Discipleship

[Catsmeow]

I've been attempting to determine the difference between being "saved" and being a "disciple" of Christ.

One who spends his life serving the Lord as a pastor, missionary or other full time career, verses the thief on the cross who became an object of mercy in his final hours.

I hoped to better comprehend the distinction of God's call on one's life and those who never served.

Is salvation contingient on being a disciple or is salvation a gift given freely, irrespective of personal sacrifice?

Feedback from students of theology or those immersed in study of scripture would be greatly valued...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Baker's Evangelical Dictionary

of Biblical Theology

Disciple, Discipleship

During Jesus' earthly ministry, and during the days of the early church, the term that was used most frequently to designate one of Jesus' followers was "disciple" (mathetes [maqhthv"], 262 times). Hence, discipleship is a central theological theme of the Gospels and Acts. The situation is different in the Old Testament and in the rest of the New Testament. There is a curious scarcity of words for "disciple" in the Old Testament, and mathetes [maqhthv"] does not occur at all in the Epistles and Revelation. However, other terms and expressions point to abundant theological concepts of discipleship everywhere in Scripture. Discipleship enjoys its most concrete expression in Scripture when Jesus walked with his disciples during his earthly ministry. Yet the Old Testament prepares for that relationship, and the Epistles and Revelation describe how that relationship was carried out after Jesus' ascension.

Called to a Relationship with God. The roots of biblical discipleship go deep into the fertile soil of God's calling. That calling is expressed in the pattern of divine initiative and human response that constitutes the heart of the biblical concept of covenant, manifested in the recurrent promise, "I will be your God, and you shall be my people." That call from Yahweh is reiterated in the call of Jesus, when he said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28). God has called his people to represent him on the earth, to be with him in every circumstance of life, to be transformed in personal character to be like him. That calling is at the heart of biblical discipleship, both in the Old and New Testaments.

God and Israel. The ideal of discipleship in the Old Testament is the covenant relationship between Israel and God. Although the call came from God to individuals

[Adstar]

Matthew 20

1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4and said to them, "You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. 5Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle,[1] and said to them, "Why have you been standing here idle all day?' 7They said to him, "Because no one hired us.' He said to them, "You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'[2]

8"So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, "Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' 9And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 12saying, "These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' 13But he answered one of them and said, "Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 

So here we have a principle that the gift of salvation is equal no matter how long one serves God before ones death. Now lets look at what happened with the criminals that where crucified with Jesus.

Luke 23

And they divided His garments and cast lots. 35And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God."

36The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, 37and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself."

38And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:[9]

        THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."

40But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong." 42Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." 43And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

Was the criminal being a disciple by saying what he said to the other criminal? Was he not confessing to Him that Jesus had not done anything wrong. He called Jesus Lord and knew that Jesus was to "come into Your kingdom" He only worked for Jesus for a very short time, but in that time he witnessed for Jesus to others and isn't that what deciples do?

All Praise The Ancient of Days

[Anonymous]

I am saved because I believe.

I am saved... Jesus lives inside me.

I am saved 'cuz I do my "humanly" best.

I am saved because I have .... His word on it.

Lot's folks preach and do other things in his name,

[Catsmeow]

Thanks Adstar...good point.

I posted this because I heard a very "works" oriented sermon that seemed to indicate virtually nobody's getting into heaven if they're not perfect.

I was just amazed at this sermon, (in a less-than-pleasant way). It made it sound like "unless you measure up, brother...you're burnin'"..

It was a hell-fire sermon, which normally I welcome, (tell it like it is...) but it just didn't ring true.

I had to go home and search the scriptures...seems you really can't trust anybody these days...not even the preacher.

They have their skewed ideas. It just felt so "works, works, works".....and heavy burdens oriented.

No room for grace"...you better earn your way, brother...er' ya gonna burn!"

There's things I kinda like about a hell-fire sermon but the one's that smack of legalism make me cringe.

[Adstar]

Hi catz

I had to go home and search the scriptures..

Its great to read this catz If all Christians in the world did this then how successful do you think false preachers would be in leading people into false doctrines?

Keep it up Sister Keep testing everything you hear by using Gods template :il:

All Praise The Ancient Of Days