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NASB | John 8:31 ¶ So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 8:31 ¶ So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, "If you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My disciples. |
Subject: Profile of A Disciple |
Bible Note: There is a gap between the ideal and the actual, my friend. That is one reason we have the epistles. Many of them review the process of salvation again, and then encourage us to follow on and grow. They point out that many have not grown, but have been stagnant or have even regressed in the way. When we might have gone on to be teachers, we are still babes, in need of milk, etc. Some of us are weak and sickly, etc. Clearly, we need help as we seek to follow. But we should not ignore the question: Have we started out at all, if we have not forsaken all, to follow him? In that condition, he said, we cannot be his disciples (Luke 14:27). It is one thing to describe an ideal disciple. But we must first see what a disciple is. There are some who respond to the call and follow. Some go away sorrowful. Some say they will follow and don’t. Some start out and falter. Some go away and return to the path after many years. Some try to serve both God and mammon, (Surely you know some) and Jesus says it can‘t be done. Some, far from forsaking all, feel they have inherited all, and they seek to possess it. Some are satisfied to be saved and do not want to grow or to do anything, and they will even tell you so. It is not a matter of being discouraged, my brother. It is rather a matter of recognizing reality so we can deal with it. It is a matter of recognizing who the disciples are so we can work with them, whether to mentor or otherwise encourage them. Surely you know there are cases, John 12:42 being one in point, where people believe but do not wish to openly or actively follow the Lord. It seems that their faith renders them saved while their reluctance to follow makes them not disciples. Yes, we are called to make disciples, but even as we see the ideal heights to which we want to take them, we also need a realistic view of what they are. We need clearly to identify what a disciple is. |