Friday, November 10, 2006

Discipleship

In the modern West, the word "discipleship" defines a process that people go through, usually a series of classes. Presenting accurate information is not wrong. But amassing information is not the purpose of discipleship. (The people setting up the "classes" would agree with that too.)

Jesus knew that choosing allegiance with God, and beginning a love-relationship with Him, is a revolutionary experience. People develop different values and perspectives. They see God, people, right\wrong differently. There is a heart level, radical transformation.

Discipleship is the process of directing this heart transformation into appropriate lifestyle. When someone has a love relationship with a person, there are appropriate behaviors. One does not steal form them. One does not lie to, abuse or degrade them. Similarly, a love relationship with God involves learning practical steps in living out the love relationship. It involves relating with God and other people based on the heart change and love relationship.

It is a learning process because even though our heart have been radically transformed, our behavior is still etched into our minds, and bodies. Our hearts must be filtered through these other parts of us. So, we do not completely live as God's disciples, living in allegiance and a love relationship with Him.

So, this process is both wonderful and painful, liberating and difficult. It is something people want and strive for. It is something they avoid at all costs. It expresses who we really should be.



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