Post on 25-Jul-2020
Gospel = Discipleship or Grace?
When they had preached the
gospel to that city and had made
many disciples, they returned to
Lystra and to Iconium and to
Antioch…
Acts 14:21
Gospel = Discipleship or Grace?
Disciple = mathetes
“a student, learner or follower of..”
A "disciple" was not only a pupil, but an adherent; hence they are spoken of as imitators of their teacher -Vine’s Expository Dictionary of NT Words
Gospel = Discipleship or Grace?
Make disciples = matheteusate
“to make a disciple, disciplize”
Gospel = Discipleship or Grace? For it is by grace you have been
saved, through faith—and this is not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by
works, so that no one can boast. For we
are God’s handiwork, created in Christ
Jesus to do good works, which God
prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:8-10
Gospel = Discipleship or Grace?
“We have not only been saved by
grace, we have been paralyzed
by it.”
-Dallas Willard
Gospel = Discipleship or Grace?
“I find it both sad and appalling that
we have used the great doctrine
of justification by faith and God’s
grace to teach that people don’t
really need to follow Jesus to be
Christians.”
-Bill Hull (TCBOD)
Gospel = Discipleship or Grace?
“But because we’ve preached a
different gospel, a vast throng of
people think they are a
Christian/saved/born again when
they really aren’t.”
-Bill Hull (TCBOD)
Gospel = Discipleship or Grace?
“Christianity without discipleship is
always Christianity without Christ.
-Dietrich Bonhoeffer (TCOD)
Seeking God
• CUMA:
– “At least I try” Mentality
– God’s standard for seeking Him
• IST:
– Seek God wholeheartedly!
The Word of God • CUMA:
– Bible is written by man
– Obedience is optional
• IST:
– Begin to read the Bible
– Commit to making the Bible their standard for
life and doctrine
The Discipleship Study • CUMA:
– What is a Christian?
• IST:
– Become a disciple
– Seek a true Biblical conversion
The Sin Study • CUMA:
– What is sin?
– People or circumstances are responsible for
my sin
– We can live a lifestyle of sin and go to heaven
The Sin Study • IST:
– See themselves as sinful
– Have a serious attitude towards sin
– Identify the specific sin in their life
– Be urgent about dealing with sin
The Cross/Grace Study • CUMA:
– What is a grace?
– Jesus dying for the sins of the world
• IST:
– Appreciate grace deeply
– Pursue Godly sorrow
– Respond to grace appropriately
The Repentance Study • CUMA:
– What is a repentance?
– A changed life is optional for salvation
• IST:
– Repent!
– Define and pursue a Christ-centered life
The Baptism Study • CUMA:
– What is a baptism?
– False teachings about salvation
• IST:
– Get baptized!
– Have conviction about false teachings
The Church Study • CUMA:
– Church as a man-made institution
– Church is optional
– Church is what happens on Sunday and
Wednesday
– Members have no role in church
– Unity is optional
– Church is any building with a sign
The Church Study • IST:
– Engage in daily, loving Christian relationships
– Be committed to meetings of the body
– Contribute:
• Gifts & Talents
• Financially
Gospel = Discipleship or Grace?
• Seeking
• Word
• Discipleship
• Sin
• Cross
• Repentance
• Baptism