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WHAT WE BELIEVE
Learning to walk with Jesus

Reuben Pauls

A disciple is “someone who learns” or, as Mark 3 says, someone who “is with Jesus”. When Jesus called His first followers, we are told He did this so that they “might be with Him” (Mark 3:14). Being with Jesus is my basic understanding of the term “disciple”.

In our present Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith, we have replaced an earlier article entitled “The Christian Life” with the current Article #10 entitled “Discipleship”. We might well have entitled the new Article “Learning to Walk with Jesus”. Regardless, when we deal with this subject, we get to the heart of our personal response to Jesus.

That being so, it is of interest to note that this Article seems to deal more with relationships between people than it does with our relationship with Jesus. This Article does not mention prayer or Bible reading, although these may be implied or understood (particularly in the phrase “disciplines of the Christian life”). The Article does say that being a disciple begins with Jesus’ call, that discipleship involves following Jesus, that the Holy Spirit within us empowers us to overcome sin and that disciples “delight to obey God”. What does not appear in this Article is an explanation as to “how this happens”. Perhaps this is where references to personal study of God’s Word and prayer could have been included. Or, were these specific disciplines deliberately not included in order to stress the community aspect of discipleship? After all the “personal” aspects of following Jesus (such as prayer and Bible study) may also take place in a community setting.

Emphasizing the community aspect of discipleship may be a necessary corrective in our society, where individualism is encouraged so strongly, but it is my belief that both aspects need to be present in order for us to follow Jesus and become like Him. Each of us needs to grow in both our personal relationship with Jesus and in our community relationship with Jesus.

According to my computer program, the word “disciple” (singular) occurs 29 times in 27 verses in the New Testament. “Disciples” (plural) occurs 276 times in 259 verses. Is it possible that the Holy Spirit, years ago, realized that we needed to be reminded that following Jesus is also a community responsibility?

Following the Bible’s emphasis, Article 10 of our MB Confession uses only plural words to refer to people who are Christ’s followers – “believers”, “followers”, “disciples”, “members”, “them”, “they”, “themselves”, etc. Many today believe that how they live their life is their own business – “Don’t mess with my personal life.” In some ways, this reflects society’s acceptance of political statements made several decades ago – “Government has no business in the bedrooms of the nation,” said former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Our understanding of discipleship, based on Jesus’ teaching and modelling, would disagree.

Jesus’ most comprehensive teaching on discipleship, the Sermon on the Mount, challenges all believers to accountability, not only in their actions, but also in their attitudes. It is in the Christian community where we overcome “godless values”, “materialism”, “violence”, “dishonest, vulgar and careless talk” and sexual immorality. Left to ourselves, these sins may be hidden, shrouded in the secrecy of our homes, giving us little opportunity to learn and grow and little help to overcome our sins. In the context of “disciples together”, being true to Jesus in everyday life becomes possible. Praise God for the community of faith in which we can be Jesus’ followers.

Reuben Pauls is pastor of River of Life Church in Sorrento, B.C. and former executive minister for the Canadian MB Conference.

CONFESSION OF FAITH OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADIAN CONFERENCES OF MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCHES Article 10

Discipleship Following Jesus We believe that Jesus calls people who have experienced the joy of new birth to follow Him as disciples. By calling His followers to take up the cross, Christ invites them to reject the godless values of the world and offer themselves to God in a life of service. The Holy Spirit, who lives in every Christian, empowers believers to overcome the acts and attitudes of the sinful nature. Filled with love and gratitude, disciples delight to obey God. United in a Distinct Community Christians enjoy fellowship with God and other believers. At baptism believers are joined to the local church, commit themselves to build up the body of Christ and witness to the good news of the Christian hope. In community members grow in maturity as they demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit, use their spiritual gifts and practice mutual accountability in the disciplines of the Christian life. Christians confess sin, repent and experience God’s grace in the life of the Christian community. Demonstrating True Faith Jesus teaches that discipleship is the way of self-denial and promises blessing for those who suffer for righteousness. Disciples are to resist worldly values and systems, the sinful nature and the devil. Disciples give generously and reject materialism which makes a god out of wealth. Disciples treat others with compassion and gentleness and reject violence as a response to injustice. Disciples speak honestly to build others up and reject dishonest, vulgar, and careless talk; they seek to avoid lawsuits to resolve personal grievances, especially with other believers. Disciples maintain sexual purity and marital faithfulness and reject immoral premarital and extramarital relationships and all homosexual practices. To be a disciple means to be true to Jesus in everyday life. Psalm 1; Psalm 119; Amos 5:24; Matthew 5-7; Matthew 18:15-20; Mark 8:34-38; John 8:31-32; John 13:34-35; John 15:14-15; Acts 2:41-47; Romans 1:24-32; Romans 8:1-30; Romans 12; I Corinthians 6:9-11; I Corinthians 11:1; I Corinthians 12:1-13; II Corinthians 8-9; Galatians 2:20; Galatians 5:16-26; Galatians 6:1-2; Ephesians 4:11-12, 15-16; Ephesians 5:1, 18; Philippians 2:6-8; Colossians 3:1-17; I Thessalonians 4:3-8; I Thessalonians 5:17; I Timothy 1:9-11; I Timothy 2:1-8; I Timothy 4:6-8; II Timothy 3:14-17; Hebrews 12:1-3; Hebrews 13:4-5; James 1:22-27; James 4:7; I Peter 2:20-25; I Peter 3:15; I Peter 5:8-9; I John 1:3; I John 6-9; I John 2:15-17. View complete Confession of Faith

 
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Last modified March 28, 2002.

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