When you hear people get angry at discipleship, you will hear them describe it as a “works” doctrine. That’s what they call JESUS’ plan for discipleship for those who receive salvation through grace. Discipleship is not to be confused with salvation through GOD’s gift and grace. But it’s also not to be eliminated from the plan CHRIST has for the Christian.
Surrendering to JESUS as the LORD and MASTER along with surrendering fully to the will of the FATHER, is totally separate from the life of the Christian after they receive salvation. So many Christians believe after the Salvation piece is taken care of, then they are “good to go”… Go where? Go back to being “of” the world. They don’t contend with sin because their excuse is no one can stop sinning. So what are they saying exactly? Just go sin, and if you’re going to go, go big? Wait…what?
When surrendering to JESUS it’s a kind of covenant just like a marriage covenant. Then you find out that “free sin” isn’t of GOD …Once the sinner makes a surrender to come to GOD, then the walk begins. It’s a period of trials and struggles that take the person on a walk of discipleship, meaning “discipline” which takes work. Work in what way? GOD forbid anyone work to salvation—NO, the person here is saved, but without discipleship, the individual is out of GOD’s will and in trouble.
WHEN YOU HEAR THE LUKEWARM CHURCH SAYING DISCIPLESHIP IS A WORK’S DOCTRINE—BEWARE!!
They will ignore these scriptures:
Philippians 2:12: Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
James 4:8: Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Galatians 5:9: A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
Ephesians 5:26: That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
John 15:8:Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
Ephesians 2:10: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
2 Timothy 2:21: Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.
1 Peter 1:13: Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 4:2: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
James 2:26: For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
James 2:20: O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?
James 2:14, 17, 20:What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
James 2:17:So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.
James 1:22:Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves
James 2:18, 26:Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works…
All of these scriptures represent EFFORT or work, such as reading your Bible and learning of your sin through that reading and withdrawing from sin and the world which takes “effort.” As well, developing a relationship with JESUS CHRIST by being “set apart” from the world which requires effort and discipline.
The lukewarm church will be quick to throw this scripture in your face as reason for them to do NOTHING resulting from a conversion THROUGH CHRIST:
Galatians 2:16: Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
This scripture does not argue the case that after you are saved (by GRACE) then you are just to “be” because you said your “I DOs” and now you are good-to-go. It means rather that anyone trying to live by the law apart from the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT is just plain wasting their time. It means you need the Salvation of JESUS CHRIST, to pursue a full oil lamp through the HOLY SPIRIT, to be surrendered to the Will of the FATHER through JESUS’ sacrifice.
Without making a FULL SURRENDER to the Will of the FATHER, (read Matthew 7:20-22), you can do NOTHING. But if you do NOT make that FULL SURRENDER to the Will of the FATHER through the sacrifice of CHRIST, then NOT going forward in a discipleship (which means to be disciplined which takes “effort”) means you are LUKEWARM, and in that state you will be spit out by JESUS and your Salvation FOLLOWED BY NO ACTION (or remaining in your prior state of pursuing the world) LEADS TO DEATH. SO BEWARE OF THOSE WHO TELL YOU THAT CARRYING YOUR CROSS IS A WORKS DOCTRINE…..by Susan Davis
