ARTICLE

In a world where social media dominates so much of our lives and influencers constantly share their lives on camera, we, as viewers, are often left wondering: Do these influencers really live this way? Do they truly follow the values they preach when the camera is off? More often than not, we are never really sure, and we may never find out unless we meet them in person.

When it comes to influencers, people long to see their authentic selves rather than the persona they present on camera. These expectations in the twenty-first century are not limited to social media influencers. They also extend to large corporations, businesses, and even churches. People on the outside—those who are not yet part of these organisations—look in to see whether those within them truly uphold the values they claim to hold.

The same is true for us as Christians in the church. Many people who are not Christians are watching us to see whether we live out the values Jesus has given us, both inside and outside the church building. Before we explore what authentic discipleship looks like in our communities, we must first define discipleship and what it means to be a disciple. Webster's Dictionary defines a disciple as "a follower or student of a teacher, leader, or philosopher." As followers of Jesus' teachings, we are, by definition, disciples of Jesus. While that is the surface-level answer, we can gain a deeper understanding by turning to Scripture.

In Matthew 4:18, we see Jesus calling His first disciples. Many of us who read the Bible are familiar with this passage, but one detail we often overlook is that Jesus' invitation offers them an entirely different way of life. His call is not simply an invitation to follow a random carpenter; it is an invitation to embrace a new way of life.

This is why Jesus immediately tells them He will make them "...fishers of men..." (Matthew 4:19), rather than fishers of fish. Being a disciple of Jesus means following Him and embracing a new way of life—one that is different from the life you lived before and one that only Jesus can offer.

Now that we have established what it means to be a disciple, we can begin to develop a clearer understanding of discipleship. When Jesus invited the first disciples to follow Him, He was inviting them to observe how He lived, learn from His teachings, and ultimately imitate His way of life. While Jesus was on earth, He understood that the world was broken and no longer reflected the way God had originally created it. By coming to earth, Jesus revealed God's original design by teaching His disciples to love one another. He knew that one day they would have to live out these values on their own, so throughout His ministry, He intentionally taught them and modelled those values through His own life.

In John 13, Jesus reminds His disciples, "...by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples..." The verse goes on to explain that the distinguishing mark of His followers is their love for one another. Discipleship, then, is living out the values of Jesus. It is allowing your life to bear the unmistakable mark of the One to whom you belong.

With those definitions established, we can now address the question: What does it mean to authentically be a disciple of Christ in the twenty-first century within our communities?

The answer is simple. Authentic discipleship in the twenty-first century means living out the values of Jesus, our Teacher, in our everyday lives. Chief among those values is loving others regardless of whether they love us in return. Jesus said, "...by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples..." The remainder of the verse reads, "...if ye have love one to another" (John 13:35).

Knowing this truth, however, does not mean we will automatically change overnight. Authentic discipleship is a process. Too often, I have seen people become baptised, only for those within the church to expect immediate transformation. But discipleship is a lifelong journey that we all walk with Jesus. Some people need more time than others to understand, embrace, and faithfully live out the values He taught.

Even the first disciples sometimes struggled to understand and apply Jesus' teachings.

Being a disciple of Jesus in the twenty-first century means accepting His invitation to live a new way of life, continually learning and observing His teachings of love with the desire to become more like Him, and faithfully putting those teachings into practice each day. What it looks like to love others will vary depending on the individual and where they are in their journey. Nevertheless, when we accept Jesus' invitation to become His disciples and allow His love to shape our lives, we demonstrate to the world what authentic discipleship truly looks like—not only within the walls of the church but also in our homes, workplaces, schools, and communities.

"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." — John 13:35 (KJV)

Callan Lewis-Balfour
Toronto West Seventh-day Adventist Church