On Being A Disciple

Becoming a disciple of Jesus has many advantages.  Jesus said, "I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10)  First and foremost is the real hope of eternal life.  But there is a condition to this.  Jesus said, "Not everyone who says 'Lord, Lord' shall enter the kingdom of heaven but

he that does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).  So there is more to "being a disciple" than just "becoming a disciple".  There is the reasonable expectation that our attitudes and behavior will align with that of the Lord's.  This is why His command of "teaching the disciples to follow all Jesus commanded" is important.  Living in a culture where most any behavior is accepted may make adjusting to the Lord's way of life more difficult.  But we all need to understand that it is not the Lord's commands that are difficult but our unwilling-ness to change that is difficult.  We are more comfortable with our "old self" but once we realize the "new self" is a much better way to live it becomes easier and preferable. 

Jesus came that we might "have life" and experience things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.  Possession of these spiritual qualities are far more valuable than the stress of collecting possessions.  As Solomon wrote, "Better a handful with quietness than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind" (Ecclesiastes 4:6).  And to have "life abundantly" is the greatest blessing, after all, "what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 

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May God bless you in your pursuit to live like a real disciple of Jesus should live.  It is the goal of the Opelika church to simply help us all to live to glorify God, to keep one another motivated, to help one another work through depression and frustration, and to keep the eternal hope alive.  For further discussion, please do not hesitate to contact us or come meet with us whenever you have an opportunity.