What are the Marks of a Faithful Disciple?

            There is a lot of talk about “discipleship” in the church world these days. Rarely, however, do folks actually come out and say what a disciple is. I suppose it should be a no-brainer, but it isn’t. A “disciple” is a follower. So a Christian is a disciple or follower of Jesus Christ. He or She strives to follow Jesus – to do, say, think and desire the things that Christ did. Being a disciple sounds pretty straightforward. But if you’ve been trying to follow Jesus for a while or if you’ve been trying to assist other people in their efforts to follow Christ (“discipleship”) you know how challenging this can be.

            We live in an age when it is difficult to identify with confidence the straight and narrow way. In our day many have “the appearance of godliness, but deny its power” (2 Timothy 3:5) Most people in my city say they are Christians but the lives of many deny its power. And false teachers abound in the world these days. Folks who oppose the truth, corrupt the simplicity of Christ and the gospel and sow seeds of uncertainty and confusion within the Church. One of the results of this sabotage is a loss of certainty in “the way” and confusion about what it means to be a disciple of Christ and how to help others follow Christ.

            Fortunately, the Apostle Paul cuts through all this fog & confusion with some practical advice for his young protégé Timothy, whom he had been training to follow Christ. Consider some of the last words that Paul penned:

^ESV 2 Timothy 3:10-12 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, ¹¹ my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra - which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. ¹² Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

            Paul lists 8 marks of discipleship. Paul urges Timothy to follow him as he follows Christ. A disciple is a follower. A genuine Christian will follow Christ and His Apostles in these key 8 ways:

1)      Teaching

2)      Conduct

3)      Aim in Life

4)      Faith

5)      Patience

6)      Love

7)      Steadfastness

8)      Persecutions and Sufferings

Take a moment and rate yourself on these 8 aspects of discipleship. For example, is your "aim in life" the same as that as the Apostle Paul or Christ's? Do you have the marks of genuine disciple? Now consider the list again from the perspective of those you are training. Are you discipling your children, friends, loved ones in these 8 marks of discipleship? Which are weakest? Which are strongest?