What does it mean to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ?

Paul Carrington describes discipleship as not only being forgiven and saved through Jesus Christ but also living a life according to His teachings. This life goes beyond avoiding sin and extends to embracing the path that God sets for us. Jesus, in Luke chapter 6, questions why people call him 'Lord' but do not act according to His words. This implies that discipleship involves more than just accepting Jesus as a savior but living a life that reflects His teachings.

Paul further elaborates on this concept by referring to an example from Ephesians. He explains that a thief should not just stop stealing but should become a giver. This transformation is the essence of discipleship. It's not just about ceasing evil deeds, but it's also about embracing the path that God has set for us and actively doing good. This concept can be applied to all aspects of Christian life as we strive to follow God's teachings.

Ephesians 4:28 (NKJV): 'Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.'

So as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, you've been forgiven, you've been saved, you've been regenerated, You've passed from death to life. And now what? What is the life that we are called to live as the followers of Jesus Christ? That's really the critical thing to consider. The Lord Jesus, at the end of the Sermon on the Plain in Luke chapter 6, he ends with the words, why do you call me Lord, Lord, and you do not do the things that I say?

In other words, he's saying if I'm going to be your Lord, it has more than just being a savior attached to it. There's a life that I want you to live, a path that I want you to follow. And I think one of the most beautiful verses that capture this and summarize it well is what Paul says to the the folks in Ephesians where he says, let him who stole steal no more but rather let him do what is good or labor in that which is good working with his hands that he may have to give to those who are in need. And so what Paul is basically saying is not so much that the stealer should become a non-stealer but the stealer actually goes even further to become a giver. This is what discipleship actually means.

You can take that same concept and apply it across every area of the Christian life. Not only is it the ceasing of doing evil, but it's the actually embracing of the path and what God wants you to do as a follower of Him.