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The Sixth Mark of a True Disciple of Jesus Christ

True disciples are spiritually awake and ready for the return of Christ

spiritually awake

Criteria

To determine for this series the marks of a true disciple of Jesus Christ, I used three criteria:

1. Jesus explicitly names the mark as a characteristic of true disciples. For example, see John 8:31.

2. Jesus teaches that anyone who lacks the mark will be excluded from the kingdom of God, rejected by him, or viewed by him as not his child. For example, see Matthew 25:1–13 below.

3. Jesus teaches the mark as a fundamental command. For example, see Luke 22:19.

In Matthew 25, Jesus teaches three parables that fit the second criteria. The failures described in these three parables focus on people who are supposed Christians but who have a fatal flaw. People who have true faith in Jesus and true love for him do not fail in these ways.

In Matthew 25:1–13 Jesus says:

“Then [that is, when Jesus comes again to the earth in glory] the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. (2) Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. (3) For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, (4) but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.

“(5) As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. (6) But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ (7) Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.

“(8) And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ (9) But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ (10) And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.

“(11) Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ (12) But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

“(13) Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Spiritually awake

The parable’s takeaway is clear: True disciples are spiritually awake and always ready for the return of Christ. Jesus pictures this readiness with the lamps of his day, which were bowls containing oil and a wick. The lamp burned oil just as a candle today burns wax.

The burning lamp pictures spiritual life, authentic devotion to God, seeking the Lord, zeal for the Lord, earnestness about the things of God. As we might say today, this person is on fire for God.

Where has the fire gone?

The opposite is a heart that has cooled to the things of God. For example, recall the Lord’s familiar warning to the church of Laodicea:

“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:15–17, ESV)

By saying, “I will spit you out of my mouth,” Jesus vividly communicates a coming rejection that must be averted by repentance. This is not something Jesus would say about a real Christian. So, these Laodiceans must overcome complacency. Their hearts must return to a burning devotion to their Savior. If not, they are shown to be false disciples who lack true, living, saving faith.

Tending the fire

This is the theological framework for what Jesus exhorts elsewhere: “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.” (Luke 12:35–36, ESV)

Jesus commands his disciples to keep their lamps burning. This is not an optional exercise for super spiritual Christians; rather, it is the necessary activity of true disciples. We are responsible to keep our lamps burning. True faith is a burning faith.

So how do you keep your lamp burning? You make a priority out of the fundamentals, which include the following:

1. Read the Bible and pray daily. Meditate on Scripture prayerfully during the spaces in your schedule. In your devotional time with God, meditate on why you treasure him, and worship him for it.

2. Be involved in church weekly. Note, I did not say attend church weekly. It is easy to become complacent and assume all is well with your soul just because you show up to church every week. If we hear the Bible preached but do not put it into practice through love and service, we become what James calls a forgetful hearer (James 1:25). Listening to the Word of God but ignoring it is spiritually deadly. We can deceive ourselves to think we are right with God when we are not. So, we must participate in church, serve in church, fellowship with other believers and build relationships and help others grow.

3. Spread the gospel and make disciples. Every Christian can and should participate in the Great Commission. You need not have a degree from a Bible college to be involved in the work of the Lord as a Christian who is on fire for God and cares about lost souls and immature believers.

4. Repent of the love of the world. Spiritual fire cannot coexist with worldly compromise.

Takeaway

True disciples are spiritually awake and ready for the return of Christ.

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The Fifth Mark of a True Disciple of Jesus

True disciples bear the fruit of love

sign of faith is love

True disciples bear the fruit of love

Love is the inevitable fruit of true, living faith in Jesus Christ.

The apostle John says this unequivocally: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7–8, ESV)

Thus, the person who lacks love does not have living faith in Jesus, is not a disciple of Jesus, and is not a Christian, no matter what he claims.

Christian stalwarts?

This is so even if people show many other signs of faith. Notice the impressive list of qualifications of church members in the ancient city of Ephesus, who nevertheless were on the verge of being rejected by Christ. In Revelation 2:2–5, Jesus warns them:

“I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”

Hatred

On the other end of the scale, the sin of persistently hating another Christian is a sign of being a person who is in the darkness rather than the light:

First John 2:9–11 says, “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”

This is a level of darkness incompatible with a true Christian.

The apostle John confirms this in 1 John 3:14–15: “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”

The sinner’s ultimate question

A Bible expert once asked Jesus the most important question pointblank: What must I do to be saved? Luke 10:25–28 says:

“Behold, a lawyer stood up to put [Jesus] to the test, saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? How do you read it?’ And he answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’ And he said to him, ‘You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.’”

Does this mean a person can be saved by obeying the two most important commands of the Law without receiving Jesus? No, the rest of the New Testament makes that clear. No one can perfectly keep these commandments, and therefore everyone needs the salvation that comes through faith in Christ (Romans 3:10–26).

Nevertheless, Jesus’ response to the man’s question reveals the sure mark of having eternal life: love for both God and people.

As the apostle John confirms: “By this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:3–4, ESV)

Further confirmation

If you need further confirmation that love is the essential sign of true and living faith in Jesus, read on:

The apostle John writes: “(10) By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. (11) For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. … (16) By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. … (23) And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. (24) Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him.” (1 John 3:10–11, 16, 23–24 ESV)

In John 15:8–17, Jesus said: “(8) By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (9) As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. (10) If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love…. (12) “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (13) Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (14) You are my friends if you do what I command you…. (17) These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”

In John 13:34–35, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Conclusion

Without question, love is the inevitable fruit of true, living faith in Jesus Christ—faith that receives him as Lord, Savior, and ultimate treasure.

If your love is lacking, what you need to do is not to try harder to love others; rather, you need to truly receive Christ as Lord, Savior, and ultimate treasure. Repent of your sins. Then give yourself to loving him. Ask him to pour his love into your heart through the Holy Spirit. And out of love for him, obey his command to love your neighbors and your fellow believers as yourself.

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The Fourth Mark of a True Disciple of Jesus Christ (continued)

True disciples grow

True Disciples Grow because They Fight against Sin

Continued from the last post on why true disciples grow

4. A true disciple fights daily against sin.

True disciples are not complacent or apathetic about their sins. They are not perfect or sinless, but they are never okay with sinning. They confess it sincerely to God and determine to turn away from it in the future.

False Christians, on the other hand, say they believe in Jesus, but they have accepted certain sins in their lives and have no intention of repenting. They still love certain sins and still love the world.

Galatians 5:16–25 describes the struggle that true disciples wage against sin:

“I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”

Application: If you look at your life and see no transformation happening, then you need to ask yourself: Am I content with sin? Am I resisting it, and not just the grosser sins but worldliness of any kind? As Scripture says, “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1, ESV).

5. A true disciple regularly beholds the Lord through worship.

The apostle Paul wrote, “We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)

Paul is not describing a literal vision of the Lord, but rather our thoughts about his ways and works. Paul says thinking true thoughts about God transforms us into his image.

And so, for example, thinking about the love of God as revealed at the cross of Jesus makes us more loving. Thinking about the patience of God as revealed in his forbearance with Israel over many centuries makes us more patient.

This is why attending church and worshiping God changes your life (if you do not harden your heart). This is why reading the Bible meditatively transforms you, for nothing reveals more about God than his Scriptures.

Application: If you look at your life and see no transformation happening, then you need to ask yourself: am I conducting a regular devotional life of worship, thanksgiving, prayer and communion with the Lord?

6. True disciples intentionally lean into growth.

They work on their faith. They read the Bible and other books. They use a spiritual journal. They are disciplined about having a daily devotional time with God and weekly church involvement. They discuss their spiritual lives with other Christians. They have spiritual goals. Disciples have discipline.

The apostle Peter wrote, “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, {6} and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, {7} and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. {8} For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. {9} For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. {10} Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. {11} For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5–11, ESV)

Application: If you look at your life and see no transformation happening, then you need to ask yourself: Am I making every effort to grow in godliness? Do I work as hard at growing spiritually as I do on my job?

Continued next time

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The Fourth Mark of a True Disciple of Jesus

True disciples grow

True Disciples Grow

True disciples grow. True disciples bear the fruit of changed lives. They are becoming more like Jesus every year.

For true disciples this is inevitable. It begins immediately upon their repentance toward God and their faith in Christ, and it continues until their last day on the earth.

There are at least eight reasons for the certainty of growth in Christlikeness for his true disciples. Let’s look at just three today.

1. True disciples have the Holy Spirit living within

True disciples are actually united with the third member of the Trinity, with God himself. That will change you! This is not just you trying to make some resolutions and be a better person. This is not just you trying harder. This is not just you on a good day. This is almighty God, the Holy One giving you the thoughts, desires, motivations, feelings, understanding, and wisdom to live a good and godly life.

Therefore, you can do this, not because you can do this but because God is more than able to help you grow and overcome sin and take on the beautiful character and ways of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 5:22–23 says, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”

Romans 8:13–14 says, “If you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

Application: So, if you look at your life and see no transformation happening, then you should ask yourself: Am I walking in the Holy Spirit and seeking his guidance in my life, as is normal behavior for a true disciple? 

A true disciple tries to walk in the Holy Spirit. A true disciple follows the leading of the Holy Spirit. A true disciple intentionally conforms to the character of the Holy Spirit as revealed in Galatians 5:22–23.

2. A true disciple has Jesus Christ living within

Scripture says that not only do you have the third member of the Trinity living within you and united with your human spirit, but you also have the second member of the Trinity living within you. That of course is Jesus Christ. You can be like Jesus in character because you have Jesus himself living in and through you! You’re not thinking this stuff up. You’re not trying to imagine what a Christian lives like. You actually have Jesus living his life through you.

That’s why growth in Christlikeness is inevitable for a true disciple of Jesus.

The apostle Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 (ESV)

2 Corinthians 13:5 says, “Do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?”

Application: If you look at your life and see no transformation happening, then you need to ask yourself: Am I trusting in Jesus day by day? Am I trusting in him to live in me? Am I walking by faith? Am I through prayer carrying on my relationship with Jesus throughout the day? Have I died to sin and my flesh and this world, and am I alive instead to Jesus?

3. True disciples die to themselves and their sinful natures daily and renew their minds according to the Word of God

Romans 12:1–2 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Here we see two of the powerful elements at work in the life of a changed person. All who choose deliberately to die to self and sin, will in union with Jesus in his death on the cross experience enormous change in their lives. In Romans 12:1–2 this is called presenting yourself to God as “a living sacrifice.” That is, you choose to die. You choose to say no to temptation and sinful habits and selfish desires and worldly ways. It is as simple and powerful as that: No!

Galatians 5:24 says, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

What gives you the power to do that is your union with Jesus in his death on the cross. Therefore, once again it is not just you trying to say no to something in the natural, but it is the power of the cross of Jesus mediated in your life by the power of the Holy Spirit; so that when you say no, your no has supernatural authority!

Moreover, compound that with the Word of God renewing your mind according to eternal truth and reality. We cannot fully grasp the power of God’s Word to change our mind, heart, and spirit.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

This again is a divine power at work in those who are true disciples. It is at work because true disciples are abiding in the Words of God, as Jesus said in John 8:31: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.”

Application: If you look at your life and see no transformation happening, then you need to ask yourself: Am I deliberately and consciously dying to my sinful nature every day? Or am I letting my sinful nature rule my life? Am I deliberately renewing my mind through daily attention to Scripture, to think God-pleasing thoughts, or am I thinking in a worldly manner?

Continued next time

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The Third Mark of a True Disciple of Jesus

True disciples abide in the words of Jesus

abiding in the words of Jesus

Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples” (John 8:31)

Do you want to be a real disciple of Jesus? That is, do you want to be an authentic Christian, rather than a Christian in name only? Do you want to have an assurance that your sins are forgiven and you have eternal life?

According to this verse that is not possible unless you abide in his word. Jesus says if you abide in his word, you are truly his disciple. That means if you do not abide in his Word, you are not his disciple. Can someone who is not a disciple of Jesus legitimately call himself a Christian?

Abiding

Webster’s dictionary defines abide as: “to remain stable or fixed in a state,” “to continue in a place.”

My wife and I have been living in the same apartment since 2009. We are staying; we are remaining; we are abiding.

If over the course of his childhood a boy listens closely to his father and learns eight important life maxims from him, and he lives by those truths all the days of his life, he is abiding in his father’s word.

More than 35 years ago I learned from an author named Haddon Robinson a method of studying the Bible and developing a biblical sermon that I still use today. I am abiding in Haddon’s method.

Abiding in the words of Jesus means reading or listening to them, learning them, and learning to obey them.

Many people are willing to assent to the truths about Jesus, but they do not take his words seriously. They are not intent on changing their life to obey him. They are not intent on surrendering their will to him. They are not intent on sincerely repenting of sin. They are not growing in heartfelt love for him.

Others have some desire to follow Jesus, but they are casual and lazy about the words of Jesus. They scarcely read the Bible. They do not go to church to hear sermons. Or if they listen to sermons or read the Bible, they do not put the words into practice.

At the feet of Jesus

Luke 10:38–42 says, “Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’”

Mary was an avid listener. She was abiding in the words of Jesus. Jesus said such listening “is necessary.”

You do the same thing today when you read the Bible and attend church. You should do so consistently. You should abide in the Bible, in church meetings, and smaller Bible studies.

You do the same as Mary when you abide in the word daily and weekly, not just once or twice a month. If you are reading the Bible or attending church just now and then, it is hard to make the case that you are abiding in the words of Jesus, that you are taking them as seriously as you take your daily meals.

To lose interest in God’s words is to have lost interest in him. On the human plane, if one has no interest in hearing someone else’s words, then it is obvious there is no affection and no desire to know the other person.

What about people who are illiterate or have some other factor that keeps them from being able to read or hear the Bible?

Well, we are not saved by reading the Bible or going to church; we are saved through faith in Christ and his atoning work on our behalf on the cross. God holds us accountable for what we know and what we are able to do.

True faith results in an abiding focus on the Lord’s words

Even if you have read the Bible cover to cover before, interpreting and applying the Bible is a lifelong project. You cannot read it once and know it. Interpreting and applying the Bible is a pursuit deeper and wider than exploring all the oceans of the world.

Memorize and meditate on the Scriptures. Read books and commentaries on Scripture. Listen to sermon podcasts. Talk about it with others who take the Bible seriously.

Still, abiding in the words of Jesus is about more than interpreting and applying them; it is about fellowshipping with God through his words, knowing his presence, and experiencing him speaking to you through his written words. Abiding in the Scriptures is about having your faith in his promises strengthened more and more.

Living faith (see James 2:17) in Jesus is the kind of faith that sincerely believes in and receives him for who he is: one’s Lord and God. To believe in him as Lord and God and at the same time to ignore and unrepentantly disobey his words is hypocrisy and self-deception. It denies the claim that one has saving faith.

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The Second Mark of True Disciples of Jesus

True disciples devote themselves, absolutely and ultimately, only to Jesus

how much devotion

Jesus said: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:34–37, ESV)

Jesus speaks in these verses about those who live in a way “worthy” of him. To be worthy of Jesus is to respond to him in a way fitting to who he is and what he has done. Jesus is the eternal Son of God who became a man and suffered and died for our sins, enabling us to have forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Thus, we owe him everything. Therefore, true disciples devote themselves, absolutely and ultimately, only to Jesus.

Absolute and ultimate

Notice our devotion to Jesus must be absolute and ultimate. Absolute means “having no restriction, exception, or qualification” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). Ultimate means “the best or most extreme of its kind: utmost” (Merriam-Webster).

So, our devotion to Jesus must define everything in our lives. It must precede and control any other devotion in our lives. In the terminology of card-playing, our devotion to Jesus must trump all other devotions.

When I initially wrote this principle, I mistakenly said our devotion must be exclusive. But Jesus does not call us to exclusive devotion to him. That would mean we have zero devotion to anyone else. The Bible, however, makes clear elsewhere that we are to be devoted to other important people and things. Romans 12:10 (LSB) says we should be “devoted to one another in brotherly love, giving preference to one another in honor.” God wants Christians to be devoted to one another. He wants husbands and fathers to be devoted to their wives and children, and wives to their husbands. He wants them to fulfill faithfully their responsibilities toward their dependents.

If our devotion to Jesus is absolute and ultimate, then these lesser devotions give way to whatever God’s will is for us. In other words, if Jesus tells me to do one thing and my employer asks me to do something opposed to that, then I must do what Jesus says. If my devotion to my boss were absolute and ultimate, then I would listen to him and ignore Jesus.

Your cross

Jesus said, “Whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:38­–39)

To take one’s cross means to die to other desires. Taking your cross is similar to what people do who join the Marines. They give up their clothing, their style of dress, their hairstyle, their living situation, their job, even their ability to communicate when they want to their family and friends. They give up control of their own schedule. They give up control of what town and building they will live in. When you go into the military, you truly devote yourself to that branch of the military. You literally are willing to die for it.

Idols

God reveals himself in the Bible as a jealous God who will not be worshiped or valued alongside other gods or idols.

When God gave Israel the Ten Commandments, he said, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:2–5, ESV)

The challenging words of Jesus in Matthew 10 are perfectly in keeping with what God said in Exodus 20 about being a jealous God. This is God’s nature, his very name and identity. He will not accept being belittled as less important than something in his creation, something infinitely inferior in power, wisdom, love, mercy, compassion, truth, goodness, life. God is infinitely superior in every imaginable way to everything in his creation. Since he created all, then everything that exists is inferior to him.

When God calls us to abandon our idolatry of created things, he is doing us the greatest favor possible, because he is infinitely greater and more good than anything he has created. He calls us to the abundant life for which we were created. God designed us to find maximum happiness in him. Any substitute is the poorest imaginable trade-off.

Substitutes

Substituting something else for Jesus hinders non-Christians from giving devotion to him in the first place. They love the things of this world and do not want to surrender them to the Lord. Rather than loving Jesus above all, what they love most are movies, sports, money, career, friends, shopping and possessions, cooking and eating, building the best body they can through exercise, the approval and acclamation of others, success, sexual pleasure and pornography, drugs, and partying.

Many things that stand in the way of devotion to Jesus are good things of this life that become bad things because they compete with God.

On the other hand, we can also refuse to devote our lives to Jesus because we cherish particular sins as absolute and ultimate. Last week I was evangelizing on the sidewalk, and two young ladies approached, holding hands. I announced what I normally do, “The Kingdom of heaven is near. God raised Jesus from the dead. There’s hope for everyone.”

One of the girls responded, “We’re gay.” In other words she understood correctly that her sin was a barrier to following Jesus, and if she were to devote herself to Jesus she had to leave behind homosexual practice.

Any sin can stand in the way of following Jesus: for example, living together outside of marriage, viewing pornography, stealing, living for money and greed, lying, envy and jealousy, hatred, bitterness and unforgiveness. When we choose to cling to a sin instead of following Jesus, we are refusing to devote ourselves to Jesus. We may want Jesus in our lives, but we want our sin more, or we want something we love in the world more.

Jesus is uncompromising about requiring absolute and ultimate devotion.

People can claim to be disciples and claim to be Christians, but if they have not devoted themselves absolutely and ultimately to Jesus, they are kidding themselves. They may be believers in a proposition, in an idea; they might give assent to a theological truth, just as someone can assent to the truth that the sky is blue, but they are not disciples. They might be the nicest people in town, morally upright in every way, but if they are not devoted to Jesus, then they are not worthy of Jesus and not true disciples. Very likely, they will not be saved unless they are confessing this fault and praying for forgiveness and seeking ­earnestly to grow into full devotion. If they do that, there is hope for them.

Jesus must not be an add-on to one’s life. He must be the center of devotion.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I choose to have you as the highest aim and devotion of my life. You are my everything; you are my all. You are my Lord, and you alone are my Savior. I will not love any other person on earth the way I love you. I will not live for any other cause, pleasure, or experience; instead I will live for you. You will be my highest joy, and my relationship with you will be my highest priority. You alone are worthy of such devotion. Amen

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Merry Christmas!

The most valuable thing you can do is to know God better. Nothing satisfies the soul more. Knowledge of God is the bread of your human spirit and the light of your mind. Everything else that is good in your life flows out of a correct, deep, experiential knowledge of God.

For those who want to know God better, Christmas brings deep celebration, for we celebrate God’s entry into the world in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is God’s greatest revelation of himself and his ways. As someone who wants to know God as deeply as you possibly can, the person of Jesus Christ is central.

So, over the Christmas holiday I urge you to meditate on what you learn about God through the events of the birth of Jesus Christ.

And throughout the year to come consider always reading some portion of one of the four Gospels every day. Meditate daily on the words and works of Jesus.

Currently the way I’m doing that is by reading a section of a Gospel chapter each day along with my other reading. So, I will read a single episode or a single teaching unit of Jesus rather than reading the entire chapter. As a result I pause and meditate on it longer.

May your knowledge of God be your highest joy this Christmas and in the year ahead!

United with you in Christ,

Craig Brian Larson

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The First Mark of True Disciples of Jesus

True disciples trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, not in their own goodness or discipleship.

true gospel

1. True disciples trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, not in their own goodness or discipleship.

We start the marks of a disciple with a paradox. Throughout this series I will make the point that true faith in Jesus changes our lives dramatically. There are therefore unmistakable marks that follow this conversion. But this spiritual revolution in a person’s life begins only by placing all confidence in the proper place.

No one can become a Christian without first abandoning all confidence in their own merits to become acceptable in the sight of God. Our only way of becoming a true Christian is to put all our trust and confidence in Jesus Christ and his atoning work for us on the cross and the gift of his righteousness given to us by God’s grace alone. No one can earn salvation by being a good disciple. We must be true disciples, but we do not trust in ourselves or our discipleship.

As Romans 3:21-26 (ESV) says:

“(21) Now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— (22) the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: (23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (24) and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (25) whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. (26) It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Notice the crucial points made in these verses:

v. 21 – “the righteousness of God”

This refers to the righteousness that we have received from God. This refers to our righteous status in the sight of God. The point is that our righteousness before God is not something we establish ourselves by keeping the law, but rather it is a gift from God.

v. 22 – “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ”

How do we get this righteousness in God’s sight? Through faith in Jesus Christ. Not by being perfect disciples. Not by reading a certain number of Bible chapters every day. Not by doing our best to repent of every sin we can think of. No, we only gain righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, for he alone paid the price for the sins we have already committed, and he alone lived a perfectly righteous life, and so when he gives us his righteousness as a gift it is a perfect righteousness. This perfect righteousness is what God sees when he looks at us and accepts us.

What an important point it is as we begin the marks of true disciples to recognize that we begin with the status of righteousness that comes through faith alone. That is the foundation on which we build our discipleship. It is only true faith in Christ that results in the marks of a true disciple. The marks of a true disciple can never result from willpower or religious exercise. No, true discipleship results from faith in Christ as our only hope of righteousness in the sight of God.

v. 23 – “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

Since all have sinned all stand under judgment. This is why we need a savior. This is why no efforts on our own can save us, for we are guilty and flawed. We need the atoning work that Jesus performed on the cross to wipe away our sins and guilt.

v. 24 – “are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”

Our only hope of being accepted by God is that he justifies us. To justify us means that he declares us to be righteous in his sight even though we have in ourselves been unrighteous. But God is just in declaring us to be righteous because Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Therefore, being a good disciple cannot save us. We need Jesus as our atoning sacrifice, and we only get the salvation of Jesus through faith in him.

Justification is a gift from God, meaning we do not earn it by being good disciples. It is a gift that comes from God the moment we put our true faith in Jesus. Then we live the rest of our Christian lives expressing the life of Christ that is within by the power of his Holy Spirit to please him and do his will—but never to earn or merit our salvation.

Righteous living follows salvation; it does not earn salvation. Righteous living is the result of the gift of righteousness.

vv. 24–25  “…Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith”

To propitiate means to satisfy God’s wrath. God’s wrath was propitiated by the blood of Christ that was shed on the cross. God’s wrath turns away from us because his wrath was poured on Jesus.

Your discipleship cannot satisfy the wrath of God; only the death of Jesus on the cross can satisfy the wrath of God that hangs over a person who has never repented and accepted Christ as Lord and Savior.

And how is this propitiation received? Again it is repeated in verse 25 that this gift is received by faith, not by works.

v. 26 “It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

God shows his righteousness by making us righteous—that is, justifying us—through faith in Jesus. God did not just wipe away people’s sins without some basis. That is because he is a righteous and holy judge. The debt of sin had to be paid. And so, God did not give us the gift of righteousness for no reason; rather, he gave us the gift of righteousness because of what Jesus did on the cross, and because we place all our confidence in him not in ourselves, not in our good works and not in our discipleship. God is absolutely just in doing it this way. He wants all people in the world to see his perfect justice in the way he provides salvation.

Takeaway

And so, the first and most important mark of true disciples is they place all confidence in the gift of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, rather than in their own godliness and religious effort. This is what the New Testament calls the gospel, the good news.

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What Kind of Faith Makes True Disciples?

James 2:14–26 gives crucial guidance into the faith that makes true disciples of Jesus.

faith that makes true disciples

Many people mistakenly assume they are true Christians on their way to heaven. That is the foundational truth we have been exploring in this series on True Disciples. We have seen numerous Scriptures in the New Testament clearly teach that we cannot assume we are a Christian simply because we say Jesus is Lord or because we grew up in church or because we regularly go to church, read our Bibles, and pray.

My purpose in this series of posts is to ensure you know what it takes to be a true disciple of Jesus who is forgiven of sin and assured of eternal life.

In this post I want to double down in establishing that there is a kind of faith in Jesus that falls short of saving one’s soul.

Inadequate faith

James 2:14 says, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?”

Notice James makes this a matter of salvation. He’s about to talk about the kind of faith that can successfully save a person’s soul. He implies there is a kind of faith that does not save someone’s soul—an inadequate faith. So, just because someone has faith in God or faith even in Jesus, that does not guarantee that such faith will save them.

Faith by itself

Verse 15 continues: “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

Verse 17 notes three characteristics of faith. Faith can be “by itself.” Secondly, faith can be without works. And thirdly, faith can be dead. Faith that is without works is faith that is by itself, and it is dead. Verse 16 asks, What good is that?

Demons have faith

Verse 18 continues: “But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”

So, even demons believe true things about God. They believe he exists, and they correctly believe he is one. That is much more than atheists believe, but it is not a faith that will save the soul of any demon. They know it, because they’re already shuddering at what awaits them.

Useless

Verse 20 continues: “Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?”

Here again is the statement that there is a kind of faith that is useless.

“21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”

Abraham’s faith was different. It was a living thing that resulted in works. His works did not produce his faith or his salvation. Rather, his faith produced works. And that was a kind of faith resulting in justification and salvation.

Dead faith

Verse 26 continues: “As the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”

Dead faith cannot give us eternal life. That is the unambiguous message of James 2. No one who believes in God should assume that such belief is enough to give eternal life. Believing in God does not make you a true disciple. Believing in Jesus does not necessarily make you a true disciple. It might make you a true disciple if your belief is a living faith.

Come back next week as we continue to lay the groundwork for the marks of a true disciple of Jesus.

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The Necessity of Fruitfulness

If we fail to bear fruit, are we truly Christians?

necessity of fruitfulness

The Bible says many things to comfort and assure us of our acceptance with God. The Bible also says many things that emphasize the conditional nature of our relationship with him. These Scriptures warn us we need to do certain things or repent of certain sins to have a relationship with God.

All these verses in the Bible are true, and we need to hold on to both the assurances and the warnings. They do harmonize. But most people will focus on one or the other. Some people focus on the verses of assurance and rarely think about where they fall short of God’s will. Others focus on the warnings, and they lack confidence in God’s love for them and acceptance of them through Jesus Christ.

We need to maintain both sides of the equation.

In this post we will consider an important warning.

Warnings from Jesus

You may have noticed that Jesus gives many warnings. It seems to me he gives more warnings than assurances. That suggests that we need them. Here is one of his warnings given in the form of a parable:

“A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’” (Luke 13:6–9 ESV)

The unmistakable point of this short parable is that farmers require fruit from their trees. Farmers are in business. They do not farm for recreation or entertainment; they need to make a profit. So, they maximize the use of the ground, planting as many fruit-bearing trees as their land will allow. They cut down barren trees and replace them with trees that they hope will bear much fruit.

What fruit does God look for?

So, what spiritual point is Jesus making?

The context of this parable is important. In the preceding verse, Luke 13:5, Jesus said, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

So, the fruit God looks for in us is repentance. God seeks increasing Christlikeness and decreasing worldliness, more fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23) and less works of the flesh (Galatians 5:16–21).

What about the barren?

What is striking about this parable is the readiness of the farmer to cut down the barren tree. There is no sentimentality. He has given the tree three years, and that is enough time for fruitfulness to begin.

Yet, surely Jesus is not saying our merciful God removes people who regard themselves as Christians yet fail to repent, grow, and show the fruit of walking with Jesus Christ. Surely Jesus is not saying our gracious God is this businesslike in his evaluation of supposed believers.

Does God really remove barren believers? Other Scriptures explicitly say yes. Jesus elsewhere said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:1–2 ESV)

Hebrews 6:7–8 says, “Land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.”

Fruit matters

The parable of Jesus about the barren tree is an important warning for every person who calls himself or herself a Christian yet does not live as a true disciple of Jesus (see John 8:31–32). A true disciple of Jesus follows him daily, learns, and obeys his words. A true disciple is devoted preeminently to him, not to the things of this world. A true disciple bears the fruit of repentance and obedience.

There are other marks of a true disciple, and that is the theme of this series. Stay tuned—and be true.