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