John 8:30-32 “As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Disciple.

This is a word that is not used today all that often in modern Christianity. We normally do not go around saying that someone is a disciple of Jesus Christ.

But the word is found at least 255 times in the New Testament.

A disciple is “a learner or pupil”

Webster’s 1828 Dictionary gives the following definition, “A follower; an adherent to the doctrines of another. Hence the constant attendants of Christ were called his disciples; and hence all Christians are called his disciples, as they profess to learn and receive his doctrines and precepts.”

Unfortunately today people equate being a disciple with being something more than a “regular” Christian.

The theology of the last 150 years or so has confused the plain teaching of the Word of God.

It has implied and sometimes taught outright that a person can be a Christian and yet not be a disciple.

This teaching is unscriptural.

This deceitful teaching has taught numerous generations of church people that a person can be saved and their lives not be transformed.

This teaching was designed as a smokescreen for the shoddy results of our evangelism of the past 160 years.

In modern evangelism people come forward, raise their hand or repeat a prayer but their lives are not changed.

Many Christians believe that raising your hand, repeating certain words or kneeling at the front of a church is something almost magical, like repeating a spell or a saying some kind of “magic words”

It is more or less implied if you say these certain words… then you are a Christian. If you go through these certain rituals then you are saved forever.

I wonder…if it is not asking too much…

Could someone tell me where that is in the Word of God?

But the Bible does teach this, if a person is saved, they are saved by the grace of God through faith.

If you are saved today it is because you had “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“Our Lord teaches the great principle, that steady continuance is the only real and safe proof of discipleship. No perseverance, no grace! No continuance in the word, no real faith and conversion! This is one of the meeting-points between Calvinist and Arminian. He that has true grace will not fall away. He that falls away has no true grace, and must not flatter himself he is a disciple.” – J.C. Ryle

Look again at what our Lord said in verse 31.

Jesus said; “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed…” 

{indeed –  In truth or in reality}

Let me ask you…

How does fit into your theology?

Brother Shawn