Monday, September 6, 2010

The Philosophy of Christian Discipleship


The dictionary meaning of a disciple, as we all know, is a follower, who imbibes in himself the beliefs and preaching of a mentor, and spreads it religiously, conscientiously and devotedly to mankind – irrespective of their caste, creed or genre. In the history of Christianity, the disciples were the students of Jesus during his ministry. While Jesus attracted a large following, the term disciple is commonly used to refer specifically to "the Twelve", an inner circle of men whose number perhaps represented the twelve tribes of Israel.


A true Christian is a person who conveys and radiates the doctrines of Jesus Christ and leads others to abide by his spiritual disciplines and follow biblical training into a path of Christian Discipleship, in the truest sense of the term. Every religion has its own forms of communion and philosophy. Likewise, Christianity also has its own systematic and comprehensive statutes, which are to be adhered to, with dedication, fidelity and diligence to the fullest.

What Does the Bible Say About Discipleship?

Luke 9:23 EVS – And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Matthew 28:18-20 ESV – And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Acts 2:42 ESV - And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Luke 14:27 ESV – “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:26 ESV - “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple."

To walk on the way of Christ and to put up to his principles with constancy is not an easy task. A person following Spiritual disciplines needs to overcome the luring desirability and luxuries of life; and devote him to selflessness, sacrifice and undying love for all living beings. He needs to follow the words and thoughts of The Lord and work more and more towards studying them, praying them and making them his sole objective to survive. He should have the indefeasible spirit and urge in viewing Jesus in all the spheres and aspects of life. The main philosophy for Christian mentoring is “No pain, no gain”. Christian mentoring is nothing but overpowering another person through wisdom. Every person has to come across thorns while traversing down the way of life.

In Christian discipleship, any pupil is a learner. He needs to gather experience from the ‘pain’ received by others, and apply the same in his life in order to ‘gain’ wisdom. Thus, it can be understood that a man cannot survive alone. The Holy Lord had created men as social beings and he needs to maintain his companionship with others to sustain on earth. This is one of the greatest ethics of Christian Mentoring. Man should adorn himself with courage and an indomitable spirit that would lead to a higher platform of life. Christian Schools also play important role in learning and leading Christianity.


Biblical training is the path to a Christian’s higher values of life. When undergoing his sacrifices and difficult tutelage of Christianity, a Christian disciple thoroughly and dedicatedly studies the Holy Bible and The Lord’s words; but it is not merely about knowing or understanding the teachings. Biblical Training is about imbibing and adopting the teachings and wisdom of Lord Jesus Christ into everyday life.

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