Jesus clearly sets the conditions of entrance into discipleship. In Luke 14:25-33 He emphasizes the cost that disciples must pay in following Him. Anyone who wishes to be Christ’s disciples must meet Christ’s demands involving one’s family, self and possessions.
Family
Jesus declares; “If anyone comes to me and does not hate His father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-yes, even his own life-he cannot be my disciple” (Lk.14:26). The word “hate” here has bothered many people. Is Jesus telling us to dislike or abhor our family? According to Hendricksen this verse should be seen in the light of its parallel in Mt. 10:37 which says; “anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me….” It is clear, then that the meaning of “hate” in the Lucan passage is to love less. Hendricksen further adds that the word hate in this passage cannot really mean to hate because Jesus tells us in Mt. 5:44 to love even our enemies.
Jesus is saying that following Him means to put Him in such a place of prominence in one’s life. Nothing must be a substitute for Him as the focus of allegiance, not even one’s family. Devotion to Jesus must be so wholehearted that even attachment to parents and to the other members of one’s family must not be allowed to stand in the way. If a person is unwilling to give that unconditional devotion, then, Jesus says, “he cannot be My disciple”.
Self
“Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Lk. 14:27). This is the second condition mentioned by Jesus. The meaning of this negative statement is clear in its positive parallel found in Luke 9:23; “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” According to Wilkins this expression must be understood in terms of the cross of Jesus. The cross was the Father’s will for Jesus’ life. Jesus surrendered His will to the will of the Father saying: “not my will but yours be done” (Lk.22:42). To come after Jesus means denying one’s own will, taking up the Father’s will and following Jesus. The cross also symbolizes the suffering that a disciple will experience in following Jesus. Hendricksen comments that to take up one’s cross is to voluntarily and decisively accept the pain, shame, and persecution for the sake of Jesus and His name - day in, day out. Discipleship, according to Bonhoeffer, means submission to the law of Christ which is the law of the cross. The cross means sharing the suffering of Christ to the last and to the fullest. The disciple is a disciple only in so far as he or she shares his/her Lord’s suffering, rejection and crucifixion. Suffering is the badge of true discipleship.
Anyone who wants to be a disciple of Jesus must be willing to die to self like the apostle Paul who declares: “I have been crucified with Christ and no longer live…” (Gal. 2:20). Bonhoeffer’s famous line reminds us that “when Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”
Possessions
Jesus gives two parables that emphasize the necessity of counting the cost of following Him (Luke 14:28-32). The first is about a person who wants to build a tower. That person must first estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it. Otherwise, he would be ridiculed for failing to finish it (vv.28-30). The second is about the king who is about to go to war. He must first calculate the strength of his army against their enemies before going into battle (vv.31-32). Then Jesus makes clear His point in v. 33: “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.”
A person must be willing to dedicate everything to Jesus, including his or her possession or wealth. Marshall stresses that discipleship means saying a final ‘good-bye’ to one’s possessions. Just as one should not attempt a venture without having sufficient resources to complete it, but will need to put everything into it in order to be successful, so the disciple must be continually ready to give up all that he or she has got in order to follow Jesus.
Jesus clearly laid down the cost of following Him: wholehearted devotion, complete self-denial, placing one’s all at God’s disposal. There can be no conditional discipleship, that is, following Jesus on our own terms. According to Bonhoeffer: “Discipleship can tolerate no conditions which might come between Jesus and our obedience to Him.” Discipleship requires absolute commitment to follow Christ. It means an exclusive adherence to Christ which implies that the disciple look only to his or her Lord and follow him.
The Marks of Disciples
The book of John records the three marks of discipleship that Jesus said will be evident in the lives of those who have truly committed themselves to Him. These three marks are: abiding in Jesus’ Words, loving one another, and bearing fruit.
Abiding in Jesus’ Words
There were Jews who appeared to have believed in Jesus (Jn. 8:31a). But Jesus knew that their faith was not genuine. He then told them: ”If you abide in my word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (Jn. 8:31b-32). In the verses that follow, we see these same people being hostile to Jesus and even attempting to kill him (v.59). It is clear that they were not true followers of Jesus. They merely agreed to some of Jesus’ teachings. But true faith is accepting all that Jesus claims to be. True faith is believing in Jesus for eternal life (Jn. 6:68).
Loving One Another
The second identifying mark of the true disciples of Jesus is their love for one another. Jesus tells his disciples: “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another” (Jn. 13:34-35).
A true disciple loves others as Christ has loved him. The model of love is Jesus’ death, the supreme expression of love (Jn. 15:13). The example of Jesus, constant, self-sacrificing love must be the pattern for the disciples’ attitude and relation toward one another. Jesus’ love is not only the model of love but also the source of love. The disciples are empowered to love by themselves being loved. The disciples can look up to Jesus as their example and source of love for one another.
Bearing fruit
The third mark of the disciple of Jesus is bearing fruit. In John 15:18 Jesus says:
“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.” Wilkins explains that the true disciple will bear fruit because true attachment to the Vine brings true life to the branch. Because the disciples are attached to Jesus, His life will flow into them, producing fruits.
The fruit-bearing is the outward and visible sign of a disciple. By bearing fruit, those who, by God’s grace, are already disciples become disciples more and more. Hendricksen stresses that it takes a disciple to become a disciple. It takes a child of God to become a child of God.
The fruit that the disciples will produce refers to the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23); new concerts led to Christ through the disciple (Jn. 4:34-38; 15:16); and righteousness and good works manifested by the person who has received new life in Christ (Phil.1:11, Col.1:10).
The Goal of Discipleship: Conformity to Christ
The goal of discipleship is to become like Jesus. The disciples are to adapt the lifestyle of Jesus. Discipleship is an imitation of the Lord, an actual reproduction of the type of life lived by Jesus and proposed by him to his disciples. Discipleship is the ongoing process of becoming like Jesus Christ, of being conformed to His image.
The main goal in discipleship is to be Christ-like. Later in one of his Epistles, Paul mentions that the ultimate goal of the believer’s life is to be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29).
