A KING, the definition of disciple as an imitator, it follows logically that all disciples must follow Jesus, the leader, in all ways without any reservation.
We must be like Him in love, simplicity, humility, boldness, holiness, in power, in zeal and in all ways. We must try to be like Him and even desire to be higher. We must start somewhere.
BEING LIKE JESUS IN LOVE
As imitators of Christ, we must be like Him in love. God is love; hence, we take love first. Jesus is merciful because He is love.
All his characteristics are love. When Jesus came, He demonstrated love in many ways. For example, He carried little children and patted them in love.
a weeping widow. He loved the lepers (Matthew 8:1-3). He touched the lepers with love. We must learn to shake hands with people of lower esteem than us. We must not differentiate in love.
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him.”
In John 10:10 and Isaiah 53:5 Jesus Christ lived for us He came and gave life abundantly. He died, that we may live. He became poor that we might be rich (II Corinthians 8 :9).
He is love as the Father is love (John 13:35 ) . As disciples of Jesus, it is only love for one another that makes us different from other people. Love can be demonstrated by giving, touching, embracing, weeping with those who weep and rejoicing with those who rejoice.
CHASTISEMENT AS AN ASPECT OF LOVE
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” Revelation 3:19
“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure
chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” Hebrews 12:6 – 7
God demonstrates His love by chastening. We must be chastened as true children of God. At times we are not chastened either because:
(a) We are too young in faith. For example, when a child wets his napkin, we treat him with love. When spiritual babes make mistakes we can overlook.
(b) We are bastards, that is, God has given up the person. Hosea 4:17 says, Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.
Love and discipline always go together. We must not always remain a baby in the Lord. The moment we want to be disciples, it means we want to be object of love and must be ready for discipline. DISCIPLE is derived from the word DISCIPLINE.
John 15:13 – 15 To be a disciple is to be a friend of Jesus. To be His friend means He will always scourge and discipline us. True discipline comes from a deep genuine love. The love of a father to the children which nobody can copy. A disciple must be a son and God must deal with him as a son. He must follow the father’s foot path (Hebrews 12:9 – 10 )
WHY MUST HE CHASTEN US?
(a) Like father, like son. He wants us to partake of His holiness, no compromise at all (Proverbs 13:24;23:13. 14; Psalm 89:30 – 33 )
(b) It is the justice of God that no man shall suffer twice for the same offence (II Corinthians 5:14). Among disciples, there is always a spiritual head that has to discipline those who commit offences. If he disciplines someone here on earth, the sin is already stricken out in heaven. It is better to accept the chastisement and suffer here than to spend eternity in hell. Ezekiel 22/29 – 3 says that God’s people has offended Him but nobody to whom He can report, that He has to discipline them.
The real purpose of discipline in the church is that the spiritual leader could say: “Please Lord don’t mind them, I have punished them.” Little fellowships are sometimes endangered in this case because everybody is his own master, no discipline. A small fellowship is like a gathering without break (I Corinthians 5:7). There must be discipline because God is a consuming fire (II Corinthians 13:10). Prayer: I am sorry for all the wrong things I have done in the past and for which I was not disciplined, let us forget the past let’s start afresh.
Father have mercy upon me and help me to be upright with you for evermore.
Action Point
PS: I know you might agree with some of the points raised in this article or disagree with some of the issues raised.
Please share your thoughts on the topic discussed. We would appreciate it if you could drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
