Discipleship: Episode 1, Not Earned

 

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 English Standard Version

               I enlisted in the U.S. Army sometime in January of 1981. I know, that’s before some of you were born. From that date, the U.S. government considered me a soldier; in some ways subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice being available for service as the Army saw fit. I shipped out to basic training in February of 1981. At that time, Basic Training lasted a little over four weeks. At the end of basic training I was considered a trained soldier, capable of serving wherever the Army sent me. My training did not end there. Over the ensuing years I attended many schools, obtaining numerous certifications and additional skills the Army felt I needed to successfully serve. For the duration of my twenty-seven-year career, I continued to learn and grow as a soldier and a leader; however, the Army considered me a soldier from the first day, way back in 1981. In some way our discipleship as Christians is much the same.

               We enter into discipleship as Christians when we respond to God’s tender invitation. Interestingly, and I do not want to make too much of this, Jesus instructs the apostles to make people disciples before baptizing them. One might say that our discipleship begins when we first start listening to the voice of Christ and perhaps continues on into eternity. But that is a discussion for some other time with theologians wiser than me. The point is our discipleship does not earn us our salvation.

               As a soldier, NCO, and officer, I lived by checklists and regulations. They circumscribed my career and life. I knew that if I followed them, I would enjoy the reward of career advancement. In many ways, the Army was and is legalistic. You do the right thing and good things happen to you. It is the antithesis of our relationship with the Lord. Our discipleship does not effect our salvation. We tend to equate our perceived progress in discipleship with our state of salvation. We build our own checklists. This is far from the truth. Paul points this out with some rather stringent language in the following passage.

¹ For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

               Paul equates this sort of legalistic approach to our relationship with the Lord and our salvation with slavery. While growing in our Christian Walk, in our expressions of discipleship, is important, it does not save us. Once we start equating our discipleship with our salvation, we’ve put on the yoke of slavery that is legalism. Those of us who’ve embraced this new legalism often use it as a cudgel to try and enforce our new legal code, especially on new Christians. Again, Pual used some rather fierce language.

¹² I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! Galatians 5:12

The issue of that day was ritual circumcision. In a nice bit of prose, Paul says, “just cut it off!” When I start equating salvation and discipleship, I’m joining those pharisaical men of the first century and imbibing in their heresy. Do not misunderstand, discipleship is important, but it is not salvation. Our salvation comes from Jesus’ action on the cross and not any of our works. Discipleship, like salvation, flows from faith.

               Early on, all of us declare our faith in Jesus. We come to realize that we cannot save ourselves and cry out to God for salvation. We put our faith in Jesus and His work on the cross. In a similar fashion our discipling experience flows from faith. Like Peter, Jesus calls us out onto the water of discipleship. Discipleship involves alterations in our decision-making processes and activities which require faith. Some of these are quite prosaic, such as generous giving or guarding our speech. Others involve much more risk, such as putting others’ needs first. No matter the step, discipleship involves faith and not some sort of legalistic approach.

               A good friend of mine frequently talkes about discipleship as being so close to your master that the dust from his feet settled on you. In our minds, we must keep the order firmly in place in our minds. Jesus saves us and because of that action we follow Him, seeking to draw ever closer to our Lord. Discipleship follows salvation, not the reverse. Discipleship involves walking out our faith daily and becoming more like our master.

⁶ Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. I John 2:6

Discipleship involves walking as Jesus walks, living as He lives, speaking as He speaks. We love Him and seek to emulate Him. Our salvation leads us to this. We do not change to be saved; we change because we are saved. Propelled by love and thankfulness, we follow Him and find ourselves changed into His likeness by the experience and the Spirit.

¹⁸ And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. II Corinthians 3:18

               Discipleship is important. As we follow Jesus, we find ourselves becoming more and more like Him. Discipleship enables the process of transformation. As a new soldier, I could not successfully bear the responsibilities of a Lieutenant Colonel, my final rank. But with time, training, and experience I developed into a capable and competent officer; however, I was a member of the Army the day I raised my right hand and took the oath. We all want to grow in our relationship with Jesus. We want to be good disciples. These are fine aspirations, ones that all Christians should hold close in their hearts. But, we must always keep in mind that our salvation proceeds our discipleship and is not caused by it. Instead, our salvation feeds and generates our discipleship.

 

Thought Questions:

1.      How do you show your discipleship?

2.     How has your discipleship journey tested your faith?

3.     What are some of the key moments in your discipleship journey?

4.     How does your experience of discipleship make you different?

5.     How do you walk like Jesus walked?