The Diligence of Discipleship: Preparing for Glory

By John A. Copper

During his years of pastoral/teaching ministry Pastor John has bemoaned the erosion of the Church, of Western Civilization in general, and the American culture in particular. He attributes much of this erosion to a general weakness in the Church of making Biblical disciples of Jesus Christ. This book is not primarily about showing that weakness; rather, he will define Biblical discipleship and provide a simple-to-grasp but difficult-to-do five-step process to transform converts into maturing disciples of Jesus Christ. The will of God for the Christian is sanctification, to be holy. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote of The Cost of Discipleship; Pastor John gives a workable process to be holy. The stated goal is to look like the Biblical Jesus to a watching world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9781973687337

John A. Copper

John A. Copper es Bachelor of Science (licenciado) en Estudios Bíblicos y Bachelor (técnico superior universitario) en Teología en la Western Baptist College. Ha estado activo en el Ministerio Pastoral durante más de treinta años, y su pasión siempre ha sido hacer discípulos que hagan discípulos. El pastor John vive al oeste de Colorado con su joven esposa, quien comparte su pasión por hacer “discípulos que hacen discípulos”. El pastor Copper difruta realizar actividades al aire libre y leer todo lo relacionado a asuntos teológicos.

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CONTENTS

Preface

SECTION 1

Chapter 1    Definitions

Chapter 2    The Necessity of Discipleship

SECTION 2

Chapter 3    Renewing the Mind

Chapter 4    Captivating the Mind

Chapter 5    Expressing the Mind

Chapter 6    To God Be the Glory

Chapter 7    Worthy of the Gospel

Chapter 8    The Expression

To my Kephz

ibah

My delight is in her.

And to the

Saints of Surface Creek Community Church.

They have borne with great patience my

deliberations for this book.

Thank you.

PREFACE

I have observed in thirty-plus years of pulpit ministry that there is a weakness in the process of discipleship in the church of Jesus Christ. This book is not primarily about showing that weakness. Rather, I define biblical discipleship and provide a simple-to-grasp but difficult-to-do five-step process to transforming converts into maturing disciples of Jesus Christ.

While this is not a book on Bible doctrine, it will be helpful to understand my doctrinal basis and bias. I grew up in a fundamental Baptist church and earned my degrees in biblical studies and theology from a biblically conservative Baptist Bible college. During the last twenty-plus years I have studied various schools of theology, especially Dispensational, Messianic, Orthodox, and Reformed. Mostly, I adhere to Reformed theology, expressed in the doctrines of grace. I believe the biblical doctrine of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, and that works of righteousness have no merit for salvation but proceed from salvation:

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his creative work, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we can do them. (Eph 2:8–10)

I believe in the perseverance of the saints, that all who are born again will surely be saved, and that Jesus will lose nothing of all that has been given Him:

Now this is the will of the one who sent me—that I should not lose one person of every one he has given me, but raise them all up at the last day. For this is the will of my Father—for everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him to have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (Jn 6:39–40)

It is not within the purview of this book to defend these doctrines; there are many books, both ancient and modern, that the reader could consult. However, it will be important to remember these doctrines as you progress through this study.

I am concerned for the welfare of the church. The church is composed of individuals, thus I am concerned for your welfare. My concern stems from three separate but related teachings of Jesus and an ominous warning. These teachings and the warning are not primarily for those outside the church but for those who inhabit the church. I will state them briefly here. I encourage the reader to meditate more fully on them.

First, the parable of the sower:

On that day after Jesus went out of the house, he sat by the lake. And such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat to sit while the whole crowd stood on the shore. He told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground where they did not have much soil. They sprang up quickly because the soil was not deep. But when the sun came up, they were scorched, and because they did not have sufficient root, they withered. Other seeds fell among the thorns, and they grew up and choked them. But other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. The one who has ears had better listen! (Mt 13:1–9)

So listen to the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches what was sown in his heart; this is the seed sown along the path. The seed sown on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. But he has no root in himself and does not endure; when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away. The seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth choke the word, so it produces nothing. But as for the seed sown on good soil, this is the person who hears the word and understands. He bears fruit, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. (Mt 13:18–23)

Forgetting the chapter divisions and the section headings, notice this parable follows directly after a statement by Jesus in which He distinguishes who is my brother and sister and mother: For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother (Mt 12:50). He states that obedience to the will of His Father supersedes blood relationship. The parable of the