Comments on: iMonk 101: What Kind Of Person Will Be A Disciple?

By: Todd Erickson

Todd Erickson — Thu, 07 May 2009 05:50:25 +0000

What is significant about the disciples and Paul was not their level of education, but their willingness to put faithfulness above maintaining their own righteousness, unlike the rest of the religious establishment.

Jesus blasted the Pharisees repeatedly for making what was meant by God to be freedom for the Jews into slavery.

Those who are disciples of Christ are willing to leave all of their understanding behind them, every day, to keep learning more of Christ.

By: roderick

roderick — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:48:02 +0000

This is one example of a modern day disciple of Jesus:
I wear blue jeans, tennis shoes and a t-shirt to church, I like christian songs played with electric guitars,I am a Democrat, I go to church in Hollywood. I have faith in Jesus as the Savior, I pray for my enemies, serve when called to serve, and forgive others when they sin against me, and I repent when I sin. I put my trust in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost to help me in this life.I read the Bible and believe and do what it says. I’ve got salvation. That’s my definition of a disciple.

By: Stefan Andre Waligur

Stefan Andre Waligur — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 14:58:30 +0000

Thanks very much for the Luther quote. So important to keep living this one out.
When you have a chance go to http://www.speakingofpeace.blogspot.com and share your thoughts.
Peace,
Stefan

By: A Reformed Type

A Reformed Type — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:58:09 +0000

iMonk:

I get exactly what you mean by this post, and thank you for it. May God grant us a teachable heart all the days of our earthly lives.

By: Wezlo

Wezlo — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:09:48 +0000

Chris, while I wouldn’t go around tossing “ignorant” on a board (which is often like asking for a flame war to start) – I have to agree with the bulk of your assessment. Colossians 2:17 might also show that Paul was familiar with the writings of Socrates (voicing[?] Plato) – it sounds a whole lot like the cave allegory.

By: Chris Zodrow

Chris Zodrow — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:28:43 +0000

Whoa. This is just so, wellâ€¦ ignorant:
“but with men who believed, at best, a kind of unsophiisticated folk theology”

John was fairly sophisticated in his understanding of temple worship and the cultic priesthood. He wrote Revelation, remember? Paul read the ancient Greek poets, and had an education in Roman and Hebrew culture and understanding his writings does not come to any reader immediately. He is hard going and takes effort to understand.

Why the hatred of intellectualists? Why the bifurcation of the Christian life?

By: Chris Zodrow

Chris Zodrow — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:23:06 +0000

There are too many exceptions to your thesis. Here are three: Paul; John (whose family was associated with the priesthood, and thus had access to the trial of Jesus); Nicodemus.

Jesus calls who He wants, and regardless of their “bent” before he calls, they will follow.

Your distaste for those who you view as “religious” has clouded your Biblical theology.

By: Patrick Lynch

Patrick Lynch — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:46:58 +0000

Joseph, I don’t think so. The ‘religious establishment’ means what on the street or on the internet, exactly? Posting here is a pretty diverse group as it is..

By: Matt Jamison

Matt Jamison — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:03:58 +0000

I think that contemporary evangelicalism too often makes a virtue out of attacking the “religious establishment” as they perceive it within Christianity and this leads to a situation where the Church is attacking herself. An example of this is the “we hate church (as usual) billboards that recently appeared in Tulsa to promote a megachurch that is trying to be as “unchurchy” as possible.

iMonk makes an important distinction that it was CHRIST doing an “end-run” on the religious establishment of his day, from his perspective as true God and true man. For the rest of us, it may not be as easy to differentiate pharisees from true believers and we should be circumspect about attacking our own.

I think the respectful, honest dialogue among believers of different denominations and traditions on this website is a good model of how the church should behave.

By: CJ

CJ — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:59:41 +0000

Imonk: do you have a window into my head or something? I was reading Matthew’s version of this very story this morning. Thank you for giving me something else to chew on.

“…Caspian knelt and kissed the Lion’s paw.

‘Welcome, Prince,’ said Aslan. ‘Do you feel yourself sufficient to take up the Kingship of Narnia?’

‘I – I don’t think I do, Sir,’ said Caspian. ‘I’m only a kid.’

‘Good,’ said Aslan. ‘If you had felt yourself sufficient, it would have been a proof that you were not.’”