From Anstey’s Doctrinal Definitions:
The word “disciple” means “a learner.” A disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ is a professed learner and follower of His teachings.
Scripture presents discipleship as being a complete and unconditional surrender of the believer’s life to the cause of Christ in this world. The cost of this commitment is great in terms of what one must give up. It involves letting go of every personal ambition and goal that we may have had in life and adopting God’s objectives for the spread of Christ’s glory on earth. With this commitment comes suffering, reproach, hardship, and much hard labour. There is no escape from these things; they are normal to true discipleship. Strange as it might sound, these incredible sacrifices and hardships for the Lord’s name do not give the disciple a better standing in heaven; nor do they add one iota to his spiritual blessings in Christ.
In view of these hardships and difficulties, we may wonder why any believer would make this commitment to become a disciple of Christ when there is no apparent advantage in it. Furthermore, the Lord never commanded anyone to be a disciple of His! Those who have committed themselves to Him as such have done so on their own volition. In fact, the Lord forewarned those who considered being one of His disciples that it would involve much self-denial and sacrifice (Matt. 16:24), and thus it would be a costly decision (Luke 14:28-30). Yet, in spite of all this, many thousands have taken it upon themselves to be disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ—and none have regretted it! The reason for their willingness to surrender their lives in this way is that “the compassions of God” (Rom. 12:1) and “the love of Christ” (2 Cor. 5:14-15) have taken a hold of their hearts and have constrained them—and therefore, they do it gladly. They see it as being the least that they could do for Him. They don’t regret the step they have taken because they have found, that while it is a difficult path, it is also a very happy path (Luke 6:20-23 – “blessed” means “happy”). In fact, they have found the secret to true happiness in life that millions are looking for!
• Scripture indicates that there are two kinds of disciples of Christ:
• Those who are “disciples” (John 6:60-61).
• Those who are “disciples indeed” (John 8:31).
The difference between these is great. As to being a “disciple” of the Lord, He indicated that there are two things that make a person such. He said to His apostles, “Go and make disciples of all the nations baptizing them to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have enjoined you” (Matt. 28:19). The first of these things (baptism) is a one-time act. It is the outward sign of a person’s identification with Christ (Gal. 3:27). It formally introduces a person into the sphere where the Lord’s authority is recognized practically in a disciple’s life. The second thing, which has to do with receiving moral and spiritual instruction, involves a process of learning. If these instructions are received and practised, it also makes a person a disciple of the Lord Jesus.
However, a mere professing believer with no real Godward faith can submit himself to the ordinance of baptism and receive moral instructions—and thus he could be counted as a disciple of the Lord. This being the case, the Lord tests each of His disciples as to his or her reality. We see this in John 6:24-59. The Lord intentionally used symbolic teaching in connection with eternal life when addressing His disciples. Many of them could not understand what He was saying and balked at it. They dismissed it as being senseless and went back from following Him (John 6:66). And, in doing so, they proved that they were not real believers at all. Strange as it may sound, they were disciples but not believers!
On the other hand, there are those who are real believers and committed to following the Lord. He called these “disciples indeed” (John 8:31). They prove themselves to be such by continuing in that path of faith, following the Lord through hardships and rejection associated with real discipleship. Besides being marked by the two outward signs of a “disciple” (baptism and receiving instruction), there are a number of other things that set them apart as being “disciples indeed.” These are:
• They deny themselves and make Christ’s claims pre-eminent over all other claims in their life (Luke 14:26; Matt. 16:24).
• They are willing to be identified with Christ in His rejection and to bear His reproach (Luke 14:27).
• They have counted the cost and have made a lifelong commitment in their Master’s service (Luke 14:28-33).
• They have a passion to be like their Master in all things (Matt. 10:25).
• They continue in the Word (John 8:31).
• They have a genuine love for all other disciples (John 13:35).
• They are characterized by having a life of prayer and communion with God, which results in an fruitful life for the glory of God (John 15:7-8).