Luke 14 and being a disciple

[xdisciplex]

Are you a disciple? Do you consider yourself a disciple?
Jesus says very strong things in Luke 14 about having to pick up your cross and about having to hate your family and your life which turned the people away.
Can you say that compared to Jesus you hate your life? I don't. But how do I get to a state where I can say that? By praying or reading the bible or does it require more something like a supernatural encounter with God?
I cannot imagine that you become so radical by accident.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Is0KmnfCvBg

I found a video about Luke 14 and being a disciple. It's really radical. I think such radical things are hardly preached in the church today.

 

[steaver]

Can you say that compared to Jesus you hate your life? I don't. But how do I get to a state where I can say that? By praying or reading the bible or does it require more something like a supernatural encounter with God?
I cannot imagine that you become so radical by accident.

Yes I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Luk 14:26If any [man] come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

The message is to love Jesus even if these forbid you to or mock you for it.

Bearing your cross is taking the insults and sometimes pain and suffering, even death, that may be inflicted on you by society for following the words of Christ.

Yes, if my faimily and friends mock me and disown me for following Jesus then so be it. I will still follow Jesus and give up my friends and family.

Jesus does not teach us to hate but to love. It is His commandment that we should love one another and love our enemies as well.

The passage in Luke here must be viewed in the context given and with understanding of the full counsel of God's word. God is love and commands us to love also. Even those who hate us.

God Bless! :thumbs:

 

[Cutter]

How about the "counting the costs" references in scripture. I wonder how many disciples of Christ there would be in America if tomorrow a roundup and execution of all confessors of faith in the Name of Jesus Christ began.

 

[webdog]

Are you a disciple? Do you consider yourself a disciple?
Jesus says very strong things in Luke 14 about having to pick up your cross and about having to hate your family and your life which turned the people away.
Can you say that compared to Jesus you hate your life? I don't. But how do I get to a state where I can say that? By praying or reading the bible or does it require more something like a supernatural encounter with God?
I cannot imagine that you become so radical by accident.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Is0KmnfCvBg

I found a video about Luke 14 and being a disciple. It's really radical. I think such radical things are hardly preached in the church today.

You are equating the english definition for "hate" with what the author intended by using the greek (miseo). It means to put second, or love less. We are to miseo (love less) everyone compared to Jesus.

 

[steaver]

How about the "counting the costs" references in scripture. I wonder how many disciples of Christ there would be in America if tomorrow a roundup and execution of all confessors of faith in the Name of Jesus Christ began.

It would surely seperate the wheat from the tares. And this has happened, does happen and will happen again. But we have a promise from God's word;

Mat 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

God Bless! :thumbs:

 

[xdisciplex]

But what if you have no resistance in your family? Then you are as much a disciple as someone in China who is being tortured for his faith but there is still a huge difference. I mean getting a stupid comment and being tortured or killed is a huge difference.
And what about counting the costs and bearing your cross? What does this mean for a "normal" person? Does this mean that if you really are a disciple then you cannot or will not live a normal life but then God will tell you to do something like going to India or China?
What if way too many christians live their normal lives and think they are doing it right and they are not?
Personally I don't think that I'm a disciple because to be a disciple requires more and I'm not doing it. When I imagine a disciple then this is something who has nothing else going on and who only has 1 purpose and who is either doing something for God or reading the bible or praying but I'm not doing this. Most of the time I'm doing things which have nothing to do with God like going to a class or being underways or eating or sleeping and also surfing on the internet. I spend way too little time with God. I also don't really have a place where I can be alone and where nobody disturbs me. I hate this.
I'm also scared that God might ask me to do something which I don't dare to do and then he might be done with me.
How do you know that you're doing enough and that you're radical enough and not being lukewarm?`After all the disciples who followed Jesus left everything. Jesus came along and called them and they followed. They left everything behind! Could you do this? What if you couldn't have done this? Does this mean that your salvation depends on this?

 

[steaver]

But what if you have no resistance in your family? Then you are as much a disciple as someone in China who is being tortured for his faith but there is still a huge difference. I mean getting a stupid comment and being tortured or killed is a huge difference.
And what about counting the costs and bearing your cross? What does this mean for a "normal" person? Does this mean that if you really are a disciple then you cannot or will not live a normal life but then God will tell you to do something like going to India or China?
What if way too many christians live their normal lives and think they are doing it right and they are not?
Personally I don't think that I'm a disciple because to be a disciple requires more and I'm not doing it. When I imagine a disciple then this is something who has nothing else going on and who only has 1 purpose and who is either doing something for God or reading the bible or praying but I'm not doing this. Most of the time I'm doing things which have nothing to do with God like going to a class or being underways or eating or sleeping and also surfing on the internet. I spend way too little time with God. I also don't really have a place where I can be alone and where nobody disturbs me. I hate this.
I'm also scared that God might ask me to do something which I don't dare to do and then he might be done with me.
How do you know that you're doing enough and that you're radical enough and not being lukewarm?`After all the disciples who followed Jesus left everything. Jesus came along and called them and they followed. They left everything behind! Could you do this? What if you couldn't have done this? Does this mean that your salvation depends on this?

Quite a few issues going on in your life.

As far as defining just what is a "disciple of Jesus Christ", it is simply one who follows Jesus Christ. Some are babes and inmature, some are further ahead in their relationship and more "perfect" as the bible puts it. Sometimes a disciple sins and is chastened by the Father, sometimes a disciple experiences dry spells when it seems no fruit is being produced for Christ. Some disciples are "radical" as you say and others live out meek and quiet lives, going unnoticed in the backround of life, maybe just giving a cold cup of water to a neighbour in need (Matt 25:35).

Salvation does not depend on your service. By grace ye are saved through faith and this not of yourself, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast (Eph 2).

God knows we have to work and that many responsibilities eat up our time. And yes we WASTE alot of time as well. If you feel God wants you to do something more with your life for His service then pray that He shows you and gives opportunity and opens doors. Make time to spend in fellowship with other Christians who may be more mature and devoted to the things of God. We are called "sheep" for a reason. We often stray and need to keep ourselves in a flock of believers for our own well being.

God Bless! raying: