Become A Disciple
[original text in italics]
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Simply put, a disciple of Christ believes and observes all that Jesus commanded and makes other disciples:
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MATTHEW 28:19-20 Therefore, go and make disciples [followers of Christ] 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...
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Disciples act on what they believe, otherwise they don't truly believe. They are not only hearers, but doers of the Word:
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JOHN 6:27 -29 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
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JAMES 2:17-24 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect [having reached its end, complete in all its parts, full grown lacking nothing]? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
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Disciples enjoy the peace and victories of the resurrected life as they grow in Godly character. They die to themselves and live in Christ:
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LUKE 14:27 “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. "
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2 PETER 1:3-11 (parts only) His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness... that through them you may become partakers of partakers of the divine nature... For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with... virtue... knowledge... self-control... steadfastness... godliness... brotherly affection... and love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling [invitation] and election [selection], for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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Disciples mature in the word of righteousness and discernment through testing and discipline:
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HEBREWS 5:12-14 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled [without experience, not tested or not successful when tested] in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature [those full grown, complete in all its parts, gone through the necessary stages to reach the end-goal], for those who by reason of use have their senses exercised [trained naked or wearing a loin cloth with one's full effort, as with an ancient Greek athlete] to discern both good and evil.
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You are a new creation created in the image of God. Therefore, as you fellowship with the Father and with Christ Jesus, see yourself the way you were recreated/rebirthed. Live out your life in your true identity. Do not forget who you are like, who you have become, and your commission:
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JAMES 1:22-25 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
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As a disciple walking by unwavering faith, be encouraged​ that you have the victory and you will have what the scripture says:
2 TIMOTHY 1:7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear [cowardice, timidity, opposite of boldness] but of power [miraculous ability] and love [goodwill, benevolence] and self-control [self-discipline].
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MARK 11:22-24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Have faith in God. For truly I say to you, that whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed, and be cast into the sea and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things which he says becomes; he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say unto you, What things so ever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
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