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THE GREAT NEED FOR DISCIPLESHIP
(TEXT: 1 PET 22 JHN 151, 2, 6 HEB 126-7 ICOR33 316-17 MATT2229
The biblical definition of Christian discipleship is the training of Christian believers to grow into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
Discipleship is a vital ingredient for a successful walk with God here on earth. It is God’s available means of conforming us to his image and its geared towards our glorification (Roms829-30)
Discipleship is a great need because God does not want us to remain as babes forever; He wants us to bear fruit. Fruit that will abound unto life everlasting. (Jhn 151)
Our heavenly father is the husbandman or vinedresser while Jesus Christ is the true vine and we are the branches attached to the plant or vine. We get our nourishment from the vine and therefore we are expected to bear fruit. But it takes the process of abiding (discipleship) to maintain our connection or relationship with the vine. It also takes abiding to bear fruit and even much more. The Husbandman cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit Jhn1(Amp).
It is only through the process of discipleship we can be pruned purged and chastened. God deals with us as sons and that is why he chastises us when we go wrong just as our earthly fathers will do (Heb 126-7). But not everyone can be called a son. It is only a disciple that can endure chastisement and therefore it takes the process of discipleship to be translated from babyhood or childhood to sonship. Babies are born disciples are made.
Babies who do not grow remain babies. Imagine a baby who has been crawling and then suddenly now begins to walk, that is an evidence of growth, but if after 5-10 years a baby who ought to have been walking, running and jumping but is still found crawling then we will begin to wonder what the problem is , unfortunately that is the state of most Christians today no wonder- God encourages us to desire the pure milk as new born babes so we can grow (IPet22).
When a tree grows to a level it begins to produce fruits. Fruit-bearing is therefore an evidence of growth, but a tree cannot grow if it is not properly nurtured with the necessary nutrients (such as water, manure etc.) it is this nurturing process that enable the tree to grow and bear fruits. Therefore discipleship is a nurturing process that every born again Christian must pass through for growth and fruit-bearing. We cannot bear fruit except we pass through this process.
Therefore to lack discipleship is to lack growth and to lack growth is to lack fruit. And the consequence of not bearing fruit is to be thrown out like a broken-off branch. (Matt 2119 Jhn116).
The benefits of discipleship are inexhaustible some of the benefits of Christian discipleship include:
1. It enables us to grow in grace (2Pet 318)
2. To gain a deeper insight of God’s will
3. To attain a closer fellowship or walk with the Lord
4. It will enable us to bear abiding fruit (Jhn 151)
5. It translates us from babyhood to sonhood
6. It keeps us connected to The Vine. (Jhn 151)
7. It gives us the privilege to be chastised by God Himself. This will enable us to be thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (2 tim 316-17)
8. It establishes our relationship with the Son and the Father.
9. It keeps us from errors and mistakes (Matt 2229).
God bless you!
Pst. Emmanuel Elakhe
([email protected], +2348138199369, +2348054861062,
(National Evangelism Christian Outreach, Port Harcourt Nigeria)
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