That's the next step for those who have believed in Jesus.
"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8,31-32 (KJV) |
From believer to disciple!
The word “disciple” means follower.
When Jesus walked the earth, He would call people. In the beginning of His public ministry, He called Simon Peter and his brother Andrew saying: “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men” Mark 1,17 (NKJV)
The normal progression of human life involves birth and growth, so it is with the spiritual life as well. When a person is saved, they are born again. They become a child of God, they are born of God.
"Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God."
John 1,12-13 (NIV)
While talking to Nicodemus, telling him about this very thing of being born again, Jesus makes this statement: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." John 3,6 (NKJV)
Born again, in simple words, means born anew: a new man is born into a new life. This new man is born of God and lives the God-kind of life.
All this sounds and is amazing and true. However, experiencing this God-kind of life in all aspects is not always automatic. And yet all the promises of God are yes and amen in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1,21).
Jesus says: Follow me, and I will make you become.
A baby doesn’t talk, doesn't walk,.. so many things that the baby cannot do or experience. They need to grow, develop, learn and become fully mature. So it is with the baby believer; the new man in the beginning stage.
“As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” wrote the Apostle Peter (1Peter 2,2)
At whatever stage you are at, the Lord invites you to continue in His Word, to embrace all that He teaches, to hold to His teaching, allowing His Word to have an impact on your life.
"And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3,18 (AMP) |