“And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.'”
When Jesus spoke about following him, he was speaking to everyone. So it wasn’t an invitation to a select group of people. The invitation was open to everyone. But it came at a cost. You must deny yourself and take up your cross daily.
Jesus, then, invites us to follow him. The question then is: How do we respond?
Let’s look at some examples of responses from the Bible:
The Disciples
“While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him.” (Matt. 4:18–20)
“After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.” (Luke 5:27–28)
Paul
“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.” (Acts 26:19–20)
Here we see the biblical response of those whom Jesus called. It is immediate and radical. The disciples respond immediately to the call to follow Jesus. Paul realized immediately that the only thing that mattered was obedience to the heavenly vision.
The apostles themselves also write extensively about discipleship.
Paul on discipleship
Paul writes to the Corinthians that they should follow his example, “as I [imitate] Christ.” What Paul attained by following Christ as his example, in life and deed, qualified him to be an example to others.
A fundamental change had taken place in Paul.
He gives the same exhortation to nearly all the different churches to which he writes:
- To the Corinthians: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Cor. 11:1)
- To the Ephesians: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” (Eph. 5:1)
- To the Thessalonians: “And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit…” (1 Thess. 1:6)
- To the Philippians: “Brothers, join in imitating me…” (Phil. 3:17)
Paul uses the Greek word mimētai, which is often translated as “to imitate.” Perhaps you’re thinking that imitating is something comical. “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” as the saying goes.
But Paul gives a completely different interpretation of the term. After all, It’s not a act or a performance, intended to make the best possible impression. It is actively following Jesus’ example, guided by the Holy Spirit and the word.
Paul also urges the churches to imitate him, just as he imitates Christ. Paul himself is thus an example to follow.
The profound transformation that took place in Paul as a result of his following Jesus was something that those who met him could not remain indifferent to. On the contrary, it made such a strong impression on those around him that they were put to the test.
Either to take a good, hard look at their life, agree with Paul, and experience a radical change of heart.
Or they became so furious—so provoked, in fact—that they wanted to kill him.
Once again, we see how Paul reflects Jesus’ own life in this.
Peter on discipleship
Because Paul followed in his Master’s footsteps, he experienced the same reaction from the world around him that Jesus did. For Jesus is indeed the one whom Peter so aptly describes in his first letter as “a rock of stumbling:”
“So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,’ and ‘A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.’ They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.” (1 Peter 2, 7-8)
In Peter’s writing, we also find one of the most radical expressions of discipleship:
“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2, 21-24)
Here Peter refers to the famous Messianic prophecy from Isaiah chapter 53, concerning “the suffering Servant of the Lord.” This is often highlighted because it emphasizes Jesus’ vicarious death on our behalf.
What is interesting here, however, is that Peter writes this in the context of our following Jesus. He set an example for us to follow.
Jesus is not only a sacrifice; he is also a forerunner.
John on discipleship
“Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”
(1 John 2:6, ESV)
What does that mean? That this is not optional for someone who confesses to be a Christian. On the contrary, it is a debt that is resting on us.
But isn’t that really heavy and tiring?
Think about it for a moment. For someone who truly wants to enter into this new life, isn’t that really what this life is all about?
A little later in the same letter, John also writes about those who hope to become like him, to see him as he is (that is, God):
“And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”
(1 John 3:3, ESV)
It is, therefore, a natural—indeed, almost unavoidable—consequence of the hope that Christians have, that they will also be occupied with purifying themselves. What does that mean, then? Quite simply, when I desire to walk as he walked, I inevitably come across everything that is not in accordance with this. And it needs to be cleansed out. I do not do this on my own, but by obeying the Holy Spirit when he points out what needs to be cleansed away.
John writes in the same letter:
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”
(1 John 1:7, ESV)
The blood, then, performs a cleansing function. Just as the blood in our bodies cleanses away the impurities that the body eliminates, the blood of Jesus cleanses us “from all sin.”
Thus, discipleship is also a process of purification.
And through this process, we also build the Christian community. The bonds between those involved in such a process are thus both established and strengthened through this.
Discipleship in the history of Christianity
Historically, there have been a great many Christian authors who have written specifically about discipleship. There are so many of these that it makes sense to speak of a “tradition of discipleship.”
Through a series of articles, we aim to introduce these historical figures and show how the radical choices they made in their lives have made them examples and a source of inspiration for Christians across generations.
However, we will begin with what serves as Hidden Treasures’ own starting point. Johan Oscar Smith and his commitment to sanctification, which led to the establishment of the magazine Hidden Treasures in 1912. You can read more about this in the next part of the series.