By Femi Aribisala

Not likely! Christians cannot be disciples because pastors are not disciples. Jesus asks: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:39-40).

A disciple of Jesus must be like Jesus. But Christians are not like Jesus. They are like their teachers, the pastors. Jesus says: “Do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.” (Matthew 23:10). Nevertheless, pastors arrogate themselves as teachers of Christians.

Jesus says in His church: “There will be one flock and one pastor.” (John 10:16). That one pastor is Jesus Himself; the Good Pastor. But pastors insist on creating several flocks with several pastors.

Jesus says: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14).

But pastors pack their churches with the crowd, insisting it is the broad way that leads to life. They refuse to acknowledge that disciples are not made from crowds. Disciples are made from the few and not the many.

Little flock

Therefore, Jesus reassures the few: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32).

The big flock is a waste of time. Jesus says: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” (Revelation 3:1).

Jesus, Himself, was a crowd-puller. Wherever He went the crowds followed Him. But He disdained them because they were not interested in Him but only in what they could get from Him. He says to some of them:

“You want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you.” John 6:26-27).

That is one of the fundamental differences between the sheep and the goats; between the crowd and Jesus’ disciples. The crowds seek perishable goods. The disciples seek eternal life.

When Jesus spoke to the crowds, He spoke in parables. When His disciples asked Him why, He said they are not interested in Him:

“I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed. (Matthew 13:13-15).

“When they were alone, (Jesus) explained all things to His disciples.” (Mark 4:34). Indeed, none of Jesus’ major teachings were addressed to the crowds. They could not hear Him anyway, since there were no loudspeakers then. This means the crowd can never be disciples of Christ.

Lip-service

Jesus says: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matthew 7:21-23).

Christians are the ones who call Jesus Lord but do not do what He says. (Luke 6:46).

In the main, Christians are hypocrites. They talk the talk but do not walk the walk. Jesus says: These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honour Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:8-9).

As a result, Christians cannot be disciples of Jesus. Neither can they make disciples. If you follow Christians, they will not take you to Jesus. They have other destinations. They say: “Follow me and you will become millionaires.” “Follow me, and you will succeed in business.” “Follow my Jesus, and you will buy Pathfinders.”

But the hope that is in Jesus is not for the attainment of the vanities and vainglories of this world. “For all that is in the world- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life- is not of the Father but is of the world.” (1 John 2:16).

Fathers-in-the-Lord

If you are a Christian and you maintain you are a disciple of Christ, then let me ask you some telling questions that will reveal that you are not.

Who is your father?

Jesus says: “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.” (Matthew 23:9).

But do you still call your biological father your father? Is your pastor your father-in-the-Lord? Is he your Daddy G.O.? Is your priest Father John? Then you are not a disciple of Christ.

Christ’s disciples have no other Father but God. They hold allegiance to no man but to God. They are not born of men but of God. They are not heirs of men but of God. (Romans 8:17). They do not showcase the attributes of men but are partakers of the divine nature, “having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Peter 1:4).

Faith over family

If you are a Christian and maintain you are a disciple of Christ, then answer me this: who are the members of your family? If the members of your family are still limited to your nuclear or even extended family, then you are not a disciple of Christ.

Jesus says: “Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:33).

Jesus requires His disciples to forsake their house, brothers, sisters, father, mother, wife, children, and lands for His sake. (Mark 10:29). If we do, He promises we will receive in return a hundredfold of houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and lands. (Mark 10:30).

If we have not done this and have therefore not received the hundredfold return, then we cannot be disciples of Christ.

When they told Jesus His mother and brothers were looking for Him: “He answered and said to the one who told Him, ‘Who is My mother and who are My brothers?’ And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.’” (Matthew 12:48-50).

This principle of preferred allegiance from an earthly to a heavenly family remains Greek to Christians. But Jesus says: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:26).

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