In the broader Christian culture, I’ve noticed a slow resurgence of the language of “disciple” and “discipleship”. I think that a return to such biblical language is helpful and needed, but there seems to be significant confusion about the term. Some seem to functionally believe that everyone who takes the name “Christian” is also a disciple. Others seem to use the term to distinguish regular, everyday Christians from the sold-out, radical, follow-Jesus-unto-death Christians. Still others think of disciples as people filled with lots of head knowledge but little real-life application. To truly grasp what discipleship entails, we must return to Jesus’ own teachings and the example He set.
Discipleship According to Jesus is a call to return to the roots of what it means to follow Christ. In the New Testament, Jesus’ followers referred to themselves as disciples rather than Christians, a term that speaks to their identity as learners, followers, and apprentices of the Savior. This identity was no mere label. It represented an all-encompassing devotion to Jesus—a devotion that transformed their lives and redefined their purpose.
In this post, we’ll examine Jesus’ call to discipleship and explore how the early disciples left everything to follow Him. Through their example, we’ll uncover the true essence of discipleship and understand that to be a disciple, according to Jesus, is to embrace His mission, commit to personal transformation, and prioritize Him above all else.
Understanding the Term “Disciple”
In the New Testament, the word for “disciple” (μαθητής or mathetes) appears 272 times, mostly referring to people who followed Jesus. By contrast, the term “Christian” (Χριστιανός) is only mentioned three times. This overwhelming use of “disciple” highlights the early church’s understanding of believers as learners, followers, and apprentices of Jesus, not just in name but in every part of their lives. In Matthew 4:19, Jesus extends His call to the first disciples: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Their immediate response—leaving their nets to follow Him—captures the heart of discipleship. From this first call, we see four key elements that define true discipleship according to Jesus.
The 4 Elements of True Discipleship
The call to discipleship is…
- A call to leave something behind – There is a real opportunity cost here. In order to follow Jesus, they have to leave their nets. They leave behind family, livelihood, and independence. It’s not something they can simply add to their current routines or way of life. It completely alters their lives. This facet of discipleship is markedly missing from modern Christianity in the West. We’re inherently uncomfortable with the idea of sacrifice. Truth be told, if given a choice, we’ll always choose to have our cake and eat it too. Why accept either/or if I can have both? However, every choice we make is simultaneously a choice not to do something else. The disciples realized this and embraced it.
- A call to follow a particular person, not a set a ideals. The call to discipleship is a call to devote themselves to a person, not an idea. It’s a call to Jesus. Jesus calls these men to follow him, not simply a certain set of ideas or principles. They are being invited into a relationship with Jesus. Again, this is something missing from our modern understanding of Christianity. If you were to ask a random person on the street what it means to be a Christian, you would likely hear a lot about doing the right things, finding fulfillment by obeying God, and fellowshipping with other believers. In the rare case, you might even hear something solid about turning from sin to righteousness. Seldom do you hear anything about the relationship with the person of Jesus Christ. An yet, this is call for all believers. Paul exhorts the church at Corinth to “aim to be pleasing to him” in every aspect of our lives. This is relational language, not guilt/righteousness language. When we become Christians, we devote ourselves to pleasing a person, Jesus Christ.
- A call to transformation. The call to follow Jesus includes transformation.Jesus says, “I will make you…” Those who follow Jesus are devoted to being transformed into the person Jesus wants them to be. The idea of transformation is found all over the pages of the New Testament.
- “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…(Rom 12:2)”
- “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator (Col 3:9-10).”
- Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock…And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand (Matt 7:24, 26).
- The call to renewal and transformation is so strongly commanded that to remain as you are is to not know Jesus. To know Jesus is to love Jesus, and to love Jesus is to obey him. Healthy trees produce good fruit. Those that do not bear fruit are cut down and thrown into the furnace (Matt 7:19).
- A call to mission. Finally, this call to discipleship is a call to Jesus’ mission. Those fishermen didn’t get to determine who they would become. They didn’t decide to be transformed into money-lenders or governors or ranchers or anything else they might have been interested in doing. Jesus was calling, and he set the terms of the transformation. They would become “fishers” of men.
With these four elements of discipleship in mind, I submit the following definition of a disciple.
A true disciple is one who is willing to leave all else, devote themselves to the person of Jesus, and be transformed into someone fit and committed to accomplishing His mission.
Anything less than this is not true discipleship. Indeed, anything less than this is not true Christianity.
Understanding discipleship according to Jesus reveals that following Him is not a passive title but an active and intentional way of life. To be a disciple is to be called into a relationship with Christ Himself—leaving behind our old lives, embracing transformation, and joining His mission. The early church knew that to be a true Christian was to be a true disciple; the two were inseparable. There were never two tiers of Christians: the normal ones and the super-Christians.
As we consider the cost of discipleship, let’s remember that Jesus does not call us to follow Him without purpose. He calls us to experience a life of fullness, purpose, and growth, transforming us into people who share in His heart and His mission. In the next post, we’ll dive deeper into the message of the gospel itself and explore what’s required to begin this journey of discipleship. Join us as we examine the foundational truth that opens the door to true discipleship and a life dedicated to Christ.