Faith Vs. Discipleship

You probably are aware that, while both can be considered occupations, a job is something a person does while a vocation tends to be something a person is. Working at Walmart tell us a lot less about someone than if that person is a psychiatrist or a pastor for instance.

In the same way it seems to me that a difference between faith and discipleship now defines those who call themselves Christians. A faith is something you believe in but a disciple is someone you are. Been reading parts of Leonhard Goppelt's Theology of the New Testament – Volume 1. Not the kind of book the average person would read for suspense and drama. But Goppelt does have both in his book, at least for me, when he writes about things like what did the historical Jesus really envision about discipleship. Whether or not Jesus meant to found a church and a new religion is debatable, but Goppelt has now doubt that Jesus intended his disciples to be representatives of himself, in a very personal way. When I'm talking about disciples I'm not talking about the 12 tradition singles out as Jesus' followers, but anyone who took up the call to be a disciple of Jesus.

It's possible that Jesus attracted two kinds of followers during his earthly ministry. Those who developed a faith through Jesus, and those who were his disciples. Of course, the disciples would have first developed faith through Jesus, entering the new relationship we Christians believe God introduced through His Son. But Jesus' main hope probably was to develop disciples. Those who through faith actually became empowered to represent Jesus, be his agents bringing the Kingdom of God into the world.

I would argue that most of the some 80 percent of Americans who claim to be Christians in the United States see themselves as people of faith rather than disciples as Jesus probably intended. For centuries the first church of Jesus, the Catholic church, understood itself in just this way. The disciples were Priests while the faithful were just about everybody else. Only priests were understood as having the power of Jesus to forgive sins and administer the sacraments (official church rituals through which Jesus Christ could be experienced.) One of the main changes in Christianity from the Reformation, which reformer Martin Luther spearheaded, and the Radical Reformation, which sought to reform the Reformation, was the priesthood of all believers. That believers could now experience and represent Jesus directly.

 But even then the clergy was usually considered much more Jesus connected than the average person. Of the major reformers most agreed that clergy should never participate in wars while average believers could do so if approved by the churches. This was because the clergy were the official representatives (disciples) of Christ. The Radical Reformation brought forward believers, like the Anabaptists (Church of the Brethren and Mennonites) who, after studying the Bible, advanced that Jesus never intended to have a specially empowered class of followers (clergy and disciples) and that the faith should indeed be a priesthood of everybody representing Jesus person.

Maybe presence would be a better word than person. But what Jesus probably wanted was more than just for followers to mimic him to nonbelievers, but for these disciples to be empowered to actually share his being with others. Such sharing would require a much deeper commitment that just teaching or tutoring. Which is what Christians are usually talking about when they say salvation requires a personal connection to Jesus Christ. Only few of us really live our lives that way. Instead we allow our understanding of the faith of Jesus to influence how we live. Not the same thing at all.

Which is a same because its this rejection of real discipleship by American Christian churches that are the major turnoff for most young people. When they talk about the church being a bunch of hypocrites this lack of discipleship in church people is most likely exactly what young people are talking about.

And what's really sad is that, if recent studies are to be believed, it's exactly the lifestyle of a disciple of Jesus that most young people under 40 would be attracted to try. Only few churches are offering such a lifestyle.

If they were Christians would shop a lot less. They would be more interested in supporting God's grace than capital punishment, and the world's largest prison system designed mostly for retribution. Can you even think of Jesus living like we do? For sure no disciple of Jesus would fight in a war. Jesus was interested in saving his country just as we are interested in protecting ours. But he knew it couldn't be done because his country was of the world and not of God. The ways of the world can not be changed even by the Son of God. He knew that and anguished over the suffering that caused people.

What Jesus wanted to do was introduce the Kingdom of God, in all its possible fullness, through his ministry. And he knew most of that introduction would have to be done through his disciples offering him to people he, as a human, could not reach within the limits of his earthy life.

Because Jesus was about God's grace he didn't limit what his person offered just to disciples, but to anymore who connected through God by the faith of Jesus. And the worldly benefits of such faith, and there are a bunch of them, he shares with those who don't believe in him at all. In this way God, through what theologians like to call divine grace, enriches all of humanity. From the most saintly person, to the monsters who commit unbelievable sins against God. And you know what? Real disciples of Jesus must do the same. Otherwise the person of Jesus cannot be experienced.

Now I have to admit I've considered myself to be a disciple of Jesus for over 40 years, and I'm really lousy at it. I have certain God given gifts which allow me to share Jesus without much personal pain. But there a lot of other kinds of sharing as a disciple that I'm bad at or don't do at all. This is one reason my understanding of discipleship requires a person to be part of a group of persons ( a church?) who work at doing Jesus together. Truthfully, we will still be lousy at it, but we will experience more of the person of Jesus ourselves, and together have more God given gifts to bring the Kingdom of God into the world.

I'm not really sure how salvation works. I'm so much caught up in the here and now that I don't worry much about that anymore. In my old age I have become more concerned with discipleship because I hate suffering and want as many people as possible to benefit from a living relationship with God. Because of my relationship with Jesus I'm pretty sure what that looks like in people. Doesn't even bother me that we who risk that kind of discipleship never get very good at it. A long time ago I came to believe that God works through imperfect people because there is no other choice.

So much of what goes on in this life breaks my heart that I can only imagine what it does to God. So much of what goes on with Christians in the church breaks my heart that I don't even want to imagine how it makes good feel! So faith (just trying to live a better life by belief), no longer is enough for me. I have to fight back like Jesus to bring as much of God's Kingdom to people as possible. Even when I'm battling my own selfish nature also. As long as God keeps Gracing my life I won't quit in spite of myself. Cause like the old hymn “I Want Be Like Jesus,” even while knowing I never really can be. But it feels so good when I occasionally get close. I can almost feel God smile.

Monty Keeling

11/05/2009