CHPL655 Theology of Discipleship Paper Assignment

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Theology of Discipleship Paper Assignment Michael David Warren CHPL 655: Chaplain Evangelism & Discipleship January 21, 2024

Contents The Foundation for Discipleship .................................................................................................. 1 The Need for Discipleship ............................................................................................................. 3 The Practice of Discipleship .......................................................................................................... 3 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................... 6 ii

1 For the purposes of this paper, a theology of discipleship will be defined as that which the whole Bible teaches us about being a follower of Jesus Christ. 1 Any and all true theology as it pertains to any topic must be drawn from the Word of God, which we have today in the form of the sixty-six books known as the Bible. With the aid of the Holy Spirit, the Bible is sufficient to guide us into all truth (John 16:13; 2Tim. 3:16-17). Starting with the Biblical presuppositions that God created man in His image (Gen. 1:26), mankind corrupted himself with sin and earned eternal separation from God (Rom. 6:23), and salvation from sin has now been revealed through the finished work of Jesus Christ (2Tim. 1:10), the Great Commission, found in Matthew 28:18- 20, is the reason Jesus’ first disciples made more disciples and those disciples continued to pass on the Gospel of salvation through Jesus even to this present day (2Tim. 2:2). The purpose of this paper is to explain my theology of discipleship, giving special attention to God’s plan and purpose to make disciples. The Foundation for Discipleship Over the course of what is now ancient history, God guided men in the process of penning His Word (2Pe. 1:21) and assures us that everything in it “was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom. 15:4, ESV). Despite the age of the Bible, its content remains just as relevant and applicable as ever regardless of cultural or technological differences because mankind’s sin- corrupted nature has not changed (Ecc. 1:9-11). Without the Bible, there would be no understanding on our part for anything concerning God, let alone Christian discipleship, so its guidance is indispensable for our topic. When asked by the Lord Jesus if the disciples would leave Him, the Apostle Peter applied this truth by saying, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have 1 Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine , Second Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2020. 1.

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2 the words of eternal life” (Jno. 6:68). Indeed, the entire Bible, especially the Old Testament, conveys that mankind is unable to remove their sin and restore a right relationship with God. Jesus, who came to reconcile man to God by making atonement for sin (Rom. 8:3), began His public ministry with the imperative, “Repent, and believe the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). After living a sinless life, dying the death that sinners deserve, and rising from the grave on the third day, before ascending back to His rightful place at the right hand of the Father, Jesus issued His final instructions to His disciples that they are to “go… and make disciples 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” (Matt. 28:19-20). S. Lance Quinn argues from this passage that “because of the context, it is possible to say that Christians and disciple-makers are synonymous terms.” 2 Being a life-long student of Jesus remains a radically different way of living than that of any other religion or worldview because disciples do their best to believe, teach, and do all that He commanded. Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey concluded their first chapter by stating, “Our motivation as disciple makers is to bring the maximum amount of glory to God in our lives and in the lives of those we serve… The organizing principle for a disciple is to bring God glory!” 3 Coinciding with the believer’s sanctification process, discipleship is a life-long process beginning at the moment of regeneration and taking their first step upon receiving Christ as Lord. 4 2 John MacArthur, Pastoral Ministry: How to Sheperd Biblically . Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2005. 263. 3 Dave Earley & Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is…: How to Live the Great Commission with Passion and Confidence . Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2005. 19. 4 Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine , Second Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2020. 925-927.

3 The Need for Discipleship After someone receives Christ as Lord over their life, it is vital that they go forward as a believer surrounded by other believers who can disciple them. A crucial element to a believer’s continual growth in “grace and knowledge” is their active participation in Gospel fellowship (2Pe. 3:18; Eph. 3:18). Without the accountability and safeguards of a Gospel-centered church, believers are in greater danger of being led astray to false practices or beliefs. Early in the book of Acts the Apostle Peter stated, “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). The Apostle Paul also was aghast when believers in Galatia began believing “a different gospel” (Gal. 1:6), but Paul and other believers were able to correct their course (Acts 16:5). Indeed, the New Testament is replete with warnings against false and empty professors. Jesus warned that on the day of judgement there would be many who claim to know Him but He will respond, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matt. 7:21-23). The Apostle John clearly instructed that “Whoever says “I know [Jesus]” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1Jno. 2:4). The Practice of Discipleship Because the need for discipleship among believers is so great, Paul wrote to the Colossians, “As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith…” (Col. 2:6-7). The one who has professed faith in Jesus and repented of their sin has only just begun their path of discipleship. Dempsey provides a thorough definition of who a Christian disciple is: “A disciple is a person who has trusted Christ for salvation and has surrendered completely to Him. He or she is committed to practicing the spiritual disciplines in community and developing to their full potential for Christ and His

4 mission” (Emphasis added). 5 Christian discipleship is essentially learning to live all of life as an act of worship. Paul’s pastoral desire over those he discipled was that on judgment day he would be able to present those he discipled as pure before Christ (2Cor. 11:2). A few of the spiritual disciples that Dempsey referred to include practices such as daily Scripture intake, prayer, singing songs of praise, fellowship with other believers to include reinforcement of godly conduct and accountability against sin, and financial support for ministerial purposes. Pastors and Chaplains alike must be proficient at both modeling personal discipleship and leading others through discipleship. No matter what mission field the chaplain is called to, a huge part of their ministry is that of facilitating opportunities for those they serve to be discipled and thus grow closer to the Lord. 6 The initial response to the Gospel will rarely look the same from one person to the next, with some gladly receiving the Good News, some being hesitant about it, and others outright rejecting it (Matt. 13:3-8). For those who do receive it, neither will the path of discipleship look the same between two people, with some growing quickly and others taking longer (Heb. 5:12-13). Conclusion The foundation for discipleship is the Scriptures, “which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2Tim. 3:15). The need for discipleship is the danger this world and the devil poses in wrecking the faith of those who have professed faith in Christ (1Tim. 1:19; 1Pe. 5:8). The practice of discipleship lies in learning to live all of life as an act of worship, which sees God’s glory as the ultimate goal for which to strive. These statements are summative of a theology of discipleship. 5 Dave Earley & Rod Dempsey, Disciple Making Is…: How to Live the Great Commission with Passion and Confidence . Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2005. 28. 6 Alan T. Baker, Foundations of Chaplaincy: A Practical Guide . Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 2021. 43.

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6 Bibliography Baker, Alan T. Foundations of Chaplaincy: A Practical Guide . Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 2021. Earley, Dave & Dempsey, Rod. Disciple Making Is…: How to Live the Great Commission with Passion and Confidence . Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2005. Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine , Second Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2020. MacArthur, John. Pastoral Ministry: How to Sheperd Biblically . Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2005.

CHPL655 Theology of Discipleship Paper Assignment

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