So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of mine.”
— JOHN 8:31 —
M. T. | Asia
Jesus, after giving the gospel to the crowds of Jews around Him, calls them to discipleship. Many who heard Him had believed in Him, and now were going to hear what it really meant to be a disciple of Christ. According to Jesus, true disciples are not those who simply acknowledge the truth of who He is. They were also those who submitted to His lordship in obedience. How different this message is than what is often taught today when people are told they only need to believe in Jesus as Savior. May we follow the wisdom of Christ in presenting the gospel as He did, so that He can make true disciples! To be a true disciple, you must follow Him as Lord. This is genuine faith and will be accompanied by repentance. Faith is essential, and it must be a faith that is centered on Christ. To be a true disciple, you must know that Christ is the God-man, your mediator, the One who lived a righteous life for you died a substitutionary death for you, and was raised from the dead for you. These truths must be believed for salvation. But the inseparable companion to true faith must be repentance from that which He died for and saved you from—sin! Therefore, a lack of repentance from sin or obedience to Christ as Lord could reveal you are not a true disciple. Gospel presentations that lack the call to both faith and repentance will not encourage true conversion (Mark 1:15). Some emphasize repentance only, which results in works-based pride. Others emphasize faith only, which produces easy-believism. May we follow the wisdom of Christ in presenting the gospel as He did, so that He can make true disciples!
