How Then Shall We Live

“Discipleship” is an often-used word in Christian circles today, but as with most often-used words, it means different things to different people. To some it means simply saying the words, “I believe in Jesus.” To others it means abiding by a certain set of “rules” or commands, presumably taken from the Bible.  Various other definitions are tossed about to make people imagine that they are “following Jesus,” which is what a true disciple does. But few seem to understand that what the Bible means when it talks about being a disciple of Jesus begins not with mere words or actions, but with a change of HEART!! The prophet Jeremiah described the human heart with these words: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Apart from the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, no human being can be or will be a true disciple of Jesus Christ. You may learn to say some words, and you may even obey some of God’s commands, but eventually it will be clear that your HEART is not in it. That is why it must be understood that the Bible is written to those who believe, to those who are seeking to follow Jesus by becoming more and more LIKE Jesus, not because we HAVE to, but because we WANT to! Our hearts have been transformed by the very Spirit of God, and knowing God’s love for US in Jesus, it is our hearts’ desire to love Him back. Without love for God, the rest is just “religion.” All of our talk about “discipleship” will fall on deaf ears without the Spirit working through the Word to bring about a change of heart. If we are to “pass it on,” we must begin here.