Are You a Disciple?
Discipleship: Maturing in Christ Together
Much of what we believe about the Christian life comes from a man whose words still shape our faith today—the Apostle Paul. God used Paul to write nearly half of the New Testament, giving us a rich picture of what God has done for us through Christ and how we are to live in response to the gospel. His letters shape our understanding of the Christian life and guide us in faithful discipleship. This article provides a concise overview of Paul’s teachings, highlighting what we are called to believe, how we are called to respond, and the essential role both play in following Jesus as his disciples.
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What God Has Done for Us
As a believer in Christ, we confess the following to be true.
- We were dead in our trespasses and sins—separated from God and unable to give ourselves life. Christ died on our behalf, defeating sin and death once for all. And just as He was raised from the grave, so we who have died with Him have been raised to new life.
- Our life is now hidden in Christ—indeed, Christ is our life. We are being renewed in the image of our Creator, conformed to the likeness of the Son. God Himself is carrying out this work on our behalf, and He will bring it to completion when Christ appears in glory. Even now, we are God’s children, and we live knowing that one day we will be fully like Him. These are completed and promised works we receive by faith in Christ and his work, and not by our own effort.
Yet this same faith that receives is also a faith that responds, shaping how we live as disciples of Jesus.
How We Live in Response
By faith, we put our confession into action.
- We put off the old self and put to death that which we confess Christ has died for.
- We actively refuse to walk in the ways we once walked because we have been freed to walk in righteousness and good works that have been prepared for us.
- We actively put on Christ who is our life.
- We submit to his Lordship, confessing that it is Christ who reigns in our lives now and not the former self. God is renewing us into the image of Christ, so we receive his discipline when we sin, not his judgment.
- We therefore exercise faith by repenting, believing what we have learned in Christ, and walking in obedience.
- We renew our minds.
- We remind ourselves of what is true.
- We submit ourselves to one another in accountability that we may grow into maturity in Christ.
- We purify ourselves as he is pure because one day we will be glorified with him on high.
This is our hope to endure—we will once and for all be rid of the sin that seems to weigh us down, and all that will remain is Christ, his glory, and perfection.
How This Shapes Our Discipleship
Paul’s words of rebuke in Ephesians 4:20 capture the heart of discipleship: “That is not how you learned Christ.”
A disciple of Christ is committed to the learning of Christ. He is not only a hearer of the word, but also a doer. Jesus himself says, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Therefore, what a disciple comes to learn of Christ must be put into practice.
This learning is not done in isolation, but in community and fellowship with the body of Christ. How is one to learn Christ without being taught by those who have learned him? How is one to walk in obedience and put what they have learned into practice if they do not see for themselves Christ living through another believer?
Therefore, as disciples of Christ, we live lives of learning Christ together and obeying Christ together. We are putting off what we have learned to be false and putting on what we have learned to be true. Because we are still being renewed, we will sometimes slip back into old ways. When that happens, we need brothers and sisters who lovingly remind us, “That is not how you learned Christ.”
At its core, discipleship is simple—learning Christ, obeying Christ, putting on Christ, and reminding one another of Christ. At the same time, we are learning to recognize what is false, putting it to death, and reminding each other to put on the new self.
As a body of believers, we have a responsibility to help each other grow mature in Christ. This is the ministry of all disciples of Jesus, and we’d be wise to take a page from Jesus’ book and imitate his incarnational ministry – living life closely with others, forming faithful relationships where truth is taught, false beliefs are exposed, obedience is practiced, and grace is lived out together.
Today, are you maturing in Christ with others?
If you want to begin or further explore this journey, join us for Flourish: Principles of Discipleship starting February 1st, where we model discipleship together for 8 weeks.