Teachings About How to Be a Disciple of the Lord Jesus | Bible Commentary Forever Ministries

Introduction

Continuation from “The Teachings of the Lord Jesus.”

The Lord Jesus came to earth from the heart of God the Father as the Son of God and the Son of Man, to die on a cruel cross, to be buried in a grave, to rise from the dead on the third day, and to ascend into heaven and be seated at the right hand of God the Father, so that we humans might have the way into heaven and the hope of resurrection when the Lord Jesus comes in His Father’s glory to take His own (Matthew 16:27, John 11:25-26, Romans 6:8-11, 1 Corinthians 15:12-19).

The Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus is the only way to God the Father and heaven, so from heaven’s eyes, on this earth, there are two types of people: believers in the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, and non-believers. The teachings about being a disciple of the Lord Jesus are fundamental for all believers and non-believers alike, as there is no salvation for our souls but by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As disciples of the Lord Jesus, we must endure until the end of our lives on earth to be saved (Matthew 24:13) and have the patience of the saints by keeping the commandments of God and the faith in the Lord Jesus (Revelations 14:12). The believers in the Lord Jesus are responsible for keeping the faith, and the unbelievers are accountable for coming to the faith; therefore, as disciples of the Lord Jesus, we have a double duty: minister to others and keep the faith in the Lord Jesus until the end. In the Gospels, the Lord Jesus teaches us how to accomplish these duties.

Considering the task of ministering to others, as disciples of the Lord Jesus, we should remember that after the Lord Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, He met the eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee, where He gave them the great commission, saying, in Matthew 28:18-20, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on the earth. Go therefore, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatever I commanded you; and behold, I am with you all the days, until the end of the age.” Therefore, our primary duty as disciples of the Lord Jesus is to go and make new disciples, meaning that when we meet someone, the first thing in our hearts should be to call upon the Lord for help to be the guide to our tongue to speak and to deposit words in our hearts to be able to speak out those words for all that we have a chance to meet. But first, we must be aware of the fake (insincere) appearances of people who come and ask for opinions of the Word; don’t answer from your own understanding; think of the Lord first, and the words will come.

Considering the task of keeping faith until the end, as disciples of the Lord Jesus, we are responsible for reading and meditating on the Holy Word and learning and practicing what the Word of God teaches us. As faithful disciples of the Lord Jesus, we must follow all the teachings and commandments that the Lord Jesus gives us in His Word. Furthermore, for a faithful disciple of the Lord Jesus, reading and meditating on the Word of God and living our lives according to the commandments of the Lord should not be some random activity; instead, we must follow the teachings and commandments of our Lord Jesus continuously throughout our lives (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:1-6). By following the Lord Jesus’ teachings and commandments and staying in prayer, we must trust and believe in His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy 31:8).

In the Gospels, the Lord Jesus presents numerous teachings on becoming and being His faithful disciples. As true disciples of the Lord Jesus, we must always follow and obey all His teachings to be pleasing to the Trinity of God (God the Father, God the Son Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit). To understand all the Gospels’ teachings about how to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus, we organize all the Gospels’ writings that fall into this category into eleven themes, as given below.

Repentance of sins.
The water baptism.
The Holy Spirit Baptism.
The commandments and the Law of God.
Faith in God and relationships with God.
The Lord Jesus came to complete the Law.
Personal relationships and living life rightfully and pleasing to God.
Serving God.
How to be with the world.
How to be with other believers.
The light and the dark

The Presentation of the Teaching Themes

This section describes all the teaching themes by highlighting their essential features. Furthermore, we present a complete list of Bible passages in the Gospels that relate to each theme, with a short description of each passage. These links point to our Bible Commentary Forever work, where you will find more helpful comments to better understand the Word of God.

1. Repentance of Sins

The Lord Jesus is the Son of God and the Son of Man; He came to the earth to do the Father’s will and provide salvation for humanity. The Bible teaches us in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.” The sins in our lives separate us from God, and the only way back to God the Father is through the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus’ body was broken, and His blood was shed on the cross for the sins of the world. Forgiveness of sins and salvation for our souls is in no one else but only through the beloved Son of God, the Holy Lamb of God, the only sinless Man who ever lived on earth. Salvation and eternal life are found only by repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus; faith that the Lord Jesus is the Son of God, and the Father has sent Him into the world to bring salvation to all. The Lord Jesus teaches us in the Gospels in many places that repentance of sins is the first step to the salvation of our souls and the way to make peace with God. As disciples of the Lord Jesus, we always need to come to the Father and ask for forgiveness in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. No other name under heaven can provide forgiveness for our sins and make peace between us and God the Father if not the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).

Below, we highlight all the Gospel passages that cover this theme entirely; we encourage all readers to check the hyperlinks to all the Bible passages, where you will also find more comments and explanations that we provide in our Bible Commentary Forever (BCF for short) work.

BCF Links in the Gospel of Matthew: Matthew 4:17 (The Lord Jesus teaches repentance for the kingdom of heavens); Matthew 11:20-24 (Repent and accept the Lord Jesus as God. The Lord Jesus clearly tells us that if we do not repent, we will be destroyed in hell); Matthew 11:25-26 (The Lord Jesus can forgive sins, and under the death of the Lord Jesus on the cross, sins can be forgiven); Matthew 26:69-75 (Peter denies the Lord three times, and then he cries and repents from his heart).

BCF Links in the Gospel of Mark: Mark 1:14-15 (The Lord Jesus proclaims the Gospel of God and commands repentance and faith in the gospel); Mark 14:66-72 (Peter denies the Lord three times, and then he cries and repents from his heart).

BCF Links in the Gospel of Luke: Luke 13:1-5 (Repent and receive forgiveness, or you will perish; here is the free choice of humans); Luke 18:9-14 (Pray humbly to God from your heart and ask for His forgiveness from your heart); Luke 22:55-62 (Peter denies the Lord three times, and then he cries and repents from his heart).

BCF Links in the Gospel of John: John 8:33-36 (Repent to God in the name of the Lord Jesus and He will set you free); John 13:8-10 (Clean your actions, repent, and acknowledge your sins, and you should be wholly clean by the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross).

2. The Water Baptism

The water baptism is the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, which the Father initiated through His servant, John the Baptist, to prepare the way for His beloved Son, Jesus Christ (Luke 3:1-14). The Gospels also tell us that the Lord Jesus Himself came to John the Baptist and asked to be baptized in water. The Son of God and the Son of Man, the only sinless Man that ever lived on earth, came to be baptized by a human in order “to fulfill all righteousness.” The Lord Jesus is God and human, and this is an example for all humans to follow. If the sinless One had to be baptized in water, then all the people who want to follow the Lord Jesus must also do so. As is the walk through the gate of death, even so, a person being baptized in the water dies from the old life and becomes a new person in the Lord. The old book of life has been destroyed, and a new book of life starts (See Matthew 12:30 and Matthew 12:36-37). When you submerge under the water in the name of the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, your soul is touched by the Lord in that water. And when you come out from that water, the Lord becomes the guide of your soul in the unseen world and the master of your life in this world.

Water baptism is important for a new believer, but the person must meditate on the Lord’s teachings and seek and ask for the Holy Spirit baptism as well. All humans need to be born of water and the Holy Spirit to enter the kingdom of heaven, as the Lord Jesus tells us in John 3:5. In Matthew 16:18, the Lord Jesus says to Peter, “Moreover, I also say to you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it." The rock is the truth about the Lord Jesus, that He is “the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” The Lord Jesus will build His church on the truth that Peter received, which is the rock, the foundation of the church. The Lord Jesus opened the gate of the heavens (See Matthew 3:16) and put the seal of His blood on the gates of hell when He was there (at the gates) during the three days (See 1 Peter 3:18-20). The Lord Jesus put the seal on the gates, which is His blood, and it is a forbidden seal; no evil can touch this seal or remove it (See Exodus 12:13). All His children have the salvation seal of the Lamb on them. The gates of Hades will never open for those who have the salvation seal of the Lamb on them. The salvation seal is put on a believer’s heart when the person believes and gives his heart to the Lord Jesus, and then the person goes and is baptized in the water by immersion (complete baptism, heart, and water, meaning soul and body). The believer’s responsibility is to keep this seal by staying in faith, studying the Word of God, and keeping the Word in the heart until the end of life on this earth. If you have the Word in your heart, you have the Lord’s shield of protection.

As disciples of the Lord Jesus, no one can have any excuse not to be baptized in water; baptism in the water is a command from the Father. The Father gave the practice of water baptism to His messenger, John the Baptist, and the Father Himself upheld the water baptism practice for all believers in the Lord Jesus at the baptism of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, when He spoke from heaven. Therefore, all believers in the Lord Jesus must be baptized in water for the remission of their sins (Matthew 3:13-17).

Below, we highlight all the Gospel passages which we placed into this theme; we encourage all readers to check the hyperlinks to all the Bible passages, where you will also find more comments and explanations that we provide in our Bible Commentary Forever (BCF for short) work.

BCF Links in the Gospel of Matthew: Matthew 3:13-15 (The Lord Jesus is baptized in water by John the Baptist).

BCF Links in the Gospel of Mark: none.

BCF Links in the Gospel of Luke: Luke 3:21 (The Lord Jesus is baptized in water by John the Baptist, and He prays to His Father).

BCF Links in the Gospel of John: John 3:4-7 (The Lord Jesus teaches us that one must be born of water and the Spirit in order to enter the kingdom of heaven).

3. The Holy Spirit Baptism

The Lord Jesus Himself was baptized in the water, and the Holy Spirit and many passages of the Scripture tell us that the Lord Jesus is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit (See, for example, Matthew 3:11-12, Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:7-8, Mark 1:9-12, Mark 16:16, Luke 3:16-17, Luke 3:21-22, Luke 12:50, John 1:33, John 3:5, John 3:23, John 3:32-34, John 3:34-35 ).

A true believer in God’s beloved Son should follow all the teachings and follow the example in the behavior of the beloved Son of God to live a faithful Christian life. While staying with His disciples in Jerusalem, after His bodily resurrection, the Lord Jesus ordered His disciples to wait for the promise of the Father, namely, the baptism with the Holy Spirit, saying to them, in Luke 24:49: “And behold, I am sending out the promise of My Father upon you; but remain you in the city, until you be clothed with power from on high.” Furthermore, Luke, speaking through the Holy Spirit, confirms the Lord Jesus’ commandment and promise in Acts 1:4-5 by saying, “He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father: which you heard of Me; for John indeed baptized with water; however, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many days after these.” Finally, in Acts chapter 2, we witness the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples: “and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance,” (Acts 2:4).

The baptism in the Holy Spirit, the promise of the Father, is for all believers in the beloved Son of God, not only for the ones that waited at that time in Jerusalem. Regardless of what comes first, the baptism of the Holy Spirit or water baptism, all believers must be baptized in water to complete the transformation of a person in the body and the spirit. The sign of the Holy Spirit’s baptism must show according to the Bible, and we know in our spirit about this act (See Acts 2:2-4). The gift of speaking in tongues is the confirmation of the human spirit joining the salvation seal. The Lord God has a plan for that person when their spirit joins the salvation seal; the work from the will of the Father will be performed through that joining. Speaking out loud one word or a few words in a tongue is the sign of the Holy Spirit baptism, as established by God the Father Himself at His sending of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples who were waiting on the day of Pentecost at Jerusalem (Acts 2:1-4, Comments John 1:33). As disciples of the Lord Jesus, we must keep praying and asking for the Father’s mercy in the name of the Lord Jesus to bless us with the baptism in the Holy Spirit so we can fulfill the call He has for us on this earth; we should never give up seeking to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13).

There are many passages in the Gospels related to the Holy Spirit baptism; however, here in this category, we highlight one passage that relates to this theme, with a hyperlink to our Bible Commentary Forever (BCF for short) work where you will find more spiritual comments and explanations.

BCF Links in the Gospel of Matthew: none.

BCF Links in the Gospel of Mark: none.

BCF Links in the Gospel of Luke: none.

BCF Links in the Gospel of John: John 3:8-12 (You do not know where the Holy Spirit is, not by eyes, nor by ears, but only by the heart being touched from Him; repent, pray, and wait on the Lord to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit).

4. The Commandments and the Law of God

In Mark 1:40-44, the Lord Jesus heals a leper. And in Mark 1:43-44, the Lord Jesus “strictly charged him, and straightaway sent him out, and says to him, See you say nothing to no one, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.” In these verses, it shows to all humans, with all the mighty works the Lord Jesus performed, that first, He follows the rules the Father has set. What did the Lord Jesus tell the man to do first? To “offer for his cleansing” what the law has commanded.

The Lord Jesus did not come to follow but to fulfill the law, yet He always follows the law. The Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus came to earth to fulfill the Father’s plan for humanity by being the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world and providing salvation for the souls of all people. As believers in the Lord Jesus, we no longer need to follow the old sacrificial law but must follow the Lord Jesus’ Law. As the Lord Jesus is an example for us in following the Father’s Law, we need to follow His Law, so by following His Law, through Him, we follow the entire Law of the Father.

In the Gospels, the Lord Jesus provides us with numerous commandments to follow; however, the Lord Jesus, talking to a lawyer in Matthew 22:36-40, gives us the two commandments on which the law hangs: “You shall love the Lord Thy God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” and “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” And from Romans 13:8-9, we understand that love fulfills the law: “Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one loving the other has fulfilled the law. For this, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet, and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does not do evil to the neighbor; love therefore is the fulfilment of the law.”

So, then, what does it really mean to love in the context of the law of God? The love the Lord Jesus talks about is true love from our hearts, which is challenging for many of us to achieve. However, we must always strive to apply the love commandments in our life journey. Furthermore, as disciples of the Lord Jesus, we fulfill the love commandments by following all the commandments that the Lord Jesus outlines for us in His Word. Therefore, we must look at these two love commandments the Lord Jesus gives us, as they encompass many other individual commandments. Throughout the Gospels, these two commandments relate to many individual commandments that we must be aware of when relating to our God and neighbors. As disciples of the Lord Jesus, we are responsible for following all His commandments and being aware of their implications in our relationship with the law of God; we must always strive to hold our faith and a good conscience towards God (1 Timothy 1:19, 1 John 3:20-24).

Below, we highlight all the Gospels’ passages which we placed into this theme, where you will find many individual commandments given to us by our Lord Jesus; we encourage all readers to check the hyperlinks to all the Bible passages, where you will also find more comments and explanations we provide in our Bible Commentary Forever (BCF for short) work.

BCF Links in the Gospel of Matthew: Matthew 7:1-6 (Do not judge so that you are not judged); Matthew 7:12 (Whatever you wish people do to you, do so to them); Matthew 8:18-22 (The Lord Jesus teaches what it means to follow Him; His home is in heaven, and He is the giver of life); Matthew 9:14-17 (The Lord Jesus teaches that we cannot mix the teachings of the Lord with the teachings of the world); Matthew 12:36-37 (The Lord Jesus teaches us to watch the words that we speak); Matthew 16:24-26 (The Lord Jesus teaches that by accepting Him we are not free anymore, we belong to Him); Matthew 18:1-6 (The Lord Jesus teaches us that being humble as a young child makes us greater in heaven); Matthew 19:3-9 (The Lord Jesus teaches about divorce and marriage; a believer should not divorce, except for fornication); Matthew 19:10-12 (The Lord Jesus teaches the two relationship options for a believer: live together with someone in a marriage relationship or be alone); Matthew 19:16-20 (The Lord Jesus teaches us that He is God and we must follow God’s commandments to have eternal life); Matthew 22:15-22 (The wisdom of God is beyond the human mind and human understanding; the Lord Jesus teaches us to give God the things of God, and to Caesar the things of Caesar); Matthew 22:34-40 (The Lord Jesus teaches us the two great commandments to live by); Matthew 26:40-41 (“Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation”); Matthew 28:19-20 (The resurrected Lord Jesus gives the great commission to the disciples: “Go therefore, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit …”).

BCF Links in the Gospel of Mark: Mark 2:18-22 (The Lord Jesus teaches that we cannot mix the teachings of the Lord with the teachings of the world); Mark 5:18-20 (The Lord Jesus teaches us to go and tell people about His mercy and what the Lord has done for us); Mark 8:34-38 (The Lord Jesus teaches how to be His disciples and not to be ashamed of Him, the Son of Man); Mark 9:35-37 (The Lord Jesus teaches us that being humble as a little child makes us greater in His kingdom); Mark 10:2-12 (The Lord Jesus teaches about divorce and marriage; one male and one female through marriage become one flesh in God’s eyes); Mark 10:17-20 (The Lord Jesus teaches us that He is God and we must follow God’s commandments to have eternal life); Mark 11:25-26 (The Lord Jesus teaches us to forgive others so the heavenly Father will forgive us as well); Mark 12:13-17 (The wisdom of God is beyond the human mind and human understanding; the Lord Jesus teaches to give God the things of God, and to Caesar the things of Caesar); Mark 12:30-34 (The Lord Jesus teaches us the two great commandments to live by); Mark 14:37-38 (“Watch and pray, so that you enter not into temptation”).

BCF Links in the Gospel of Luke: Luke 5:36-39 (The Lord Jesus teaches that we cannot mix the teachings of the Lord with the teachings of the world); Luke 6:37 (The Lord Jesus teaches: do not judge, do not condemn, forgive); Luke 9:46-48 (The Lord Jesus teaches us that being humble as a little child makes us greater in heaven); Luke 9:57-62 (The Lord Jesus teaches what it means to follow Him; His home is in heaven, and He is the giver of life); Luke 10:25-28 (The Lord Jesus teaches us that we must follow God’s commandments to have eternal life); Luke 11:27-28 (True blessedness of God comes to those that hear and meditate on the word of God and keep it); Luke 12:13-15 (Keep your life away from any kind of avarice); Luke 16:18 (Do not divorce your spouse; but if there is forgiveness, the marriage for life can continue); Luke 18:18-21 (The Lord Jesus teaches us that He is God and we must follow God’s commandments to have eternal life); Luke 20:19-26 (The wisdom of God is beyond the human mind and human understanding; the Lord Jesus teaches us to give God the things of God, and to Caesar the things of Caesar); Luke 21:34-36 (Take heed to yourself and do not live in sins and pleasures of the world); Luke 22:40,46 (“Pray that you enter not into temptation”); Luke 24:44-48 (Read and meditate on the Word of God and be witnesses to its message about the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus).

BCF Links in the Gospel of John: John 7:24 (Do not judge by appearance, judge righteously); John 13:12-15 (The washing of feet is a straight requirement from the beloved Son of God; what He has done, He also requires us to do without exception); John 13:33-35 (The Lord Jesus gives us a new commandment to love one another); John 15:9-10 (Keep the commandments of the Lord Jesus so we abide in His love); John 21:4-6 (Obey the commandments of the Lord and help each other in the Lord).

5. Faith in God and Relationships with God

Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ or non-believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we all need faith; as believers, we need more faith to grow closer to our Lord Jesus, and as non-believers, we need faith to become believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. No person under the heavens has any excuse not to believe in God, the Creator of the universe, the earth, and life. When we look around us, we must see the hand of the Almighty God in all of creation. Psalm 33 is a wonderful praise psalm to the Almighty God, the Creator of all things, seen and unseen.

However, one might ask what faith in God is and why we need faith. We can define faith as knowledge about God that was already put in our souls before we were even born. And, when we read the Bible or hear the Word of God, this knowledge and the Word will link the soul and the heart and will strengthen the soul’s knowledge about faith. And when we start developing faith in our hearts, if we use the knowledge of the Word that we have learned from the Bible to ask the Lord to increase our faith, then that becomes a gift (Romans 10:17, Romans 4:3-5). Hebrews 11:1 says, “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen,” and Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith, it is impossible to please God. But one may ask, should we believe in what, in whom, and why? Acts 4:11 says that the Lord Jesus is “the stone, which has been regarded as nothing by you the builders, which has become into head of the corner.” Therefore, the beloved Son of God is the true stone of faith for the world. His glory and power are unlimited; God the Father has given Him all authority over all humans. Only through Him can we reach the Father.

For a disciple of the Lord Jesus, the main foundation of faith is based upon the resurrection of the Son of God; without the beloved Son on the Father’s side, all human faith does not have any ground; everyone’s faith must be built on the resurrection of the beloved Son of God. “Into head of the corner,” which means that the Father will take souls into the kingdom only at the Son’s request. In our journey as disciples of the Lord Jesus, we must always be watching and stay firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong (1 Corinthians 16:13); and always remember that the Lord Jesus is the way and the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). In the Gospels, the Lord Jesus teaches us how to stay firm in faith and build a strong relationship with God by: praying to the Father, believing that the Lord Jesus is the light of the world and the only way to the Father, believing in the Trinity of God (God the Father, God the Son Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit), believing that the Lord Jesus exists from the beginning with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, laying treasures in heaven, being always ready, watching our words, being aware of false teachers, being on guard, and many other such commandments. As disciples of the Lord Jesus, we should take to heart all these teachings and pray to gain more faith and become closer to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Below, we highlight all the Gospel passages which we placed into this theme, where you will find many individual commandments given to us by our Lord Jesus; we encourage all readers to check the hyperlinks to all the Bible passages, where you will also find more comments and explanations that we provide in our Bible Commentary Forever (BCF for short) work.

BCF Links in the Gospel of Matthew: Matthew 6:9-13 (The Lord’s prayer); Matthew 6:16-18 (The Lord Jesus teaches how to fast to be pleasing to God the Father in heaven); Matthew 6:19-21 (Do not lay up treasure on earth; instead, lay up treasure in heaven); Matthew 6:25-34 (Do not worry; seek first the kingdom of God and all other things you need will be added to you); Matthew 10:16-26 (Be practically wise, pure, and ready; tribulations will come; do not fear; the Spirit of the Father is with you); Matthew 11:28-30 (Come to the Lord Jesus and stay under His blood to find rest); Matthew 12:31-32 (Watch the words we say about the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit); Matthew 15:10-14 (The Lord Jesus teaches us to watch the blind guides); Matthew 16:5-12 (The Lord Jesus warns us not to mingle the teachings of the Word of Life with the teachings of humans so that our faith will not become contaminated); Matthew 17:19-21 (The Lord Jesus teaches us that little faith can do much, even move the mountains); Matthew 19:25-26 (With God all things are possible); Matthew 21:20-22 (The Lord Jesus teaches that if you have faith, whatever you may ask in prayer and believing will be granted if it is God’s will); Matthew 24:25-27 (The Lord Jesus tells us about His coming and tells us to watch for false christs and prophets); Matthew 24:32-35 (Watch for the signs of the Lord Jesus’ return; His words will be accomplished); Matthew 25:14-30 (The parable of the talents teaches us that each of us has knowledge about the Creator in our souls from the beginning, and each one of us is responsible for searching and building up our faith and using the gifts the Lord has given us).

BCF Links in the Gospel of Mark: Mark 8:13-21 (The Lord Jesus warns us not to mingle the teachings of the Word of Life with the teachings of humans so that our faith will not become contaminated); Mark 9:28-29 (The Lord Jesus teaches us to pray for achieving the work of God); Mark 10:24-27 (With God all things are possible); Mark 11:19,21-24 (The Lord Jesus teaches that if you have faith, whatever you may ask in prayer and believing will be granted if it is God’s will); Mark 12:41-44 (The Lord Jesus teaches us to have faith from our heart in serving God); Mark 13:28-31 (Watch for the signs of the Lord Jesus’ return; His words will be accomplished).

BCF Links in the Gospel of Luke: Luke 6:39-40 (The disciple is not above his teacher); Luke 11:1-4 (The Lord’s prayer); Luke 12:1 (The Lord Jesus teaches to be aware of false teachings from lying spirits); Luke 12:10 (Watch the words we say about the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit); Luke 12:16-21 (The parable of the wealthy person: store treasure for yourself in heaven, not on earth); Luke 12:22-31(Do not worry; seek first the kingdom of God and all other things you need will be added to you); Luke 12:32-34 (Fear not: exchange your possessions for alms to God, who will store them for you in heaven); Luke 13:6-9 (The parable of the barren fig tree: the Lord Jesus teaches us to produce fruits of faith and love); Luke 13:23-30 (Struggle to walk the narrow way of faith, so you can enter the kingdom of God); Luke 14:25-27 (Love the Lord Jesus, follow Him, and carry your cross daily); Luke 14:28-30 (Read the Word, meditate, and pray; keep your faith in the Lord Jesus and keep all the commandments); Luke 14:31-33 (When you go into the world, pray and ask for guidance from the Lord as many adversaries are around); Luke 17:5-6 (Little faith can do great miracles); Luke 17:15-19 (Have faith and give glory to God for all things); Luke 18:1-8 (The parable of the judge and the widow: we always ought to pray and not lose heart); Luke 18:26-27 (With God all things are possible); Luke 21:1-4 (The Lord Jesus teaches to have faith from your heart in serving God); Luke 24:10-11 (Do not doubt the bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus).

BCF Links in the Gospel of John: John 6:28-29 (Have faith in the Lord Jesus whom the Father sent); John 12:42-43 (Believe in the Lord Jesus and do not be afraid to confess Him to the world); John 14:21 (Have the commandments of God and love the Lord Jesus, so we are loved by the Father and the Son); John 15:1-4 (Abide in the Lord Jesus and He will abide in us, so we can bear fruit for Him); John 17:7-8 (Have faith in the Lord Jesus and believe that the Father has sent Him); John 20:29 (Blessed are those that believe the testimony of the Bible about the Lord Jesus); John 21:1-3 (The life without the Lord Jesus has no success); John 21:8-11 (The disciples faced their own challenges and learned that without faith in the Lord, they would not succeed; when they followed the advice, they got all they wanted and more); John 21:15-17 (Love the Lord Jesus from all our hearts and do the ministry He called you to); John 21:20-23 (Do not compare yourself with others; mind your own call and follow the Lord Jesus regardless of circumstances).

6. The Lord Jesus Came to Complete the Law

The teaching that the Lord Jesus is the completion of the Old Law, which God the Father gave to His chosen people, has great significance for all humans. The Lord Jesus Himself, in Matthew 5:17, tells us, “Do not consider that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to complete.” And in Romans 10:4, the Word reads, “For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to everyone that believes.” Furthermore, in Luke 16:16-18, tthe Lord Jesus predicts the completion of the Old Law. So, what do these sayings mean for us as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ? They tell us that the Father fulfilled His promises to His people. The Old Law cannot be forgotten, but the New Law will be the continuation of making the Old Law complete by the birth of the beloved Son of God, His death on the cross, and His resurrection to fulfill the promise of the Father.

As believers in the Lord Jesus, we no longer need to follow the Old Law; the Lord Jesus has fulfilled and abolished the Old Law; we just follow the Lord Jesus’ Law; the Son of God is the New Law for us. In Hebrews 10:4, the Word says, “For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins,” telling us that it was necessary for a new perfect sacrifice to wash away the sins of the world. In Hebrews chapter 10, we further learn that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Son of Man, is the perfect sacrifice made once for the entire human race. He offered Himself once and forever as a sacrifice for sins and then sat down at the right hand of God the Father. Because of that, God the Father took away the Old Covenant and established a New Covenant in the blood of the Lord Jesus, “by which will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

So, for a believer in the Lord Jesus, keeping the Old Covenant means keeping the New Covenant in the blood of the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but by Him (John 14:6). As disciples of the Lord Jesus, it is essential to believe that the Lord Jesus came to fulfill and complete the Law of God and that He is our New Law; He is the Lord of the Sabbath for us, and in Him, all of the Law of the Father is completed and fulfilled.

Below, we highlight one important Gospel passage that relates to this theme, where you will find more comments and explanations, which we provide in our Bible Commentary Forever (BCF for short) work.

BCF Links in the Gospel of Matthew: Matthew 5:17-20 (The Lord Jesus came to complete the Law of God; He is the fulfillment of the Law of God and the New Law of God for us to enter the kingdom of the heavens, as established by God the Father).

BCF Links in the Gospel of Mark: none.

BCF Links in the Gospel of Luke: none.

BCF Links in the Gospel of John: none.

7. Personal Relationships and Living Life Rightfully and Pleasing to God

As followers of the Lord Jesus, one might ask how to behave towards God, live our lives rightfully, and be pleasing to God. In Romans chapter 6, the Holy Spirit, speaking through the apostle Paul teaches us that we must be dead to sin and alive to God. And in Romans 6:15, we have a question to consider: “What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? Let it not be!” Reading further, we learn that the wages of sin are death and that the free gift of God is eternal life by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. God the Father is pleased with us when we have faith in the Lord Jesus and surrender our lives entirely to our Lord Jesus Christ, His beloved Son, and love Him as our Savior and giver of life for our souls.

The first commandment the Lord Jesus gave us in Matthew 22:37 is, “You shall love the Lord Thy God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” By loving God, we should strive to cut the sins in our lives and be pleasing to Him by living a holy life. This love commandment can be summed up in many individual commandments that the Lord Jesus outlines for us in the Gospels. As disciples of the Lord Jesus, we should pay attention to all of these individual commandments that the Lord Jesus gives us to better fulfill the “love the Lord Thy God” commandment. Most of the individual commandments we place into this theme deal with personal relationships that teach us how to be as people: don’t be ashamed of our Lord Jesus, stay firm in faith, forgive people, watch our hearts carefully, be humble towards God and people, and many more. As disciples of the Lord Jesus, we must pray and respond to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in our hearts when we are at fault, repent, and correct our ways so we live lives pleasing to our God.

BCF Links in the Gospel of Matthew: Matthew 5:21-48 (The Lord Jesus teaches us how to behave as His followers, emphasizing the following personal relationships: anger, lust, divorce, oaths, retaliation, and love for our enemies); Matthew 6:1-4 (Make your alms to God in secret so your heavenly Father who sees in secret will reward you); Matthew 6:5-8 (When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; pray in secret, trusting that the Father knows what we need); Matthew 6:14-15 (Forgive people their trespasses, so your heavenly Father will also forgive you); Matthew 10:32-33 (Do not be ashamed of the Lord Jesus; confess Him before people); Matthew 10:34-36 (The believers’ tribulations can rise from within our families, but we must stay firm in our faith in the Lord Jesus until the end); Matthew 10:37-39 (Love God above your family and worldly tribulations); Matthew 12:33-35 (The Lord Jesus teaches that we must choose life and walk in the light of the Lord Jesus so that we bear good fruit and glorify the Father); Matthew 15:15-20 (The Lord Jesus teaches His disciples that the things coming out of the mouth defile the man since those things reflect the heart of the person); Matthew 18:11-14 (The parable of the lost sheep: the Father’s will is that all believers in His Son keep their faith until the end); Matthew 19:13-15 (The Lord Jesus teaches us that we must have innocent hearts as little children to enter the kingdom of the heavens); Matthew 23:11-12 (The Lord Jesus teaches how to be the greatest in His kingdom).

BCF Links in the Gospel of Mark: Mark 7:14-23 (The Lord Jesus teaches His disciples that the things coming out of the mouth defile the man since those things reflect the heart of the person); Mark 10:13-16 (The Lord Jesus teaches us that we must have innocent hearts as little children to enter the kingdom of the heavens); Mark 14:51-52 (Let the Word of God be the cloth of your soul, so you can follow God; this event is a spiritual comparison for humans to see).

BCF Links in the Gospel of Luke: Luke 6:27-36 (The Lord Jesus teaches us to love our enemies and do good to all, so we can be sons of the Most High); Luke 6:41-42 (The Lord Jesus teaches us not to be hypocrites in judging others); Luke 9:23-26 (Take up your cross and follow the Lord Jesus daily and do not be ashamed of serving Him); Luke 12:56-59 (Judge righteously and make peace with your opponent); Luke 15:3-7 (The parable of the lost sheep: the will of the Father is that all believers in His Son keep their faith until the end); Luke 15:8-10 (The parable of the lost coin: the will of the Father is that all believers in His Son keep their faith until the end); Luke 18:15-17 (The Lord Jesus teaches us to have an innocent heart like little children in receiving the kingdom of God).

BCF Links in the Gospel of John: John 6:23-27 (“Search not food that is perishing, but the food that is enduring unto eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.”); John 6:30-31 (Believe without doubt and do not search for signs from above); John 8:31-32 (Abide in the Word of the Lord Jesus and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free); John 13:4-7 (The Lord Jesus has accepted His duty as the servant of the Father; He came to provide everything for us to cleanse us and make us pure); John 15:6-8,11-12 (Abide in the Lord Jesus and His words and glorify the Father; love one another); John 16:20-22 (Worship the Trinity of God so your weeping and lament will turn into joy).

8. Serving God

In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, the Bible teaches us about spiritual gifts and that we, as disciples of the Lord Jesus, must work in unity since God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit are One in the Trinity of God; there are various types of services to the Lord, but we all must serve the Lord in unity since there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom we can be saved. We all must use the gifts Christ has bestowed on us by His grace to serve the Lord in unity.

Before the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father, He gave all of His disciples the great commission to go and make new disciples and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-19). Therefore, as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we should be part of the great commission that the Lord Jesus bestowed on His church and pray and ask the Lord to guide us on how to be part of His great commission; nothing is too small in the eyes of the Lord Jesus, and whatever we do in His name, He is happy and takes our deeds and our names in front of the Father; if we give prayers, two coins or many coins to support the great commission or ourselves to go to be part of the mission field, we all should seek the Lord’s guidance and help. Let us remember that in Mark 12:41-44, the Lord Jesus commended the poor woman who gave the two lepta, reminding us that for the Lord Jesus, what is important is that whatever we do for Him, we do it from our hearts.

In the Gospels, the Lord Jesus gives us many teachings on how to be good servants. Two practical examples of serving the Lord Jesus are given to us in Luke 10:38-42 when the Lord Jesus enters the village of Martha and Mary, and they receive Him into the house. The conclusion the Lord Jesus gives in verse 42 is that for serving Him, “little is demanded, not much; for Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” This verse tells all humans that when you see someone glorifying the Lord, regardless of the way the person is doing it, do not try to stop them. The little action each person offers to the Lord is the thing the Lord likes to see, and He is happy to see when anyone glorifies Him, even in small actions. The Lord is pleased with both women’s services; they are an example for all humans. One likes to do physical work in serving, and the other likes to stay put and listen to the Lord. Both actions are pleasing to the Lord as long as they are done from the heart and in His name. Some people interpret that to serve the Lord, you must do all the work as Martha has done, and others want to be like Mary, serving the Lord by listening and praying alone, but both servings come as one in pleasing the Lord: equal amount and value for both actions.

This section enumerates many services that the Lord Jesus commands His disciples to do. As disciples of the Lord Jesus, we must pray and ask for His guidance and help to choose how to serve Him. But we must remember that all the service we give to the Lord Jesus must be with our whole heart; He knows our hearts and minds, so first, we need to give our hearts to Him and then ask Him to guide us to find the service that He has for us on this earth.

BCF Links in the Gospel of Matthew: Matthew 9:37-38 (The harvest of souls on earth is plentiful, and we must pray to the Lord of the harvest for laborers); Matthew 10:5-14 (The Lord Jesus instructs His twelve apostles and sends them out to minister); Matthew 15:1-9 (The Lord Jesus teaches that we must serve God, not traditions of men); Matthew 18:18-20 (The Lord Jesus teaches that where two or three agree on Biblical things on earth, He will be there, and His heavenly Father will do them); Matthew 19:21-24 (The Lord Jesus teaches to abandon inner attachment or our hearts to riches and family and become free in hearing the purpose of the Lord for us); Matthew 20:24-28 (The Lord Jesus teaches us how to be first among His disciples; He came to serve mankind, and we must follow His example); Matthew 27:55-56 (Serve the Lord from your hearts without expecting anything of this earth in return).

BCF Links in the Gospel of Mark: Mark 7:1-13 (The Lord Jesus teaches that we cannot use the tradition of men to control the commandments of God); Mark 9:38-41 (The Lord Jesus teaches us not to stop people from serving Him); Mark 10:21-23 (The Lord Jesus teaches to abandon inner attachments of our hearts to riches and family and become free in hearing the purpose of the Lord for us); Mark 10:41-45 (The Lord Jesus teaches us how to be first among His disciples; He came to serve mankind, and we must follow His example); Mark 15:40-41 (Serve the Lord from your hearts without expecting anything of this earth in return).

BCF Links in the Gospel of Luke: Luke 6:38 (Serve the Lord God by giving to those who ask); Luke 9:1-6 (The Lord Jesus instructs His twelve apostles and sends them out to minister); Luke 9:49-50 (The Lord Jesus teaches us not to stop people from serving Him); Luke 10:1-16 (The Lord Jesus sends the seventy-two to minister, and He teaches them the way of ministry); Luke 10:38-42 (The Lord Jesus teaches that when you see someone glorifying the Lord, regardless of the way the person is doing it, do not try to stop anyone; the little action each person offers to the Lord is the thing the Lord likes to see, and He is happy to see when anyone glorifies the Lord, even in small actions); Luke 11:37-41 (The Lord Jesus teaches that we cannot use the tradition of men to control the commandments of God; instead tell people about the mercy of God); Luke 12:41-48 (The parable of the trustworthy and prudent guardian: as a servant of the Lord be a prudent guardian and do your service to the Lord diligently); Luke 14:12-14 (Invite the poor and the unwanted and help them, and you will be blessed); Luke 17:7-10 (To be a servant of the Lord, you must humble yourself, do your duty as a good servant of the Lord and all the rewards will be waiting); Luke 18:22-25 (The Lord Jesus teaches to abandon inner attachments of our hearts to riches and become free in hearing the purpose of the Lord for us); Luke 22:24-27 (The Lord Jesus teaches how to be the greatest in His kingdom; He came to serve mankind, and we must follow His example).

BCF Links in the Gospel of John: none.

9. How to be With the World

In Matthew 12:21, we read, “And in His name, the Gentiles will hope.” Therefore, the only hope of the entire world is the Lord Jesus. Then, in Matthew 28:19-20, the Lord Jesus gives us the ultimate commandment to go into the world and make disciples. We all must believe the testimony of the Bible about the Lord Jesus being the Son of God and that He came to earth to bring salvation to the world. As believers, we must testify to the world about His deity, death, and resurrection from the dead, as the apostles did in the Book of Acts. Therefore, one of the main duties of a true believer in the Lord Jesus is to support missionary work and contribute to the ministry of the Word of God into the world in any way we can. The Lord Jesus teaches us in the Gospels two important principles that, as disciples, we must follow when ministering to the world:

Minister the Word of God in love to all; do not be angry with the people regardless of whether they receive the Word or not.

We must live in unity as believers in the Lord Jesus and be an example of unity in faith so the world may believe in the Lord Jesus and come and glorify the Father.

BCF Links in the Gospel of Matthew: none.

BCF Links in the Gospel of Mark: none.

BCF Links in the Gospel of Luke: Luke 9:51-56 (The Lord teaches the disciples not to be angry with those who do not receive them; instead, when someone wishes you bad or does bad to you, pray for them and ask the mercy of God to cover them so that their hearts will be open and they can see the light of mercy).

BCF Links in the Gospel of John: John 17:18-22 (As believers, live in unity, that the world may believe in the Lord Jesus and come to glorify the Father).

10. How to Be With Other Believers

In the Gospels, the Lord Jesus teaches us the two most important commandments: to love the Lord our God from all our hearts and love our neighbor as ourselves. Also, in 1 John 4:20-21, the Bible teaches us that to claim that we love God, we must first love our fellow believers. In the Gospels, there are many teachings related to loving one another; however, the Lord Jesus gives us two basic teachings about how to be with other believers, and as disciples, we should follow these teachings in all related situations:

If a believer sins against us, we should follow the instructions given in Matthew 18:15-17.

If a believer sins against us, and they come and ask forgiveness, we must forgive them as long as needed.

BCF Links in the Gospel of Matthew: Matthew 18:15-17 (The Lord Jesus teaches us what to do when a fellow believer sins against us); Matthew 18:21-22 (The Lord Jesus teaches us to always forgive our brothers and sisters in faith).

BCF Links in the Gospel of Mark: none.

BCF Links in the Gospel of Luke: Luke 17:3-4 (Forgive your brothers and sisters in the Lord always if they repent).

BCF Links in the Gospel of John: none.

11. The Light and the Dark

In Genesis 1:2-3, the Bible says, “And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light; and there was light.” These verses tell us that the light from the palm of God comes out and shines throughout the earth, but it has no shape, no substance; this light is the light that is part of God. We can think about it as the “glory of God,” but there is no substance, just pure light. This light is not the same as the light humans know. From these verses, we can clearly see that the light shines in the darkness and that this light is good for us.

As humans, we are created in God’s image, so we have a body, a soul, and a spirit. We should be aware that when the Bible talks about light, it often talks about the light for our souls, and the question for every human is what the true light is for their souls and how to find that light that gives them salvation. In the Gospels, the Lord Jesus tells us in many places that He is the light of the world and that He came from the Father to give us the true light for our souls. Specifically, in John 8:12, the Lord Jesus says to the people around Him, “I am the light of the world; the one following Me will not walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” The beloved Son of God has told this to all, not only to the people of that time but to everyone. There is only one way by which our souls can be saved and not go into darkness, and that is by coming to the beloved Son of God and staying in His bosom because it is only with Him that the light will be; in every other place, the rest will be in darkness, but if you are staying with the beloved Son of God, you are in the light. The path that the beloved Son of God has created for all humans is the path that follows His teachings; if you walk according to what the Holy Bible is teaching you, you will not walk in the darkness. The light from the beloved Son of God will lead your life; when that light leads your life, you yourself will absorb that light into your soul and be in the light of safety; that is why you need the light of life from the Lord Jesus. The light from the Lord will give life to your soul.

The Bible tells us that the world lives in darkness, and they need to come out of it; we, as the disciples of the Lord Jesus, should carry with us the true light of the gospel and share it with the world. The only way to come out of the darkness is through the light of the gospel of the Glory of Christ, who is the image of God. I will cite here 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 as a reminder for all the disciples of the Lord Jesus of our mission to be the light in the darkness: “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those that perish; in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. Seeing it is God, that said, Light shall shine out of darkness, who shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

BCF Links in the Gospel of Matthew: Matthew 5:13-16 (The Lord Jesus teaches us that we are His salt and His light in the world); Matthew 6:22-24 (Our spiritual eye must be full of light; we cannot serve two masters); Matthew 10:27-31 (Fear God and be the light in the darkness; speak to the world all the understanding the Lord gives you from His Holy Word).

BCF Links in the Gospel of Mark: Mark 4:21-25 (The Lord Jesus teaches that the Bible is the lamp for all humans in the world and we must bring it forth); Mark 9:49-50 (The Lord Jesus teaches that the Word of God is the fire that cleanses everyone and preserves life into eternity).

BCF Links in the Gospel of Luke: Luke 8:16-17 (The Lord Jesus teaches that the Bible is the lamp for all humans in the world and we must bring it forth); Luke 11:33-36 (The parable of the knowledge about the Holy Word: when you gain knowledge about the Holy Word you also must share that knowledge with others); Luke 12:2-3 (All truth about Jesus shall be made known, and it cannot be hidden that He is the Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit through the Virgin Mary, crucified, and died for our sins and that He rose again on the third day in the same body; and it is our responsibility to share it); Luke 12:4-9,11-12 (Revere God who can cast your soul into hell; fear not people and acknowledge the Lord Jesus before them); Luke 14:34-35 (Meditate on the Word of God and keep the faith until the end).

BCF Links in the Gospel of John: John 3:18-21 (The light of God has already come into the world through the beloved Son of God; if mankind does not believe in the true light that came, they will face the troubles in the dark alone).

Conclusions

In conclusion, we have presented the main topic of how to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus, which we divided into eleven themes. Each theme presents an essential aspect of the main topic. Being disciples of the Lord Jesus is a blessing, and we should thank the Lord Jesus daily for choosing us to be part of His kingdom and serve Him. However, as disciples, we have many responsibilities towards the Trinity of God, other believers, and the world around us. This blog presents many Bible passages, grouped into eleven themes, covering the Lord Jesus’ teachings on being a true disciple of the Lord Jesus and pleasing to the Trinity of God. Our duty as disciples of the Lord Jesus is to continually read and meditate on the Word of God and stay in prayer to understand our call as disciples of the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus does not want us just to keep idle; He wants us to participate in His great work of building His kingdom; either through little or much, we can all contribute to His great work and be pleasing to Him.

Meditation Tasks:

Read one of the Gospels of your choice and try to find teachings related to some of the eleven themes.