Discipleship is the next level of spiritual life and growth in the heart and school of God and of Christ as a position to move onto for each and every one of his follower or believer after repentance, conversion from sin unto the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus through baptism of water and spirit. It is not enough to be a believer without moving forward to become an adherent of Christ teaching and lifestyles (those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Philippians 4:9), seeking and striving by his spirit and grace to attain to the fullness of his stature in moral attitudes, spiritual growth and in physical representation of Christ in his daily transformation as Christ’s epistle, read and known of all men. A disciple is not above his master, but he that is perfect shall be as his master. This is what is expected of each believer, that they might reflect Christ likeness and to seek to create public awareness by walking in the truth and light, so that men, by observation and testimony, men might see and known that such has been with Christ; and can be called a Christian through the beauty of Christ unveiling through them. Luke 6:40. Acts4:13. Acts11:26.                                                                       The believer whose primary interest is to emulate the life of Christ, and his daily efforts and practices are directed to realising this, is the apprentice who has taken Christ yoke upon him, that he might learn of him, as the truth is in Jesus, to become like him, that he might find rest for his soul and with the Lord. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. They shall not successfully be deceived by any one; neither shall they be taken away from Christ. They shall flee from the wolves that come in sheep clothing, for they did not know his voice and whatever or whoever does not serves not the interest of Christ in their lives, nor promotes his purposes, that they might stand perfect and complete in all the will of God, shall wisely be avoided without hesitation.                                                                                                                                               This is a bitter pill to swallow- the bridegroom (Jesus) is only coming for the sheep (disciple) of his pasture and not for the goats in his sheepfold (Acts 9:26) who are mere believers, though they may be doing  many good and mighty works in his name through the gifts of his spirit’, but their deeds betrayed their profession-worker of iniquities, cursed children which has forsaken the right way, walking in wantonness andcraftiness, and handling the word of God  deceitfully- in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired by all them believes….2 Thessalonians 1:8-10.
 
Divine objectives and purposes of discipleship is for every repentant sinner to advance from the stage of a being a believer to become a full grown disciple that he might (1) grow into Christ fullness and likeness in the love of the brotherhood; and by this shall all men know that such truly belong to Christ, if they increases and grow in an unfeigned love towards one another; living and doing all things in love and walking in it as God’s dear children. John 13: 34-35. 1 Peter 2:17.                                                                                                                                             (2) The believer must increase and grow in his humble service for the Lord; becoming more and more like Christ in humbleness of mind, even as the Lord humbled himself in obedient unto death, even the death on the cross. Discipleship is the process of spiritual integration into the kingdom life and culture. The disciple sent is not greater than he that sent him, and he must be taught that self and pride is not the norm in the kingdom; while selflessness, self denial, and self-emptiness are the order of each day in it.                                                                                          Greatness in the kingdom is not measured by spiritual or ministerial gifts, but by self abasement in stewardship like the Lord did put aside his priestly garments; and took a towel, and girded himself, and began to wash the disciple’s feet and wiped them with the towel wherewith he was girded. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, know you what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. The believer is called to serve and not to be served; to see himself as nothing and to make himself as the servant of all that he might be great indeed in the sight of God and in the kingdom of heaven. His popularity rate might be low among the sons of men; by the way, he is made as the filth of the world, and is like the dirt underfoot, like garbage unto this day. John 13:3-15.                                                                                                                                                                      (3) If the believer is truly representing Christ in his daily life as a faithful ambassador and priest in the world, as the light in his world, and as the salt of the earth, the husbandman (God) will work increasingly in his life so that he might bring forth much fruit, and the world will know that he is indeed a disciple of Christ.                                                                                                         Fruit bearing is an essential aspect of his union with Christ; and as he continue to abide in the Lord in his daily emulation of Christ life to that he might draw and influence the onlookers and the unbelievers to the awareness, consciousness and faith in Christ; and to silence his critics that are falsely accusing his good conversation in Christ Jesus. Some are delusional in their faith, thinking they are in the Lord, clueless that they are already being cut off as a branch from the vine because of their slothfulness, unfruitfulness and unproductive spiritual life. Here, both the fruit of the spirit and believer’s involvement either in personal or group soul winning activity is very important for his continual stay in the kingdom, gradual productivity and growth in the vine and in the faith grounded and settled. John 15:1-7.   Discipleship necessitates self discipline because there is no deviation from Christ standard of training and expectation to adapt, that he might be a disciple indeed.  It is such that will bring great honour and praise to his master when the latter is seen through his word and deeds- And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. Acts11:26.                                                        It is impossible for a servant to serve two masters. A disciple must only focus on his goal, first,  in daily fellowship and ministering before God; the base of his spiritual growth and gradual transformation and progressive accomplishment in representations of his Lord by shunning worldly and fleshly lusts, prioritizing the love and will of Christ above all else.                         His challenges to become more like Christ are enormous; he should be mentally tough not to take any offence in the Lord (2 Corinthians 6:3-10) that his testimony should not be marred and blamed. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, what shall they call the people in his house? If they have persecuted Christ, should the disciple be men’s pleasers to avoid persecution? The Lord said if you are of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Should the disciple get himself entangled in the things of the world to displease his Lord and to disqualify and condemn himself for the love of this present world in his friendship with it? Should he seek to lower the standard set by his Lord, that he might get easily along with the world without the offense of the cross? Whatsoever has been done on the fig tree should be expected to be done on the dry tree! All the evil treatments of which the sinless Christ has gone through and endured to bring us back to God should not be counted as strange happenings in our walk and experiences, having leave us an example, that they should follow in his steps; who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judges righteously: Matthew 10:24-25. John 15:16-20.                                                                                                                                                              Discipleship is not about denomination or a church’s name. Christ did not come to set up orthodox, Baptist, catholic, Anglican, reform, Evangelical, Pentecostal or Presbyterian assemblies- all that is of interest and importance to God is that a profess believer should strive to be more like Christ in his daily walk through his fellowship with the Father and the Son and with the Holy spirit. He should diligently observes and keep the word of God, and to continue in the in the application of scriptures in his daily life, imbibing the word as the only principle to live; and not in the tradition of any church, or under the influence and indoctrination of a carnal and blind pastor; neither in any old wives fables that leads or brings to spiritual bondage.                                                                                                                                                The believer should know that it is Christ that died for him, and not a pastor or Bishop. If the minister above him is not worthy of the honour bestow on him, by not walking uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, and by not growing the sheep with good spiritual meal, he should prayerfully consider leaving such place of worship to a better place where he can be well fed for a healthy spiritual life-if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.                   His acceptance and submission to the teaching of any minister of the gospel should be by the witness he receives from the anointing that dwells in him; which he had received from the Father and remains in him; lest he be brought again into bondage- those that were clean escaped from them who live in error- Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. Acts4:13. 2 Peter 2: 18-19.                                                                                                                                                         Every word of God is pure, and the Lord warned his disciples to make sure that they remain and continue in the undiluted word that they might prove themselves to be his disciples indeed. Such are grateful for every revelation made available for their spiritual growth and never resist the truth and the working of the Holy Spirit meant to bring them into maturity and perfection in Christ Jesus. Christ deeper knowledge and teachings and doctrines are their delights and never in them to complain against any strong meat of the word served for their growth and they shall they never depart from the word of eternal life in which some things are hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. John 6: 60-69. John 8:31-32. Hebrews 5:13-14. Luke 6:39-40
 
The Lord taught us about three different kinds of believers called to be disciples from the book of Luke chapter 9, verses 57-62.                                                                                                     Firstly, this would be disciple besought the Lord to walk after him; and the Lord responded him according to the revelation of the state of his heart that disqualifies him from becoming a tested and true disciple, the weakness of his heart and of his enduring capacity-And Jesus said unto him, foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the son of man hath no where to lay his head. Christ response reveals the instability and incapacity of the pleasure seeker and worldly minded believer, that he will not be able to endure hardness as a good soldier to suffer anything for his Lord’s and kingdom sake, (if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him) spiritually incapacitated to count the cost of discipleship and to stand tall for his Lord in season or out of season; and to resist the cares of this world, things present, famine, homelessness, nakedness, poverty, lack or want to separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. Such are not ready for self-denial or any sacrificial living in the kingdom, if the present situation and condition is not advantageous and beneficial for personal comfort or purpose or need to serve the Lord. This category of believers’ loves their lives more than the Lord’s, and the souls they are called upon to serve and save can stay behind or aside, if their personal demands are not met. They are after the gain, and loves whatever they might get from Christ as luxury; and if that is not met, they are not ready to suffer need for the Lord, in contrast to the heroes of faith that had trial of cruel mocking and scourging, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. Luke 9: 57-58. Hebrews 11: 36-38.
 
Secondly, this believer was called upon by the Lord to follow him, but he gave an excuse to delay his call to discipleship in pretence to wait until the death and burial of his father before obeying the Lord’s call and doing the his Saviour’s will. There is no room for carnal sentiment in the kingdom of God, to love father or mother, or children or self more than the Lord, we are not worthy of him. Whenever we are called upon for duty and service, we are expected to make sure that nothing and no one in our life is allowed to stand between us against fulfilling the will and doing the works of God. Family and marital bondage and any other relationships that may come between us and God’s will should never be allowed to prosper, lest we become a failure and be replaced from divine purpose and kingdom of God. We should love and honour our parents, but not at the expense of disobeying God’s will and call to please them. We should love our husbands and wives, but not at the cost of making them happy to dishonour God. We should love our children, but never should we forget that they are God’s heritage and their existence in our lives should not deter us from our first love and works for the Lord. We should therefore commit to the Lord’s great care and trust, all that are under our limited care and trust, knowing that he is able to keep all that are committed into his hand against that day. And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,if any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sits not down first, and counts the cost, whether he has sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, this man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sits not down first, and consults whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?  Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a massage, and desires conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he is of you that forsake not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Luke 9: 59-60.
 
Thirdly, coming after all others is the indecisive would-be disciple, whose desire is to follow the Lord; nonetheless, asked for his permission to go back and say farewell to his friends and family members. The Lord knew what a strong negative influence shall the opinion of his unconverted friends and of his household have on his decision and desire to follow him. He has no need of a second opinion or Godspeed or man’s viewpoints about the Lord’s call and purposes on his life; hence the Lord answered him directly by saying, no man, having put his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. There is neither retreat nor surrender in the kingdom than to make our calling and election sure in our determination to live or to die for Christ, and to keep his works to the end. It may be required of us to walk alone with Christ without any of our old friends and family members alongside in our walk of faith. All we need is the abiding presence of the Lord, a friend closer than any brother who will never leave us nor forsake us- Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. Luke 9: 61-62. Proverbs 18:24.