Discipleship Considered 5 (Cont)

Discipleship Considered 5 (Continued)

The Character of the Disciple

We have referred to the 'Sermon on the Mount' on several occasions. It begins with a list of eight kinds of people whose inward attitude leads to blessing.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5.3-10)

Apart from the last two, the 'peacemakers' and the 'persecuted'; they are all to do with inner qualities' and even the last two are consequences of an internal righteous disposition. And it is not as if the sermon is only interested in the inner man, actions are also under scrutiny - what may be called 'good works', such as giving to charity (i.e. almsgiving). However, the indication is that they will only bring long-lasting benefit to the 'doer' if he/she does them from the right motive. If they are performed as an act of worship to God, then it will be the equivalent of laying up treasure in heaven. Otherwise they are only of transient and passing value.

Why is character so important?

Character is important because Christians should reflect the qualities of the God that saved them, for the ultimate objective of God is that we should be conformed to the image of His Son. This goal of being like God is more substantial than many imagine. The God we serve is Himself a 'Serving God' as Jesus indicated when He said, "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve" (Matt 20.28; Mark 10.45). Here then is an excellent stencil to use for the plan of our Christian life.

So which qualities of the Saviour should we emulate?

His love and compassion.
His honesty and integrity.
His goodness, kindness and generosity.
His whole-hearted commitment to the will of God.
His willingness to work with others.
His fierce loyalty to His disciples.
His energy and stamina.
His perseverance.

Being conformed to the image of the Saviour does not mean that our individuality is to be eroded or eliminated. Rather it is a co-operative effort with the Holy Spirit directed to lifting our personality and character to a higher level. As we go on with God an improvement should be seen in our carriage, demeanour and mind-set, reflecting the qualities of the Christ we serve. After all, a believer is a member of God's family and is expected to display the family likeness, that is, the likeness of Christ. He is our elder brother, as well as our Saviour and Master.

Next time we shall look at these qualities in a little more detail.