Grace Evangelical Society

P.O. Box 1308, Denton, TX 76202
  • About
    • Home
    • Beliefs
    • Staff
    • Board of Directors
  • Resources
    • Grace in Focus Blog
    • Grace in Focus International Blogs
    • Grace in Focus Radio
    • Grace in Focus Magazine
    • Free eBooks
    • Journal of the GES
    • Book Reviews
    • Partners in Grace Newsletter
    • Audio Messages
    • Videos
    • Email Subscription
    • Bookstore
    • Online Tracts
  • Store
    • Main Page
    • On Sale
    • Return Policy
    • Your Cart
    • Your Account
  • Events
  • Connect
    • Contact Us
    • Free Grace Church and Bible Study Tracker
    • Free Grace Jobs
    • Ministry Links
  • Donate
    • One Time Donation
    • Monthly Donation
    • Your Account
  • Search
Home
→
Blog
→
Not All Disciples of Christ Are Believers And Not All Believers Are Disciples

Not All Disciples of Christ Are Believers And Not All Believers Are Disciples

February 5, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog

Recently I received this email suggestion:

The Gospel of John says that many of his disciples went back and walked with Him no more (John 6:66).

I find it informative that these people walked with Him no more. You would almost consider them apostates, those who never were really saved to begin with. But John calls them disciples! These disciples are described as turning their back on Jesus but are nevertheless disciples. I think we see here that not all disciples follow Jesus. Some just no longer have the desire to follow Him. Imagine, disciples living such a life. Truly, initial faith in Christ is a one-time event. After that, you must determine how you will live the Christian way of life.

—W, email

That is a great comment. Here are some truths, some of which W raises, about disciples of Jesus in the Gospels:

1. Disciples of Jesus literally followed Him around. John 6:66 shows this. Many stopped following Him around.

2. Jesus had some born-again disciples and some who were yet unsaved. See John 6:64, “But there are some of you who do not believe.”

3. While today we use the idea of discipleship and being a disciple of Jesus in a spiritual sense (since, of course, it is impossible to physically follow Him around when He is not here with us), that is based solely on the book of Acts. In Acts, we find the word disciple used 31 times to refer to believers in Jesus Christ who have been baptized and who are participating in a local church (i.e., are being taught).

4. The words disciple and disciples do not occur in any of the epistles. Paul never uses those words in his letter. Nor does Peter, James, Jude, or John in their epistles. I believe the reason we do not see these words in the letters is that the Apostles felt it important to limit the word to those who physically sat under Jesus’ teaching or, as in Acts, those who literally sat under the teaching of the Apostles.

5. The concept of learning about Jesus, a central aspect of discipleship in the Gospels and Acts, is certainly found in the epistles (e.g., 1 Cor 11:1; Eph 4:20; Phil 4:9; 1 Tim 2:11; Titus 3:14).

6. Another concept used in the epistles that was central to discipleship in the Gospels and Acts is following Jesus and following the Apostles in a spiritual sense. See Phil 3:17; 1 Thess 1:6; 2 Thess 3:7, 9; 2 Tim 3:10.

So what can we conclude from this information in Scripture? More on that in a follow-up blog tomorrow.

 

Subscribe by Email

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
Bob_W

by Bob Wilkin

Bob Wilkin (ThM, PhD, Dallas Theological Seminary) is the Founder and Executive Director of Grace Evangelical Society and co-host of Grace in Focus Radio. He lives in Highland Village, TX with his wife, Sharon. His latest books are Faith Alone in One Hundred Verses and Turn and Live: The Power of Repentance.

If you wish to ask a question about a given blog, email us your question at ges@faithalone.org.

Cart

Recently Added

June 2, 2023

What if Someone Believes in Jesus Without Believing His Promise of Everlasting Life?

Welcome to Grace in Focus radio. Today, Bob Wilkin and Steve Elkins are answering a question from a listener who wonders: “What if a person...
June 2, 2023

Is Failing to Act in Faith the Same as Acting in Unbelief? 

Robert asked in an email: “In your Blog on 5/19/23, you said Ishmael wasn’t acting out of faith towards Isaac. Do you mean he was...
June 1, 2023

Don’t People Who Believe in “Once Saved, Always Saved” Promote Sinful Living?

Welcome to Grace in Focus radio. Today, Bob Wilkin and David Renfro are responding to the accusation that Free Grace Theology promotes sin and licentious...

Grace in Focus Radio

All Episodes

Listen to Stitcher

Listen on Spotify

Grace In Focus Magazine

Grace In Focus is sent to subscribers in the United States free of charge.

Subscribe for Free

The primary source of Grace Evangelical Society's funding is through charitable contributions. GES uses all contributions and proceeds from the sales of our resources to further the gospel of grace in the United States and abroad.

Donate

Bookstore Specials

  • The Epistle of James $15.00 $10.00
  • A Gospel of Doubt: The Legacy of John MacArthur's The Gospel According to Jesus $22.00 $11.00
  • Turn and Live: The Power of Repentance $15.00 $10.00
  • Here Walks My Enemy: The Story of Luis (Hardcover) $13.95 $5.00
  • Romans: Deliverance from Wrath $24.99 $15.00
Grace Evangelical Society

(940) 270-8827 / ges@faithalone.org

4851 S I-35E Suite 203, Corinth, TX 76210
P.O. Box 1308, Denton, TX 76202

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube