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Who are today’s disciples of Jesus Christ? According to Jesus (Am I becoming a disciple myself – am I making others disciples? It is our mission) Matt 28:19 (Our Mission) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, There are just 6 things that Jesus said make and identify a disciple – 3 relate to the major areas of my life that God invites me to fully submit into His hands – my relationships, my possessions and my self will. The other 3 relate respectively to my continuing to allow God to impart Christ’s nature to my heart, my continuing to live in that new nature, which is love, towards other Christians and finally under the direction of God’s Spirit my ongoing willingness to share that nature– which is the life of Christ – through my prayers for and my words to both unbelievers and believers. Lu 14:26 If anyone comes to me and does not love less his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. (In other words my love for God must be greater than my love for each of the members of my family and must exceed my love for myself – Surely in recognition that there is only One, Jesus Christ, who died for my sins how could my first allegiance and my first devotion not be to Him – otherwise I am not His disciple, and if I’m not a disciple of Christ what or who am I?). Lu 14:27 And whoever of you does not bear his cross (which is really his share of Christ’s cross, by understanding and believing that when we abide in Christ we share in His death on the cross to His flesh and thus become dead to our own flesh with its sin nature), and follow me (in the Spirit), cannot be my disciple. (Will I allow God to reveal to me that my own flesh, that is my human nature also being my sin nature where self rules, is despicable, ugly and the enemy of God? If so, I will gladly embrace the further revealed truth that when I am in Christ I am dead to my flesh with its sin nature because I now share in His death to the flesh on the cross - but if I reject God’s provision, in Christ, to free me from bondage to my sin nature, even though I know how it has harmed both me and others in the past, then I cannot be Christ’s disciple – and then what or who am I?) Lu 14:33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake (surrender ownership claim to) all that he has, he cannot be my disciple. (In other words cheerfully transferring my authority to God over position, possessions, money, ambition, acclaim, image, an independent will, and personal rights. When the full impact dawns in my heart that God purchased my life from Satan, with all that this implies both now and for eternity, it will not be difficult for me to see that my stuff came with that purchase and belongs to God. If I refuse to see this truth it casts doubt on the validity of God’s purchase and I cannot be Christ’s disciple – then who am I?) Jo 8:31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed him If you abide in my word (continue in, feed your spirit on and walk in the light of) then you are my disciples indeed; (In other words day by day allowing God to impart more of His divine nature through His living words to my heart – progressively conforming me to Christ, by whose life in me I am enabled to overcome all 3 of my enemies, live in the center of God’s will and expand His Kingdom on earth. But if I drift away from God, neglect His ongoing salvation and lose my appetite for His daily spiritual bread my enemies will trample all over me and I will no longer be a disciple of Christ – then who am I?) Jo 13:35 By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another. (The love of God is in Christ Jesus, as we live in Christ, full of His Spirit with hearts abounding in His new and past words that He has spoken to us, His love nature as is reflected in 1st. Corinthians Chapter 13 will abound in us and through us to other Christians. But if we don’t live in Christ, in unbroken submission to His Spirit, and thoughts and words other than His abound in our hearts, then it will be impossible to walk in love towards other believers – and we will no longer be disciples of Christ – then who or what are we?) Jo 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be my disciples. (This is the fulfillment of our mission and our calling. It is only possible on a consistent basis as we believe and live in the five revealed truths outlined above concerning discipleship. Therefore now, in Christ, and being anointed by the Holy Spirit with our hearts daily nourished with more of God’s words, we will bear living fruit in the form of our prayers for others and in the form of our words that enter the hearts of others who have eras to hear them. In this way, through prayer and living words of God, the very life of Jesus Christ is imparted, birthing unbelievers into God’s Kingdom and making disciples of believers. Jesus said we are known in the spirit realm by the fruit of our lips. When we are in Christ, life giving words come from our hearts as living water – but when we are not living in Christ, we are detached from the Vine, our words are devoid of life and do damage to God’s kingdom – and we cease to be Christ’s disciples – and then what or who are we?). Matt 28:19 (Again, the Mission of a Christian is) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, A person has to be a disciple of Jesus themselves in order to be used of God to make others disciples of Jesus –Can I really be a Christian if I am not becoming nor intend to become a disciple of Jesus Christ? Let God answer this probing question in our hearts! God bless