Learning Christ
There’s a good reason for a creeping vagueness — discipuli literally only means “students.” But Scripture does offer us a definition what it means to be a student of Jesus, to “learn Christ”, as Ephesians has it: “put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life…and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God.” (Eph 4). Such a “putting off ” and “putting on” happens to everyone in the gospels who really follows Jesus. In that sense, discipleship is not a boutique programme, or a sociological marketing exercise it’s an overwhelming reaching towards a person — because without Him, trying to live what Paul calls “the new life” is baldly
and simply “futile” (4:17) — and it has a form which is beautifully practical and also institutional, as the gifts, offices and instructions of the Church in Ephesians 4 make clear. We are made for one another. Paul sees “learning Christ” as stuck to a bunch of rather practical, and rather hard things: unity, discipline, truth seeking and speaking, tenderness of heart rather than bitterness and clamour, maturity, simplicity, honesty, forgiveness. We can’t disciple others without a constant discipline (yes, the words are related) of discipling the self, offering our callousness to God, so that our heart might be tenderised, sometimes with a hammer!
Such growth, such maturing, requires unity because we can’t do it by ourselves — we learn and imitate not only Jesus, but each other (1 Cor 11:1) swapping gifts and insights. But it also requires listening to Jesus, especially the moments in which we are most challenged by Him, offended by Him, angry with Him — for those are the sharp moments at which grace can work. “If we are to grow in love, the prisons of our egoism must be unlocked. This implies suffering, constant effort and repeated choices.” (Jean Vanier). We listen. We are filled. And then, we discern, swap, and look like Him. That’s the work of a lifetime — and the life that makes the body grow.
Disciples seek Jesus in the scriptures and in prayer.
Theological Thoughts | Words — Rev'd John Fox | Photo Credit — www.relevantmagazine.com
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Theological Thoughts
“Discipleship” is one of those things everyone is in favour of. It pops up in almost any Church context stuck to everything from personal holiness (“how is your discipleship’) to youth formation (“we need more discipleship initiatives, also a smoke machine”), and catechesis “being disciples”. I have a mate who insists on writing under “religious views” on Facebook “discipled follower of The Way” instead of “Christian” — and I’m still not sure what it is he means, except that he appears determined to begin the Church again in his front room, only with slightly worse biscuits.
“If we are to grow in love, the prisons of our egoism must be unlocked. This implies suffering, constant effort and repeated choices.” Jean Vanier