An Examination of the Theme of Discipleship in The Seven Churches of Revelation

By Steve L. Roy

“Go and make disciples.” Our command is clear; our mission is given. But what exactly is a disciple and what does discipleship really mean? In An Examination of the Theme of Discipleship in the Seven Churches of Revelation, Dr. Steve Roy takes the reader to the book of Revelation and to the specific letters from Jesus Christ himself. These letters help the reader to discover dramatically important conclusions as to what discipleship is and what it means to be a disciple. Through each of the letters to the seven churches, Jesus follows a particular pattern of discipleship and applies it to the specific churches in western Asia Minor. These patterns and instructions are just as relevant for us today as they were when John the Revelator sent them. This book is written for the person who wants to take discipleship seriously and for the pastor who stands before his congregation weekly with the purpose of making disciples.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9781638146612

Book preview

Chapter 1

The Problem and Its Setting

Introduction

Education matters. Christian education matters more. Christian education matters more for the one who would take God’s Word seriously. Christian education matters more because at the center of it stands the person and work of Jesus Christ. Christian education leads one to be biblically based and Christ centered. The one who lives life biblically based and Christ centered is the one who lives the life of discipleship.

For the Christian, the challenge of being in the world but not of it demands the disciple’s attention daily. Discipleship, or following Jesus Christ, means to have a lifestyle of learning, growing, and maturing in the faith as presented in the Bible. To be like Jesus and to obey his commands meets the goal of Scripture. To fail in this endeavor means failing in discipleship. Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1995) stated it another way: Christianity without discipleship is Christianity without Christ (The Cost of Discipleship 1995, 64). Obedience to Christ cannot be separated from discipleship.

A starting point for a foundation of discipleship from the Bible can be found in both Old and New Testaments. The apostle Paul recorded these words in 2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NASB): All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. In Word Pictures of the New Testament, A. T. Robertson (1933) points out that once the training is accomplished, the man or woman of God will be able to "be furnished completely (exertismentos); to fit fully" (p. 628). The goal of discipleship in this verse encapsulates the theme of Scripture. The learner grows and matures in conduct, correcting belief or conduct and learns in the process of being trained in righteousness, with the result of adequately performing every good work commanded by the master teacher, the Lord Jesus Christ.

An Old Testament passage that the serious disciple will accept as foundational is Psalm 19. Thomas Oden (1983) referred to this chapter in his book Pastoral Theology: Essentials in Ministry, by stating: Since the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows God’s handiwork (vs. 1), there is much in the natural sphere that can assist Christian learning (p. 150). A part of that learning is accepting verses 7–11:

The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul.

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever.

The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.

They are more desirable than gold, yes, then much fine gold.

By them Your servant is warned and keeping them brings great reward.

Psalm 19 and 2 Timothy 3:16 should serve as foundations for the disciple of Jesus Christ. Without the foundation and belief in God’s Word, there is no discipleship. Without accepting the truth claims of Scripture, there is no discipleship. Keeping the commands of Scripture serve as a starting point for the serious disciple of Jesus.

The Great Commission

Once the Bible is accepted as a basis for biblical discipleship, many authors, teachers, and pastors point to the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18–20:

And Jesus came up and spoke to them saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

In his book, Rediscovering Discipleship, Robby Gallaty (2015) gives an encouraging observation: What makes the Great Commission so great? It is that small two-letter prefix co-. Jesus could have told us about the Great Mission, something he would do alone. Instead, he enlisted us to join him in what we call the Great Co-Mission (p. 16). We have an invitation to join in God’s work.

Bill Hull (2006), author of The Complete Book of Discipleship, says of this passage: Jesus told us to be disciples and to make disciples. When he issued the Great Commission, he could have spoken about contemplation, study, worship services, or gathering people together for revival meetings… But he didn’t. Instead, Jesus got straight to the point with simple words (p. 25). Jesus was clear in his instructions to each disciple: Go, make disciples, baptize, teach. These are all key words in the Great Commission. These are the commands and expectations of Christ for his church. Volumes have been written on each of these facets of God’s calling on lives. The reality, however, throughout church history, and especially in America today, happens to be that the Great Commission has become the great omission. How has it happened that so many Christians seem to ignore this great passage? In a sentence, the gospel we teach has become drenched in American culture (Hull 2006, 41). In a narrower focus, this American culture wants cheap grace. Quick, easy, and at no cost is the rule of the day. As Thom Rainer (2014), president of Lifeway, stated in his book Autopsy of a Deceased Church, We just want it to happen. Without prayer, without sacrifice, without hard work (p. 44). This describes the easy way that so many want.

Before the practice of such spiritual disciplines as prayer, fasting, submission, or meditation on Scripture occur, one must understand what defines the Gospel. Once the Gospel has been presented, has true transformation taken place? Several years ago, at a North Carolina Baptist State Convention meeting, Mike Cummings (2010), director of Missions for the Burnt Swamp Association, put it this way: Maybe one of our problems in the church today is that we are trying to disciple people who aren’t disciples. Bill Hull (2006) addresses it this way: The problem we face is that we have created and taught a faith that doesn’t transform people. He continues to state, Because we’ve preached a different gospel, a vast throng of people think they are Christian/saved/born again when they really aren’t (Hull, 43). This quote is reminiscent of the words of Jesus in Matthew 7. He warned that many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name… And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ This verse serves as a reminder for every believer to make sure of the salvation they claim.

Disciples or Converts?

Hull (2006) makes an important point in The Complete Book of Discipleship, when he says, When Jesus commanded ‘Make disciples,’ He wasn’t simply referring to making converts. He wants followers who follow-people who submit to his teachings and his ways (p. 43). One critical issue of discipleship revolves around the distinction between discipleship and evangelism. For instance, this issue comes into play when considering the purpose of the worship service. Is the focus of the worship service God or lost people? If a person is indeed born again, does that person need to come week after week and be admonished to get saved? In his book The Infinite Journey Andrew Davis (2014), senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Durham, North Carolina, addresses this very subject: The modern evangelical movement has been far more concerned about evangelism than about discipleship (p. 22). Mark Dever (2013) also a senior pastor, in Washington, DC, in his book Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, stated this: Bible-believing churches have seen the church somewhat as a weekly, stationary evangelistic rally (p. 12). Andrew Davis (2014) continues the conversation when he states:

The success of the church is measured in weekly attendance, finances, and especially in soul-winning, measured through baptismal statistics. Pastors are measured by their success in attracting an ever-larger congregation. If the person makes a decision for Christ, they are quickly baptized and counted in the all-important statistics for reporting success to the outside world. (pp. 22–23)

This subject not only has relevance for the church today, especially in America, but it holds relevance for churches of all ages. When one reads the letters of the apostle Paul or the letters to the seven churches in Revelation, nothing is mentioned about Sunday school numbers or the latest budget. Spiritual issues are addressed to the people of God. In the letters to the seven churches of Revelation, the mind of Christ is very obvious as Jesus addresses the individual strengths and sins of the churches. None of the letters concern themselves with buildings or budgets. However, they all address discipleship because they all are addressed to the churches. Jesus concerns himself with the spiritual growth of the church, the toleration of sin in the church, and the corrections necessary to be overcomers in the church until Jesus comes again. These issues are for the people of God to act upon, not the pagan world.

Davis (2014) also made a salient point about discipleship when stating this truth:

Church planting missionaries working with unreached people groups are frequently held accountable to report their progress to their superiors in statistical terms; reporting that the people of a ministry are growing in grace and in the knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18) is not easily quantifiable, and therefore not welcome. (p. 23)

Hull (2006) asked this very poignant question: Does the gospel we preach produce disciples or does it produce consumers of religious goods and services (p. 44)? Problems in the church are not a new occurrence. From Jesus in the Gospels to the apostle Paul in his letters to the various churches, problems and issues have arisen and been addressed. The book of Revelation deals with similar issues. In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, seven churches are addressed by our Lord. The problems, concerns, and their issues are addressed in each of the seven churches. In five of the seven churches, Jesus pointedly shares the major problem or problems within the churches. This dissertation will focus upon the subject of discipleship, as found in the seven churches of the book of Revelation chapters 2 and 3. Before this subject gets addressed, some critical terms must be defined.

Definition of Terms

Disciples, Discipleship, and Discipling

Determining the meaning of a disciple and what constitutes discipleship can be a complex task. Michael Wilkins (1992), in his book Following the Master: A Biblical Theology of Discipleship, gives this description: "Very simply, a disciple (mathetes) is a learner or follower-usually someone committed to a significant master" (p. 38). Wilkins (1992) continues his definition this way:

Disciple is the primary term used in the Gospels to refer to Jesus’ followers and is a common referent for those known in the early church as believers, Christians, brothers/sisters, those of the way, or saints, although each term focuses upon different aspects of the individual’s relationships with Jesus and others of the faith. The term was used most frequently in this specific sense; at least 230 times in the Gospels and 28 times in Acts. (p. 40)

According to Hull (2006), a disciple is a reborn follower of Jesus (p. 32). The educational aspect of being a disciple can be illustrated in these examples from Bill Hull (2006) and Michael Horton (2011) respectively:

I’ve already mentioned my distaste for the teaching that a difference exists between being a Christian and being a disciple. The common teaching is that a Christian is someone who by faith accepts Jesus as Savior, receives eternal life, and is safe and secure in the family of God; a disciple is a more serious Christian active in the practice of the spiritual disciplines and engaged in evangelizing and training others. But I must be blunt: I find no biblical evidence for a separation of Christian from disciple. In answer to the age-old question, ‘Are disciples born or made’? I contend they are born to be made. The vision Jesus set into motion meant finding and training more people like the Eleven, a lifelong experience where imperfect people would be shaped into his likeness-marked by progress not perfection. (Hull 2006, 32–33)

This description by Hull lends itself to the ongoing discussion of discipleship. Most Christians generally accept discipleship as the process of following Jesus (Hull 2006, 35). When considering this subject, Hull (2006) adds these words: "Ship added to the end of disciple means ‘the state of’ or ‘contained in.’ So discipleship means the state of being a disciple" (p. 35). In a sense, he believes in discipleship as a journey, becoming a disciple, rather than having been made a disciple.

In his book The Gospel Commission, Michael Horton (2011) continues this kind of thinking when it comes to discipleship. The education of one who believes on Jesus can observe discipleship in Acts 2:42. The early church learned together as disciples and fellowshipped, broke bread, and prayed together. Immediately the Great Commission was being fulfilled as the church begins in the book of Acts. Horton (2011) makes this point clear:

When Jesus included his commission teaching them everything I have commanded you, he underscored…that a disciple is first of all a learner—of course, more than that, but not less. This is why the early church gathered regularly for the apostles teaching in Acts 2:42. It is why the ancient church founded catechetical schools and expected converts to go through a rigorous period of detailed instruction in Christian doctrine and practice. It is why the Protestant Reformation wrote up catechisms for the instruction of the people, especially the young, when few adults knew even the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, or the Apostles’ Creed. (pp. 175–176)

If a disciple does anything, he learns. These believers (in Acts 2:42), obviously wanted to learn, were excited about learning and sensed awe and wonder as they learned. Horton (2011) goes on to add: In considering the problems of the present situation of churches today, could it be that the push of evangelism as discipleship only has caused the average hearer to believe that he/she has their ‘fire insurance’ and can go on their merry way (p. 176)? In a very succinct comment, Horton (2011) gets to the heart of the matter of discipleship: we are saved by Christ…and the Christ who saves us expects us to learn EVERYTHING he has to say (p. 176). A disciple who does not learn and grow in grace and knowledge has every right to question his or her discipleship commitment.

This idea finds confirmation in The Shape of Faith to Come: Spiritual Formation and the Future of Discipleship by Brad J. Waggoner (2008). He defines discipleship as a deliberate process of moving Christians forward spiritually (p. 14). Eric Russ (2010) writes in Discipleship Defined: Discipleship is a popular word, often used vaguely and ambiguously but rarely used biblically. Many churches, even well intentioned, God-fearing, Christ-loving, Bible-centered churches, muddle the definition of discipleship, and therefore abandon any intentionality of it (p. 21). In a dialogue that Robert E. Webber (2006) reported on, 450 evangelical leaders from fifty-four countries and nearly ninety Christian fellowships and denominations met to discuss the failure of evangelical communities to nourish disciples (The Divine Embrace: Recovering the Passionate Spiritual Life, 228). From this meeting came their definition of discipleship: a process that takes place within accountable relationships over a period of time for the purpose of bringing believers to spiritual maturity in Christ (Webber 2006, 228). Once again, another set of individuals emphasize learning and maturity in the activity of discipleship.

Greg Ogden (2003), noted writer of several books on discipleship, in his book Transforming Discipleship: Making Disciples a Few, gives a technical definition of discipleship: "it always implies the existence of a personal