WHAT IS DISCIPLESHIP?  Discipleship is the process of learning about the teachings of another, internalizing them and then acting upon them. Discipleship programs focus on the learning process, with the emphasis on knowledge. PETERS PERSPECTIVE Peter turned out to be the most dynamic of the early disciples of Christ. He had learned a great deal after spending three years at the feet of the Master Teacher. Yet when it was time for the rubber to meet the road, Mighty Peter failed, and denied his Master in a dramatic fire. Where was that knowledge then? What good did his earlier confession do at the moment when it mattered most? Peter sheds a glaring light upon what a discipleship program should be about. 2 Peter 1:1 (ESV) Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ… 2 Peter 1:3-5 (ESV) 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge(epignosis) of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge(gnosis) … PETER’S INSIGHT INTO DISCIPLESHIP: 1. Equal Faith ßà Righteousness of Christ • Discipleship grows from Faith that is provided by the righteousness of our Savior Jesus Christ. That faith makes each believer equal in the sight of God. That equality is not based upon knowledge, but upon the righteousness provided us by our God and Savior Jesus Christ! 2. Growth ßà Relational Knowledge • Our growth in life and godliness is by His divine power and only through knowing Him in His glory and excellence. 3. Growth ßà Precious Promises • Our growth is only by His divine nature becoming our nature through the power of the Word and His precious promises. 4. Growth ßà Focus on His Virtue becoming our Virtue • Discipleship must focus on His Virtue becoming our Virtue. We first add virtue to our faith, and knowledge to virtue. VIRTUE is the Greek areté which denotes in a moral sense what gives man his worth WHAT IS VIRTUE FOR DISCIPLES OF CHRIST? There are four synonyms to Areté in the Greek according to Zodhiates…  dóxa - glory;  dúnamis , power;  chárisma , gift;  ōphéleia , usefulness Virtue is the strength of the character of Christ internalized into my life as I follow Him. Virtue brings worth and value to my life. Without His virtue I am weak and ineffective. Virtue grows from an obedient relationship Discipleship programs are not effective if their focus is primarily upon knowledge (ginosis). It must be knowledge that grows from our relationship with Jesus Himself! (epiginosko)  Discipleship is Life-Changing only if it is Life-Giving. Discipleship must lead believers into a life that is above the natural, a life that is empowered by the Righteous Life of Jesus Christ. His virtue in living becomes our virtue by dying. We Have No Virtue worth Propping up Discipleship is not a self-improvement course. It is not a way of “improving” your Christian walk! We are ugly before we are saved, we are ugly after we are saved. The only beauty we can ever have is the beauty of Jesus Christ. COULD YOUR HEART PASS THE HOLE IN THE WALL TEST?  EZEKIEL DUG A HOLE IN THE WALL Ezekiel 8:8-13 (ESV) 8 Then he said to me, “Son of man, dig in the wall.” So I dug in the wall, and behold, there was an entrance. 9 And he said to me, “Go in, and see the vile abominations that they are committing here.” 10 So I went in and saw. And there, engraved on the wall all around, was every form of creeping things and loathsome beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel. 11 And before them stood seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan standing among them. Each had his censer in his hand, and the smoke of the cloud of incense went up. 12 Then he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in his room of pictures? For they say, ‘The Lord does not see us, the Lord has forsaken the land.’ ” 13 He said also to me, “You will see still greater abominations that they commit.” Discipleship finds all that we need in Jesus Christ 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (NIV) 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." Discipleship which focuses on knowledge will always lead to pride and self-effort. Discipleship which focuses on virtue will always lead to humility and dependence. THEREFORE I DEFINE DISCIPLESHIP AS: Discipleship - “the intentional process of making the virtue of Christ my own, through submitting to His Lordship and Direction, and the daily Hope of Gaining Christ” Discipleship is simply gaining by trading (diapragmateúomai) ; THE KING WILL DEMAND TO KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE GAINED BY TRADING Luke 19:15 (ESV) When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business.