The Discipleship of Paul
When a believer hears the name of the Apostle Paul, we all too often jump straight ahead to what an amazing man of God he was. He wrote thirteen letters which are contained in the New Testament (out of twenty-seven total books), with some believing he may have even authored the Book of Hebrews. He went on many missionary journeys, starting many churches, training men and women in the faith, all the while suffering greatly at the hands of those who sought his life for his actions. However, many overlook that the exact process Paul helped many men and women go through is one that he himself went through as well. Looking at the narrative of his conversion in Acts 9:17-30 and his letter to the Galatians in Galatians 1:13-2:6, we see a comprehensive list of steps through which the Lord did follow-up with Paul:
- Paul’s conversion despite his former life as a zealous Pharisee and persecutor of the way (Galatians 1:13-14; Acts 9:1-19)
- Ananias, a disciples of Christ, who was reluctantly willing to build a relationship with Paul and pray for him (Acts 9:10-17)
- Upon his conversion and meeting with the church in Damascus, he was baptized (Acts 9:18)
- After his conversion, he spent time being discipled by the disciples in Damascus (Acts 9:19b; Galatians 1:17)
- During this time, he began to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, as was his calling. He still would receive discipleship from the local church in Damascus, and even at one point, in Jerusalem (Galatians 1:16-21)
- Eventually, Paul went to and received further discipleship and training in Jerusalem, as he was presented before the disciples there by Barnabas via testimony of his conversion and evangelism in and around Damascus (Acts 9:20-30; Galatians 2:1-6).
It was through much work and faithful discipleship in the first century that we, as believers in the 21st century, can imagine Paul as an amazing man of God whom we know from the Scriptures.
With all that Paul went through as a disciple, there are a few things that really stand up in how God, using the local church, followed up with Paul. First and foremost, God initiated the work, changing Paul’s (then Saul) life, the entire trajectory of his zeal, from a persecutor to a proselytizer. Paul responded to this in faith. Secondly, we see a ready, and willing, albeit reluctantly, disciple to make contact with the new believer and introduce him to the church and the process of discipleship. Lastly, there was the process of discipleship itself. This process really is a two-way street in that the local church, beginning in Damascus, and move out from there, came around Paul to disciple him, to help him grow in sanctification. Also, Paul had to realize that his process as growing as a disciple was not a one-and-done event.
What Did Paul Do?
We see Paul taking all of this and applying it to his life, as he would travel about, preaching the Gospel, calling people to repent of sin and believe on the name of Jesus. He became a disciple who made disciples, marked disciples, and worked to mature disciples. He began to works towards the completion of The Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). Seeing the light of understanding come upon Paul, who already had all the rigorous religions and theological education a person could ask for of that time, is an amazing thing. To see and understand the reality of what he had been learning about had just taken place in his lifetime would be an amazing feeling.
Follow-Up
When it comes to the process of follow-up and discipleship with a new believer, I think the first and foremost step a person needs to take is the commitment to time. The prince of preachers Charles Spurgeon wrote regarding making disciples, “Let me warn you not to look at all this at the first, for it is a work of time.”[1] The same thing applies to discipling disciples, it is not an overnight process like watering a chia-pet. Discipleship takes time and effort. Paul spent three years learning and evangelizing before going to Jerusalem the first time, and he only got to meet James (Gal. 1:18-19). It wasn’t for another fourteen years before Paul returned to Jerusalem and got to meet, and be discipled by, more of the disciples (Gal. 2:1-5).
Discernment also plays a great role in the lives of one who is doing discipleship. When looking at those who respond to the gospel, we must be able to discern the seeds that fall along the path, the rocky ground, amongst the thorns, and in the good soil. There are many who respond to the ‘altar call’ but never truly to the Gospel. And there are those who respond to the Gospel, but never truly repent and believe. Some know it, those who just outright reject the Gospel, and there are those who don’t, those ‘Cultural Christians’ who think they are going to heaven because they go to church, read their Bibles, and volunteer in the nursery. Then there are those whom hear the Gospel and respond in saving faith, repenting of theirs sins and believing in the name of Jesus Christ. We must earnestly pray for wisdom and discernment, that we may know, or learn, who falls into what category and how to most effectively follow-up, and if need be, disciple them.
Discipleship is also a mentally, spiritually, and emotionally taxing task. In follow-up and discipleship, you must have the willingness to pour out your lives into the person or people that you are discipling, more than just giving up your time, but also of your talents and treasures. We must pour our wisdom, our knowledge, our expertise, and so much more into new Christians that they may see Christ. Spurgeon wrote, “We must always set an earnest example ourselves.”[2]And an example we must be. Dave Earley writes in Evangelism Is… that, “Few people come to Jesus on their own. Most of us meet Jesus because of the invitation of a family member of friend.”[3] The same is true of discipleship. Just as you aren’t going to hire someone for work and then not train them in what to do, you are going to lead someone to Christ and then leave them to fend for themselves. We must come alongside the person or persons do what Jesus commands us to do: teach “them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:20)[4].
Lastly, we must disciple disciples to be willing and able to pour themselves out into others, as they go out and make, mark, and mature disciples as a part of the ministry God gives them. The process of discipleship really is a never-ending process. As we walk with the Lord, we should be making disciples, and part of discipling disciples is teaching them that they should be making disciples, and therefore discipling disciples themselves. With that being said, it brings to mind the fact that we aren’t going to just pour our lives into others and train them to do the same, part of the ongoing process of discipleship is allowing others still to pour into your life so that you continue to grow, to persevere, and ultimately, to glorify God and enjoy Him forever!
[1] C. H. Spurgeon, The Soul Winner: How to Lead Sinners to the Saviour (Fleming H. Revell, 1895).
[2] . H. Spurgeon, The Soul Winner: How to Lead Sinners to the Saviour (Fleming H. Revell, 1895).
[3] Dave Earley and David A. Wheeler, Evangelism Is–: How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence(Nashville, Tenn: B & H Academic, 2010), 308.
[4] Unless otherwise specified, all Bible references in this paper are to the English Standard Version, 2016 (ESV) (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles).
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