What does it mean to be a disciple and how does that shape one's identity?
Paul Carrington delves into the concept of discipleship, highlighting that everyone is, in fact, a disciple, but the crucial distinction lies in whose disciple an individual chooses to be. He emphasizes that being a disciple goes beyond mere information intake; it involves embodying the life, values, and mission of the teacher or master being followed.
For Christians, Carrington emphasizes that they are disciples of Jesus Christ, making Christ their ultimate Master. This affiliation is considered a high calling, echoing the sentiment expressed in the Psalms that it's better to be a doorkeeper in God's house than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
The essence of Carrington's message centers on the profound nature of discipleship, characterizing it not just as acquiring knowledge but as a transformative journey of adopting the life and teachings of the chosen master. For Christians, this means aligning one's life, values, and mission with the teachings and example set by Jesus Christ, acknowledging Him as the ultimate Master to be followed.
Psalm 84:10 (NKJV): "For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness."
So the first thing to consider is that everyone is a disciple. There's no one who's not a disciple. So the question is not so much are you a disciple, but rather whose disciple are you? And so when you begin to think about the word disciple, it usually has the connotation that there's a master, there's someone who you're following, a teacher. And it's not so much just the taking in of information but the inculcating of a life, the values, the mission of that teacher.
And so when you find yourself a Christian you're a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the master and it's a high high calling. You know, the psalmist captures it well where he says that it is better or I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. That's the calling of a Christian.