There are at least five different levels of spiritual commitment. Take a look and see where you might fit.Are you:
1. Uninterested? This would be a person who is not a Christian, someone who has no desire to know God. They are so controlled by Self and sin they don’t really want to follow Jesus. Some may be hostile to Christianity, others my just be indifferent. This person sees no need for Jesus and doesn’t care to.
2. Seeker? This would be a person who is not yet a Christian but is really interested in knowing God. This person is interested in spiritual things; is open to the truth of the Bible; and may know some believers who have shown a winsome testimony. These people are on the right path to meet Jesus and be saved.
3. Believer? You are at this level if you have repented of your sins and received Christ. You believe the truth of the Gospel that Jesus died for you and was raised to give you life. You have a desire to love God and follow Jesus. However, you may still at times be controlled by Self.
4. Disciple? A disciple is one who is denying Self, taking up his cross daily and following Jesus. His main desire is to please and follow his Master, Jesus Christ. You have found that loving Jesus and serving Him by loving others is the great joy of your life. You feed upon God’s word. You commune with God in prayer. You fellowship with God’s people.
5. Disciple-maker? There is at least one level beyond a simple disciple. Jesus didn’t call us just to be disciples but to be disciple-makers. In other words, a real disciple is someone who has led someone to Christ and has nurtured and mentored him or her to become a real disciple as well.
Jesus said, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:46-48).
Where are you? Where would you like to be? If it is not your obsession to become a disciple and a disciple-maker, you may need to examine whether you are even a believer.
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My heart longs to be a disciple maker. My greatest work right now is with my children and their mother.
ReplyDeleteLarry, your first flock is your family. So there is nothing more important than discipling them. I'll pray that God will bless that effort in you.
ReplyDelete--Richard
I echo Larry's statement, "My heart longs to be a disciple maker." I've been there before, so I think I can be confident that I will be there again, but it's been a strange (and often rough) season for me these past few years. My blog is an outlet, but is no substitute for face-to-face and side-by-side.
ReplyDeleteJon, making disciples is sometimes a sticky mess for sure because we are dealing with real people, sinners like you and me. There is no greater challenge, or reward.
ReplyDelete--Richard