obey the Great Commission. It's that simple.
Fourth, Yeshua the Messiah promises that He will be with us always even to the end of the age, but He promised that in order to give us the courage and confidence to DO the Great Commission which He sent us out to do. He also equally promised that if we were ashamed of Him and His Words, then He would be ashamed of us (Luke 10:26). If we shrink back from Him and His Words, then He will not take pleasure in us (Hebrews 10:38). So we must become unashamedly committed to believing, to obeying, and to declaring His Words and His Ways.
7 We Must Remember Our New Citizenship
This can be one of the most challenging aspects of true biblical discipleship, but it's one of the most critical ones. So we must pay close attention. If we are truly committed to Yahweh Almighty God, and to Yeshua the Messiah, then we have to remember that we do not LIVE in this world, we are merely passing through, or traveling through this life, on our way to our eternal destination. Our true citizenship is in Yahweh Almighty God's Eternal Kingdom. We are part of the Israel of God. We are passing through this life on our way to our future eternal home.For example, let us say that you had an important and lucrative new job opportunity in a far-off country, which required you to move your entire family and household abroad. If you truly want to do well in the new place where you would be living, you would have to know something about the language, the mindset, the ideology, the laws and the customs of your new country. If you are bound and determined that everyone in your new home country would have to be Americanized so that you would not have to change at all, then you would have a very hard time succeeding in your new home. The same principle holds true with the Kingdom of Heaven.
As members of the body and bride of Messiah, our main objective as we travel through our temporary existence here, is to learn how to truly please our Savior and Bridegroom. We must learn to overcome our temporary surroundings, and adopt the mindset and lifestyle that agrees with the Laws, Principles and Attitudes that agree with God and the Kingdom in which we intend to dwell for eternity.
People in Covenant Relationship with Almighty God are Called to Be Holy, which Means to Be Separate from the rest of the sinful world, and devoted to God: (Leviticus 11:44; Leviticus 19:2; 20:7; Isaiah 48:20; Jeremiah 50:8; Zechariah 2:6-7; Isaiah 52:11-12; Isaiah 56:1-7).
Holiness looks like this:
· We are NOT to adapt or incorporate pagan worship practices into the worship of the One True God (Deuteronomy 12:29-32; Jeremiah 1:1-2; John 4:24; Matthew 5:48; 1 Corinthians 10:1-21, 31; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1.
· We must think with a renewed mind, and not think like the world Thinks (Isaiah 26:3; Proverbs 3:5-7 Isaiah 55:7-8 Matthew 5:17-20; Romans 8:5-8 Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 2:5-8; Philippians 4:8 Colossians 3:2). We cannot successfully do Kingdom things, unless our thinking agrees with Kingdom thoughts.
· We MUST learn to talk and speak differently than the world does (Matthew 12:34).
o Mouth control or the lack of it will make the difference between whether or not we have any Fellowship with God at all (Psalm 15:1-3).
o Mouth control or the lack of it will make a difference between whether we have genuine religion or a meaningless one (James 1:26; Proverbs 15:4).
o Mouth control will make the difference between whether we stand or we stumble (Psalm 15:3,5b; James 3:2).
o Mouth control will make the difference between our life and death (Proverbs 18:21; 1 Peter 3:10).
o Mouth control will make a difference between whether or not we stand after the judgment of God. God will judge our every word; (Matthew 12:36).
o It will literally make the difference between whether we go to heaven or hell (Matthew 12:37).
o King David understood this by the Holy Spirit, which is why he specifically asked God to set a watch over his heart and mouth so that he would not enjoy, delight in, or speak anything evil (Psalm 141:1-4).
o Healthy maturing Christians don't talk trash, and don't talk smack. We don't talk like the world. Healthy maturing Christians don't double-speak or give room for the devil to work in their mouth (Matthew 5:37; James 5:12).
o Avoid vulgar speech, foolish talk, dirty or off-color joking (Ephesians 5:4).
o When Christians speak to God it should be with humbleness and Thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4; Colossians 2:7).
o When Christians speak to each other it should be directly agreeable to and echo with Scripture (Ephesians 4:15,25, 5:19).
o When we speak to the unbelieving world it should be with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15-16).
o As Christians, we should seek to only say those things that are necessary to build others up and help them do right (Ephesians 4:29).
o Messiah points out that if we lose our ability to impact the world in these ways we are basically useless. This is why we should not absorb the flavor of the world. We should be "flavoring them" with a distinct flavor of Jesus Christ; Yeshua the Messiah (Matthew 5:13-16)
· We MUST LEARN to desire, to seek, and pursue different things than the sinful world does (Psalm 42:1; 1 Peter 2:2; Psalm 37:4; Matthew 5:6; Matthew 6:24-33; 1 Corinthians 14:1a).
We CANNOT be friends with the sinful world and be friends with the Holy God at the same time. As it is written:
James 4:4 "You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." (James 4:4 NASB;)Beloved we are deciding nothing less than whether to be God's friend or His enemy.
1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17 (NKJV)
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