Christians and Disciples

There are more Christians in this world that we can count. People call themselves Christians for different reasons. Sometimes one would claim to be Christian because they attend church, or they acknowledge that coming from a Christian family automatically makes them a Christian. I think there are a lot of self-proclaimed Christians and 'saved' Christians.

I lived my life as a 'saved' Christian ever since I was in fifth grade. I received my salvation, got baptized in 2001 and immediately went into service for the Lord doing ministry work at church. I developed this mentality that good work = good Christian. It sounds like the right idea but it was flawed living (and a wrong teaching). Faith plays a big role and without faith, our works mean nothing. I prayed and relied on God for as much as I could and in the end, although I practiced Christian habits, my life was almost always the same.

I appeared to be fruitful but deeply I held back a lot of things. I didn't have a good relationship with my parents. I hated my dad. I dated. I had depression, and I had a lot of burdens that I didn't give to the Lord. Everything around me now isn't that much different than how it was ten years ago. Parents are still divorced. I still get depressed. I still have burdens. My mom is still the same. Well, I'm not going to be dating for long.

But slowly now, discipleship is starting to take over. My circumstances can be the same but I don't have to be. Instead of rebelling, I've become more compromising. Instead of hating, I asked to be forgiving. Instead of depression over my own obstacles, I am able to entrust my struggles to the Lord - with hope. My burdens are still many but I give them to the Lord who says: "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:30. 

Nowadays I find my depression comes to me from other things and issues in life, mostly from what has nothing or little to do with me. I have a burden for injustice. I get depressed for dying people (spiritually speaking), and for the oppressed.

Christians possess a special strength/trait. If you think about it, you probably wouldn't pray for someone, disciple someone, teach Bible Study, go on a mission trip, and draw people to Christ if you're not a Christian. Yet many Christians spend their lifetime doing what non believers do. There's nothing wrong with secular employment and taking pleasure in the world, but most often we are desensitized and fail to respond to our call.

"But the life of true discipleship demands that the kingdom of God and his righteousness be sought first; that a believer should not spend his life doing what the unregenerate can do as well, if not better; and that the function of a job is to provide current necessities, while our main vocation is to preach the gospel."

- True Discipleship by William MacDonald  (Highly recommend this book. Go buy it from amazon here.)

In summary and in my own words: Saved Christians accept salvation then carry on. Disciples accept the Lord and carry His burdens.

I'm not anti-non Christians. Everyone has a right to their own beliefs but anything under 'Faith Walk' is my sharing of my spiritual journey.