What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?

Jason Dohm explains that a disciple is essentially a student, a pupil, or a follower who has willingly placed themselves under the authority and instruction of another for the purpose of learning and growing. In the context of Christian faith, this means becoming a disciple of Jesus, striving to emulate His teachings and His way of life. As spoken by Jesus in Luke 6:40, "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher." Hence, the goal of every disciple of Jesus is to become more like Him over time.

Being a disciple of Jesus is a journey, a process of transformation. We start not being much like Him at all, but with His teachings and guidance, we learn to become more and more like Him. This journey is not just about imitation, but also about growth and transformation and about striving to embody the values, principles, and teachings that Jesus embodied.

Matthew 28:19 (NKJV): 'Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.'

A disciple is a student or a pupil or a learner or a follower, just different words to say the same thing, but essentially it's someone who has put themselves under the authority and tutelage of another person for the purpose of learning and growing. I think Luke chapter six verse 40 sheds light on how we should be thinking about disciples of Jesus. Listen to Luke 6 verse 40. Here Jesus says, A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. So that defines what it means to be a disciple of Jesus or a follower of Jesus.

It's becoming like the teacher. He's the teacher And we start out not very much like him at all, but learning to be more and more and more like him over time. And he's our teacher to help us to become like him.