There’s a difference between being a “Christian” and being a “disciple.” During the time Jesus walked the earth and immediately following the resurrection, those who followed him were called “disciples” or “followers.” It was only years later that they were called “Christians.” Since that time there has been a fundamental shift in what it meant to be a follower of Jesus.
As I read the New Testament, the call is for people to be “disciples.” We have lost what it means to be a disciple. That loss of meaning is illustrated by what people think of when they hear the word “disciple.” For many people, the term “disciple” refers to just the original twelve disciples. The original twelve are better identified as “apostles.” Those who were not apostles are referred to as “disciples” or “followers.” A common term for the early followers of Jesus was “Followers of the Way.”
To be a disciple means one becomes a student. But being a student in the sense of a disciple is more than just learning about someone or what someone teaches. It also means that the disciple models his or her life and practices after whoever they are a “disciple” of, that is they are a disciple of the “Master.”
If you think about it, it’s a radical concept to live as the “Master” lived. Jesus was a servant. He was a servant to the poor and those who had nowhere to turn. Even his crucifixion is understood as an act of giving to those who didn’t deserve to be rescued from their sin and folly.1 All of the life of Jesus is characterized by the idea of him giving of himself for the benefit of others.
Jesus gave freely and as the church developed, some people saw it as a place to get something for themselves. Most commonly it was seen as a place to “be saved.” Salvation was a draw for those early Followers of the Way. But along with salvation they also understood they would live according to the teachings of Jesus.
Early on there was a shift in understanding the advantage of following Jesus. Some people joined with the followers of Jesus because they saw it as a way to have power for themselves.2 It was no longer about serving others as servants of God; it became about gaining power and recognition from other people.
In some ways, being a Christian today has been reduced to two, maybe three, basic ideas. It is a matter of “being saved from hell,” “joining a church,” or perhaps just being accepted by society as a good person. Growing up I heard we should get people to “join” a church and people needed to be “saved” from going to hell. Rarely, if ever, did I hear that following Christ meant being a servant to those who need to be served.
There were those who espoused the belief that being a Christian was about others being saved. At times they were derided as supporters of a social gospel, not really the “true” gospel. Some people became afraid they would lose the true gospel and were afraid to connect being a “Christian” with anything other than joining a church or being saved.
Lip service to living a Christ-like life was still present. But living a Christ-like life was often interpreted as not breaking any of the ten commandments.
The Christian life calls us to help others find the full life that Jesus died to bring us. The Christian life is also about showing who we are by our life. AND, the Christian life is about being of service to those who need to be cared for and supported. The Christian life is a hard life, and it calls for continually seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit in how to live that life. Yet, that is the life that Jesus called us to seek.
The Great Commission was for us to go and make disciples. Not just to get people saved (although that’s important) and not to get people to join a church (although that’s helpful for people following Jesus) but to make disciples and teach them all that Jesus commanded.
Ross T Lucas 