A True Mark Of Discipleship

October 15, 2014 | By Chuck

Football players wear protective pads. Baseball players wear hats and gloves. Cheerleaders have pom-poms. Band members have instruments. Each of these are different but are easily identifiable by the equipment they use. What about Christians? How do we identify a Christian? What is the mark of true discipleship? "To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples."(Jno.8:31) Jesus explains that the mark of discipleship is holding to the teachings of Christ. The teachings of Christ are the Biblical principles that Jesus taught to the apostles who in turn passed on in their teaching. The early Christians on Pentecost were devoted "to the apostles" teaching" (Acts 2:42) which were the teachings of Christ. We know if someone is a Christian or not by the teachings they follow. "Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son."(II Jno.9) Just as some professionals are known by the uniforms they wear so Christians are known by the teachings of Christ that they live by.