A Compelling Testimony: Maintaining a Disciplined Walk, Christlike Character, and Godly Relationships as God's Servant

Session 3 The Celebrations of a Disciplined Life

Today one may be regarded as a Christian even if there are few, if any, signs of progress in discipleship. It was not so in the early church. Then discipleship involved the kind of commitment Peter spoke about when he protested to the Lord, “We have left everything to follow you!” (Mark 10.28). The temper of our times is for instant gratification and short-term commitment–quick answers to prayer and quick results with a minimum of effort and discomfort. But there is no such thing as easy and instant discipleship. One can commence a walk of discipleship in a moment but the first step must lengthen into a life-long walk. There is no such thing as short term discipleship. To some who have been nurtured on the “easy believism” doctrine, the radical demands of Christ may seem excessive and unreasonable. The result is that after they have traveled a short distance, and the path grows more steep and rugged, they are like the disciples men tioned in John 6.66: “From that time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” He is looking for men and women of quality for whom there is no turning back.

1 Tim. 6.11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 2 Pet. 1.5-8 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, [6] and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, [7] and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. [8] For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

~ J. Oswald Sanders. Spiritual Discipleship . Chicago: Moody Bible Institute, 1994. pp. 8-9.

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I. Disciplined for the Purpose of Godliness: Lessons from Lives Lived Well

Can half-hearted, self-indulgent, lazy disciples really give witness today in a world of fanaticism and zealots?

It is ludicrous to suppose that half-hearted Christians can conduct a fruitful dialogue with fully dedicated Communists. Perhaps it is this which underlies the fear of any such dialogue, felt by some Christians. They take it for granted that in any such dialogue the Communists must come out on top, that the Marxists will be the gainers, the Christians the losers. I would suggest that if this happens it will have less to do with Communist duplicity than with Communist dedication – although the Christian in such circumstances must be prepared for the duplicity too. The well-instructed, fully committed, totally dedicated Christian has little to fear. But dedication must be met with dedication.

~ Douglas Hyde. Dedication and Leadership . Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1966. p. 21.

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