About Jesus  -  Steve Sweetman

Students Of The Lord
(the meaning of discipleship)  

In February, 1970, I was 18 years old.  Prior to then I was persistently plagued with discouraging doubts about my salvation, and that's despite the frequent excursions to an altar in search of salvation.  The salvation I thought was granted to me at the altar seemed to soon slip from my grasp.  If I was saved, only God knew, and that didn't help me much. 

My dizzying days of doubt came to an end in February, 1970.  While all alone in my bedroom, I prayed a simple, unemotional, direct, five second prayer.  I then fell asleep.  I realize that does not sound like some heavy-duty spiritual awakening one might experience at an altar of prayer, but it worked.  The next day I awoke doubt free.  Jesus had demolished every last shred of doubt that had plagued me as a youth.  The uncertainty of salvation has never, and I do mean never, returned to haunt my soul.  I have been eternally liberated from debilitating doubts that prevented me from being the disciple of Jesus I was meant to be.

In Matthew 28:19 we read that Jesus instructed His apostles to make disciples for Him from all nations.  Some of us tend to distinguish between a believer and a disciple these days, as if a disciple is a more dedicated believer.  The New Testament makes no such distinction.  A disciple is a believer and a believer is a disciple.  There are not two classes of Christians.      

The Greek word "mathetes" is translated as "disciple" in our English New Testament.  A mathetes, or a disciple, is one who learns from another.  A disciple is a student, and in Biblical terms, is a life-long student of Jesus.  A disciple of Jesus not only learns how to get saved, but continually learns how to live as a saved person.     

The moment I was delivered from doubt was the moment I desired to be a disciplined student of God's Word.  I wanted to know what it says and I wanted it implemented in my life.  Now, at the age of sixty eight, I am still learning.  I am still enrolled in Jesus' continuing education program.  If I were not a determined disciple, I would be a stagnated saved believer, and what good is that to Jesus or anyone else.   

Here's the question.  Are you a disciple of Jesus, enrolled in His continuing education program?  If you have dropped out of class, the door to discipleship is always open for returning students.