John Calvin was a God-fearing, French theologian, pastor and reformer in Geneva, Switzerland during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the branch of theology later called Calvinism. His followers further developed his concept to the point some have said he would roll over in his grave if he saw how it has evolved today. Other founding leaders have had the same thing happen to what they espoused. How does this happen? In essence, the followers embrace their predecessor’s basic concept/theology but never owned their trailblazer’s heart. Therefore, each adds his/her own interpretation or ideas of what the teaching meant and before long it becomes only a shadow of what was intended. This has happened in businesses whether it be Walt Disney who birthed Disney Land or Sam Walton who started Walmart.
This same thing happens in discipleship. Jesus commanded his followers to make disciples of all nations. However, those who have endeavored to do so have essentially made converts of their own way of thinking. Some are not much different than the Pharisees to whom Jesus said, … you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are (Matthew 23:15, NLT2)! The problem wasn’t with Judaism but with how the Pharisees had reshaped it to be something very different than God had intended it to be.
Jesus’ meaning of discipleship was based on devotion to Him as He was devoted to His Father, not on as adherence to a belief or a creed. Jesus described that form of devotion as so exclusive that He said, if you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26, NLT2). He went so far as to say, if you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it (Mark 8:35, NLT2). Practicing this type of life Paul said to the Ephesian elders, … I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24, ESV).
I fear that today we have been led to substitute doctrinal belief for personal belief. That’s why so many are devoted to causes and so few to Jesus Christ. People do not want to be devoted to Jesus, rather only to the cause He taught. Jesus’ first obedience was to His Father’s will, not to the needs of men. Our salvation was the natural outcome of His loving obedience to the Father. If I am devoted to the cause of humanity alone, I will soon be exhausted and come to the place where my love will falter. However, if I love Jesus Christ personally and passionately, I can serve humanity even if I’m treated as a doormat or serve in the smallest and most remote place. The secret of a disciple’s life is devotion to Jesus Christ, and a characteristic of the life is its discreet nature.
What might happen if more believers where you live actually lived out the devotion Jesus modeled for us in His devotion to His Father? What might it take to change the culture among believers to be totally focused on loving Jesus more than the causes that have evolved from what He taught? This gives me pause when I consider how much I’ve followed what I’ve been indoctrinated to believe rather than what Jesus and His disciples literally lived out. Holy Spirit, please help each of us recalibrate our thinking of what devotion to God is all about.