ARE YOU A TRUE DISCIPLE OF JESUS OR JUST A "CHURCH MEMBER"

The essential elements of Biblically-defined “discipleship” are about commitment and relationship more than about “doing.”

ALL OF OUR “DOING” MUST BE A PRODUCT OF US “KNOWING” THE LORD — FIRST! (John 14:15; 1 John 4:19)

Our current “church culture” defines “salvation/spirituality” by what people do “FOR GOD,” such as:

Do they attend church faithfully?

Do they pay their tithes?

Do they dress “holy”?

Do they obey the pastor?

FOR THE MORE “SPIRITUAL” CHURCHES:

Do they “pray”?

Do they read the Bible?

ARE ALL OF THOSE THINGS BIBLICAL?

ABSOLUTELY, YES!

YET, IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS WITHOUT SURRENDERING OUR WILL TO GOD. (Matthew 7:21-23)

IT’S POSSIBLE TO DO ALL THOSE THINGS AND NOT HAVE ANYTHING REMOTELY CLOSE TO A TRUE, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AT ALL. (2 Peter 3:18)

ONE DOES NOT HAVE TO KNOW AND LOVE GOD TO DO EVERYTHING THAT IS “REQUIRED” OF A “CHURCH MEMBER.” (Mark 12:28-31)

IS ONE SAVED BY “DOING” ALL OF THOSE THINGS TYPICALLY REQUIRED OF A “CHURCH MEMBER”? IF THE ONE DOING THEM DOES NOT KNOW AND LOVE GOD WITH THEIR WHOLE BEING, THEN NO!

JUST ASK THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS, IF THE MESSAGE DELIVERED BY THE APOSTLE JOHN TO THEM COMMUNICATED THAT THEY COULD BE SAVED WHILE NOT LOVING GOD IN THE WAY THAT HE EXPECTS US TO!

(See Revelation 2:1-7)

THE SPIRIT SPOKE NOT ONE NEGATIVE WORD TO THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS ABOUT THEIR “DOING.”

BUT, HE WARNED THEM THAT THE “ONE THING” OF “LEAVING THEIR FIRST LOVE” OF GOD WAS ENOUGH FOR THEM TO BE LOST — UNLESS THEY REPENTED!

THE LORD GOD DOES NOT HAVE TWO DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS — ONE FOR EPHESUS, ONE FOR US!

KNOWING, LOVING, AND FOLLOWING JESUS AS “HIS DISCIPLES” IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY FOR SALVATION — FOR EPHESUS AND US!

Bishop C.M. Wright