TRUE DISCIPLESHIP
TRUE DISCIPLESHIP
Today the church has a total misconception of what a disciple is and has totally taken the word disciple out of biblical context and meaning. I will start with a simple question. Who discipled the disciples? It was the “incarnate” Christ Jesus. Nothing has changed, even today it is Jesus who disciples every born again follower of Christ Jesus.
Yes we can have bible studies to edify one another and share in activities but you are not actually building spiritual disciples. I also believe in the five fold ministry offices and the gifts of the Holy Spirit working together in edifying the saints, however spiritual discipleship is from the Holy Spirit and true discipleship comes from the Holy Spirit as the Holy Spirit bares witness to Jesus and Spirit and Truth.
The incarnate Christ Jesus “chose his disciples” but how and what did he say to them upon meeting them.
Matthew 4:18–20 (NKJV)
18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
Matthew 16:24–26 (NKJV)
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
The biblical definition of a disciple is someone who follows Jesus. It is not a church program, some other book, small group or even bible study. Bible study is great but that is not TRUE SPIRITUAL discipleship.
Disciple. Someone who follows another person or another way of life and who submits himself to the discipline (teaching) of that leader or way1
You can’t teach someone to follow Christ Jesus they have to want to. Just as all of the disciples did in the Word of God.
Be careful who you listen too and only submit to the Lord Jesus the Author and Finisher of your faith! Just as the incarnate Christ Jesus discipled HIS disciples every true born again believer is also discipled by Jesus. The Word of God tells us this very clearly!
A man or woman can’t disciple you in things of the Holy Spirit they must be received directly from the Lord by the Holy Spirit. That is why whatever they teach or preach must bear witness with the Holy Spirit in you! It is also why people are led astray and don’t grow or mature in Christ Jesus. There are to many voices and you should be listening to the Lord’s voice.
This may sound strange to some of you but when someone comes to me and speaks things regarding the Lord or needs for prayer I hear two voices simultaneously. I hear theirs and I hear the Lord’s.
Now before you call me crazy and that’s okay because it is the norm. I want you to think about this simple principle. When someone is speaking to you and you are listening through your human ears which is external but the Lord speaks to us internally by the indwelling Holy Spirit so you can hear two conversations simultaneously. This is why when scripture has been spoken out of context, twisted or manipulated the Holy Spirit automatically speaks to us from within and contradicts what was spoken by the full counsel of God’s Word utilizing other scriptures. Scriptures do NOT contradict other Scriptures!
This is also why so many people are led astray! Jesus makes it very clear! My people hear MY VOICE and follow me!
John 10:27 (NKJV)
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
1 John 2:27 (NKJV)
27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
Just as sanctification is a work in process so is discipleship from the Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself said to His disciples it is better if he went so the comforter would come.
John 16:7–15 (NKJV)
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
Look at the power of those statements. Look at the items in bold text and underlined. So the disciples still had things to learn but at that time could not bear them until The Holy Spirit would come. The Holy Spirit will guide us in ALL TRUTH, tell you things to come, glorify the Lord Jesus, He will take what is of Jesus and declare it to us!
It is Jesus and only Jesus who makes disciples! No man can teach the things of the Spirit of God! Let’s see how the Apostle Paul speaks on this.
2 Corinthians 5:16 (NKJV)
16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.
1 Corinthians 2:11–16 (NKJV)
11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
Today’s church has lost the true understanding of discipleship. I am not against bible studies or small groups but let us remember God is Spirit and those who are His worship in Spirit and Truth! Don’t settle for someone merely reading the bible from the pulpit and assume they are of the Lord Jesus. Their preaching must bare witness with the Spirit of God in you! Mixing lies with truths or taking scriptures out of context is not of God and I don’t care what seminary you go to it can not make you a preacher only the Spirit of God can make a man a preacher.
For those of you who are cessationist and do not believe in spiritual gifts or the office of Apostle or Prophet I ask you this one very simple question. When did the disciples become Apostles and why did Jesus say it would be better if He left so the Holy Spirit could come. The simple answer is they were not Apostles until Pentecost and they themselves received the Holy Spirit. They needed the Holy Spirit. Let me be clear! Just as many will come falsely in the name of Christ so it is with all five offices of Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Teacher and Evangelist. There are very few but that doesn’t mean they do not exist no more than to say Christ Jesus doesn’t exist because there are false christ.
Ephesians 4:7–16 (NKJV)
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” 9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Why would Paul mention line 14 if this were not possible. Why would Paul later in his epistles talk about the great apostasy if it was not possible.
Matthew 24:4–5 (NKJV)
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
Paul met the resurrected Christ and became an Apostle after the resurrection and Pentecost! See my article on the New Testament Church by The Life of the Apostle Paul. (https://abidingbread.com/2025/04/10/the-new-testament-church-through-the-life-of-apostle-paul/)
1 John 2:27 (NKJV)
27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
The Just Live by Faith
Romans 1:16–17 (NKJV) — 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Romans 8:14 (NKJV)
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Let me be clear I am not against fellowship and bible study but each of us is accountable for our spiritual growth and not just head knowledge. I have said this time and again. You can not and must not separate the Spirit of God from the Word of God and that is exactly what Satan is doing in a lot of these discipleship structures within the church structure.
Shepherd the Flock
1 Peter 5:1–4 (NKJV)
1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.