The document compares and contrasts salvation and discipleship. Salvation involves believing in Christ alone for the forgiveness of sins, while discipleship is the lifelong process of following and learning from Christ through obedience to His teachings. Some key differences are that salvation is instantaneous through faith, while discipleship requires ongoing commitment and sacrifice. Salvation focuses on what God has done through Christ, while discipleship emphasizes what man must do to follow Him. True believers will pursue discipleship, but it is not a requirement for salvation.

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Salvation is provided FREE & "without price"
(Romans 6:23; Isaiah 55:1); However, salvation is
certainly not cheap (1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 Cor. 6:20).
Discipleship is COSTLY and the cost must be
carefully considered and counted
(Matthew 10:37,38; Luke 12:42-48; Luke 14:25-33)
Salvation takes place in an INSTANT of time
(Acts 2:47; 15:11; 16:31)
Discipleship is a life-long PROCESS
(John 8:31; Matthew 28:19-20)
Salvation is BELIEVING on Christ (Acts 16:30-31) Discipleship is FOLLOWING Christ (Matthew 4:18-22)
Salvation is coming to Christ and finding rest from the
burden of sin & RELIGIOUS effort
(Matthew 11:28; John 6:37,40)
Discipleship is taking Christ's yoke and learning from
Him, allowing Him to do HIS GOOD works through us
(Matthew 11:29; Ephesians 4:30; Galatians 2:20)
Salvation involves CHRIST LOVING ME
(Romans 5:8; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 5:25)
Discipleship involves ME LOVING CHRIST
(Matthew 10:37; Luke 14:26; John 14:15;21)
A truly saved person is one who has believed the
gospel (Romans1:16; 4:5; John 3:18; 20:29; Acts15:9)
A true disciple is one who continues in Christ's Word
(John 8:31; 15:4,7,10)
To be saved a person must fall before the feet of
Christ crucified and claim the mercy of God
(Luke 18:13; 23:48; 1Corinthians 14:25)
To be a disciple a person must sit at the feet of Christ
and hear His Word with a meek and teachable heart
(Mark 4:34; Luke 8:35;10:39; 11:1)
A saved person is a BELIEVER (1John 5:1; Jhn 3.15;
20.31; Romans 4.5)
A disciple is a LEARNER [the word "disciple" means
"a learner, student, pupil, adherent"] (Matt.9:13;11:29)
A saved person CONFESSES CHRIST
(John 12:42; Rom. 10:9-10; 1John4:1-4; 2John 1:7)
A disciple DENIES SELF (Luke 9:23)
A saved person POSSESSES CHRIST
(1 John 5:12; Romans 8)
A disciple FORSAKES POSSESSIONS
(Luke 14:33; 18:22,28)
Being saved involves TRUSTING (Eph. 1:13) Being a disciple involves TRAINING (Matt. 28:19-20)
Salvation involves receiving God's gift
(John 1:12; Eph. 2:8-9).
Discipleship involves receiving God's instruction
(Acts 2:42).
Every believer measures up to the full demands of
God's righteousness in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21).
Believers often do not measure up to the full demands
of discipleship (Luke 14:25-33).
Salvation involves one's STANDING in Christ
(one's perfect position in Him).
Discipleship involves one's STATE
(one's actual practice or condition).
With salvation the emphasis is upon WHAT GOD
HAS DONE (1 Cor. 15:3-4).
With discipleship the emphasis is upon WHAT MAN
MUST DO (Luke 14:25-33).
The focus of salvation is upon the WORK OF CHRIST
(1 Cor. 1:18).
The focus of discipleship is upon the WORD OF
CHRIST or His teaching (John 8:31).
Salvation is GOD'S COMMITMENT to His Word
based on the finished work of His Son
(Rom. 3:24).
Discipleship is THE BELIEVER'S COMMITMENT to
Christ's Word based on His relationship to Christ
(John 6:68).
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The saved person is a SAINT (1 Cor.1:2).
Some born-again believers…
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The disciple is a STUDENT (Matt. 11:29).
…are better students than others.
The invitation to salvation: COME UNTO ME
(John 6:37; Matthew 11:28).
The invitation to discipleship: COME AFTER ME
(Luke 9:23).
Salvation requires obedience to the command to
BELIEVE (1 John 3:23a; John 3:36).
Discipleship requires obedience to ALL of Christ's
commands (Matthew 28:19-20).
Salvation is the sinner hearing His Word and believing
on Him (John 5:24).
Discipleship is the saint sitting at His feet and hearing
His Word (Luke 10:39).
The SINNER must not try to fulfill the demands of
discipleship in order to be saved. This would be
salvation by works.
The SAINT seeks to fulfill all the demands of
discipleship because he is saved. This is being saved
"unto good works" (Eph. 2:10).
Salvation involves a faith response to the message of
the cross (1 Cor. 1:18; 15:1-4).
Discipleship involves bearing one's cross daily
(Luke 9:53).
God's salvation is PERFECT, lacking nothing
(Col. 2:10; 1 Cor. 1:30).
My measuring up to the full demands of discipleship is
LESS THAN PERFECT, but "I follow after"
(Phil. 3:12-13).
To be saved a person must believe on Christ
(John 3:16; Acts 16:31). The requirement for salvation
is simple faith and trust in the all-sufficient Saviour,
the Lord Jesus Christ.
To be a true disciple a person must continue in
Christ's Word, love Christ supremely, deny self,
forsake all that he possesses, bear his cross daily,
etc. The requirements of discipleship are many and
they are difficult.
Discipleship (and all that it involves) is not a
requirement for salvation. (Matthew 7.21; John 6.40)
Discipleship is the obligation of every saved person.
(Luke 6.40; 14.26; John 13.35)
Every saved person is saved thru faith and faith alone
(not by obedience, or by surrender, or by submission,
or by love for Christ, or by giving up possessions, etc.)
(Romans 4.5-8; Ephesians 2.8,9; Acts 15.11)
Every saved person is a follower of Christ because
Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice...and they follow
Me" (John 10:27). In this sense every saved person is
a disciple (follower of Christ).
Salvation relates primarily to JUSTIFICATION.
Justification and sanctification are related but they
must not be confused. They must be kept distinct. The
same is true for sanctification and glorification.
Discipleship relates primarily to SANCTIFICATION.
Justification and sanctification are related but they
must not be confused. They must be kept distinct. The
same is true for salvation and discipleship.
Salvation puts a person into an immediate right
relationship with Christ the “Good Teacher” (God).
Discipleship is an ongoing fellowship and interaction
between Teacher and student (a lifelong PROCESS).
For more information see: A
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http://www.gracelife.org/resources/articles.asp?id=6
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