Design for Discipleship: Discovering God’s Blueprint for the Christian Life

by J. Dwight Pentecost

Publisher:

Kregel

, 1996

Overview

Discipleship may be a popular term in Christian circles, but what does it really mean for the individual to follow Christ as a biblical disciple? J. Dwight Pentecost provides a practical discussion of the biblical design for following Christ in Design for Discipleship: Discovering God's Blueprint for the Christian Life. Balanced between the extremes of easy believism and Lordship salvation, Pentecost demonstrates that discipleship is a growing experience of knowledge, committment, active love, and sacrificial service.

"There is a vast difference between being saved and being a disciple,...a relationship based on the knowledge of the person of Christ, submission to the person of Jesus Christ, and obedience to the commands of Jesus Christ," Dr. Pentecost observes. "Our desire in these studies of the New Testament teaching on discipleship is to unsettle you who have become so comfortable, to disquiet you who have become so satisfied, in order that we might become a people who...are disciples in truth."

Contents

Top Highlights

“First of all, the word disciple means a learner, a pupil, a scholar, one who comes to be taught. The idea of teaching and learning is preeminent in the word disciple.” (Page 10)

“Discipleship involves commitment. It involves identification with Christ in His shameful death. Discipleship involves renunciation of oneself, it involves setting aside one’s own aims, goals, ambitions, desires in life. It involves sacrifice for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ. It involves setting aside one’s own will and one’s own rights to his life and acknowledging that Jesus Christ has the right to be obeyed, the right to rule. Our Lord said that if a man is not willing to forsake all that he has, he cannot be His disciple.” (Page 15)

“We repeat it again: a true disciple is one who has a love for the person of Christ, confidence in the word of Christ, and is completely committed to Christ in service and obedience.” (Page 16)

“Discipleship is dependent upon a willingness to accept God’s will as God makes it known to you and to identify yourself with Jesus Christ in the discharge of that will. That makes one a disciple.” (Page 32)

“Christ’s exposition of His parables was to those who called themselves His disciples.” (Page 11)

Product Details

• Title: Design for Discipleship: Discovering God's Blueprint for the Christian Life
• Author: J. Dwight Pentecost
• Publisher: Kregel
• Publication Date: 1996
• Pages: 128

About J. Dwight Pentecost

Dr. Pentecost was a professor of Bible Exposition at Dallas Theological seminary for over sixty years. He was also a pastor for thirty-five years. He wrote twenty-one books, including Things to Come. He died in 2015.