Establishing a Biblical Theology of Discipleship
[Please understand that the notes provided with this lesson are a very "rough" draft of what is to be the final and finished product. They are provided for the reader's edification. They are not intended to be a perfect, clean, error-free, final copy... nor anything even close.]
What is discipleship? By answering the question “What is a disciple?”, we are able to define discipleship.
Discipleship Defined: Since the term disciple, after it evolved in the ministry of Jesus, refers to a true believer (a Christian), then discipleship, refers to the process of becoming like Jesus. Discipleship is the process of being perfected—of becoming like the perfect man, Jesus (cf. Eph 4.11-14).
Discipleship means growth and progress toward the goal of becoming more like Jesus. It starts with a definite conversion commitment and it progresses when the convert endures and grows. “Discipleship means to follow Jesus and become like Him...” [Wilkins, 292] In other words, discipleship is the process of growing up in Christ in all things (in all areas of character and life).
Discipling Defined: Discipling, then, would refer to the efforts of one disciple to help another disciple become more like Jesus.
We need to take a little closer look at discipleship... because we need to see that discipleship is not a new concept invented by Jesus in his first coming. The concepts behind the term discipleship are concepts seen throughout the redemptive history of man.
Discipleship was alive and well during the Old Testament among the Jews. Seeing discipleship in the Old Testament will help us understand the continuity in the plan of God. Although many things have changed from the Old Testament to the New, God's overall plan has not. He is still concerned with restoring His image in lost sinners, and that is (as we have seen) the heart of discipleship. Discipleship had taken several forms by the time Jesus arrived in first-century Palestine, and it will help our understanding of Jesus' brand of discipleship if we first understand what He started with during the first stages of His earthly ministry.
So, we need to trace discipleship and discipleship concepts from the Old Testament times until Jesus' day. From there we can see how Jesus took the existing ideas of discipleship and changed them into what we know today.