Do you see yourself as a Christian or a disciple? The earliest followers of Jesus were called Christians three times in the New Testament, but it was a derogatory term by those who persecuted them. The earliest Christians did not call themselves that.
Today, the label “Christian” could mean anything. From a survey category to a political stance to a person who sees themself as generally religious and admires Jesus’s morality. “Christian” has about as many meanings as people who use it.
“Disciple” was the term Jesus used for his earliest followers. It is the most common term used in the New Testament for the followers of Jesus, occurring 261 times.
To be clear, all true Christians are disciples. The Bible knows nothing of a Christian who is not a disciple, and yet many Christians do not see themselves this way.
This is often why so many who call themselves “Christians” look so little like Christ and fail to experience the transforming power of Jesus in their daily lives. Seeing yourself as a disciple of Jesus is more helpful, biblical, and transformative.
But what does it mean, and how is seeing yourself as a disciple so transformative? If I had to sum it up in one word, “apprentice” would be a good place to start. As John Mark Comer points out in Practicing the Way, historically, a disciple is someone who apprentices under Jesus.
In the first century, apprentices were totally committed to their Rabbi, literally following them around, memorizing their teachings, and imitating their way of life. Comer helpfully summarizes this as “being with Jesus, becoming like him, and doing what he did.”
But let’s let Jesus speak for himself. He defined what it means to be his disciple when he invited his first disciples to follow him. As Jim Putman says in Real-Life Discipleship, “the definition is in the invitation.”
“Come follow me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).
There it is. That’s the invitation that transformed the lives of his first followers. What did it mean for them, and what does it mean for us?
Following him means letting him be the King of our lives, letting him call the shots, trusting that his will is best for us. As we follow him closely, we will get to know him better and better as he reveals himself to those of us who love him (John 14:21).
Jesus isn’t speaking to individuals but to a group. “Follow me” is addressed to the group of disciples; a better translation would be “you all follow me.”
Jesus assumes his disciples will follow him together, as a band of brothers and sisters. There is no such thing as a disciple who follows Jesus by himself or herself.
Being a disciple means committing to a small group of people who are following Jesus together. We cannot do the Christian life alone. Being in deep relationships – really known, supported, and encouraged consistently by others is absolutely necessary.
Disciples are committed to the process of being transformed into the likeness of Jesus, allowing Jesus to shape us into his good, true, and beautiful character.
Jesus’s mission is to see more and more people follow him and help others follow him. His mission gives every disciple an incredible sense of purpose, meaning, and significance – God is literally building his forever kingdom through us!
I had never experienced following Jesus as a group of disciples until I was in college. My sophomore year, a good friend who was a few steps further in his faith journey invited me into a small discipleship group. It is not an overstatement to say that group changed the trajectory of my life.
It was the first time I had deep Christ-centered friendships and experienced support in my walk with Jesus.
It was the first time I felt safe enough to share my story of childhood trauma and experienced care and healing.
It was the first time I ever saw a man I respected confess his sin and ask us to pray for him, which helped me experience vulnerability.
To this day, several men from that group are some of my best friends.
How about you? Do you see yourself as a disciple? If you do, it will reorient your whole life. If you do, you will begin to taste the goodness and joy of the life Jesus wants to give you!
Let’s make it personal by asking ourselves a few hard questions:
If you see yourself as a disciple and commit to Jesus’s way of life, you cannot help but be transformed. You will experience deep joy through deep connection with Jesus and his people. And if you don’t, sadly, you will only continue to experience a shallow, unsatisfying, and powerless counterfeit “Christian” life.
Are you experiencing the life Jesus has for you? If not, what steps can you take today to begin seeing yourself as a disciple of Jesus?