Some of the mad people we see on the streets live in their own world, which is invisible to us. They can be naked but think they’re dressed and walking down a red carpet.
One of the worst forms of deception, for a Christian, is to think you’re okay when in reality you need help. That’s what befell the church in Laodacia.
Jesus wrote to them saying,
“I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other! So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth!
You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
(Revelation 3:15-21)
Did you notice that Jesus stands and knocks at the door of a believer, not a nonbeliever, in this context?
A Christian can go through life believing they’re born again, loving and mature, yet those who live with them don’t see it. And worst of all, Jesus Christ himself will say to them, ‘I never knew you,’ or if they make it to heaven, they will receive no reward.
Might discipleship be what you desperately need and you don’t know?
What Is Discipleship?
When a baby is born, the mother’s breast produces colostrum, which has antibodies, antioxidants, and proteins to build the baby’s immune system.[1]
Discipleship is the colostrum that strengthens the spiritual immunity of a new believer!
The Bible says;
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
(1 Peter 2:2-3)
Failure to provide discipleship in the first months or years after salvation may lead a new believer to leave the church and return to the world, or to stay in the church and live as the world does. And when this happens, many years later, it is harder to undo because the Christian is now rooted in a false faith without realizing it.
The same applies to Christian parents who desire to raise godly children. If they miss the opportunity to disciple their children before they leave home for university or work, it becomes harder afterwards. An African proverb says, “It’s easier to straighten a young tree than an old one.”
When I was a young Christian, I often wondered whether it was possible to live for Christ without falling back into sin. I was horrified by the tragic stories of men of God and Christians who fell and denounced their faith.
Now I know a Christian can stand and live for Christ in every generation. That’s what the Bible says. (Psalms 119:165, 1 John 2:10)
Here is how Apostle Peter put it;
“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities and continue to grow in them, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever lacks these traits is nearsighted to the point of blindness, having forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble, and you will receive a lavish reception into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
(2 Peter 1:3-11)
God can keep you from falling and bring you into His glorious presence without fault. (Jude 1:24)
My dear brother and sister in the Lord, it’s possible to overcome temptations and endure trials, fight the good fight, and finish well.
But that isn’t easy to attain without discipleship. We need someone to hold our hand, strengthen our feet, and encourage us on the journey. We need the input of fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord to grow and flourish.
We’re most blessed because many have paved the way before us. If we can learn from their achievements and mistakes, we can save precious time and avoid unnecessary headaches.
God cares so much about us that He has given us the Bible. All the real-life stories, principles, illustrations, and parables therein are meant to help us. Have they helped you in your life so far? Are you a discipled Christian?
So, what is discipleship?
A simple definition of discipleship is the process by which a mature (discipled) Christian helps a new or immature believer grow and mature in their knowledge, understanding, and application of God’s Word.
Discipleship is more than a two-hour, three-month routine program in a local church. It should go beyond that. It’s an intentional journey that transforms a person on the inside with visible fruit on the outside.
4 Signs Of Undiscipled Christians
Sign #1: They Are Uncertain Of Who God is – His Nature, Character, Or Attributes
Their actions and words show doubt in God’s ability and willingness to provide, protect, and guide them. It’s hard to love and submit to someone you don’t know and therefore can’t trust.
A discipled Christian knows who God is as revealed in the scriptures. In our course Grow In Your Purpose, we explore three primary attributes God shares with no one else and eight that He shares with human beings He made in His image.
Sign #2: They Are Uncertain Of Why They Exist – Purpose & Assignment
This makes them feel unfulfilled, unmotivated, and useless in life. Is it any wonder that many people are depressed, distracted, and disoriented in life?
A discipled Christian is growing physically, mentally, spiritually, and socially. He or she uses their talents, skills, personality, and spiritual gifts to serve others in their family, church, and community. Their life is meaningful and valuable.
Sign #3: They Are Uncertain Of Who They Are – Identity
They easily conform to the customs and behaviours of the world in most aspects of their lives due to peer pressure.
A discipled Christian knows who Jesus Christ is as the Son of God and Son of Man, and they imitate Him. They know who they are in Christ and live differently from everyone else.
They also know who they are as human beings at creation, as sinners at the fall of man, and as Christians at salvation.
Sign #4: They Are Uncertain Of Their Life’s End Goal – Fruitfulness
Undiscipled Christians chase the things of this world like everyone else – pleasure, possessions, money, awards, titles, power, among others. Yet they never have enough and can’t take any of these things with them when they die.
A disciple of Jesus Christ understands the role of the Holy Spirit and relies on Him for help. He or she knows the fruit the Holy Spirit produces and examines their lives to see whether they’re bearing the fruit that glorifies God and lasts for eternity.
The reason we need to be certain of God’s attributes, our purpose, identity, and assignment is so we can bear everlasting fruit. Here are signs that a Christian is not bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit;
- They do not show love and kindness toward other believers and are not motivated to sacrifice and help those in need when they have the opportunity.
- Lack the joy of the Lord and the peace of Christ in bad and good times. They’re worried, are often sad, and grumble in tough times.
- Lack gentleness and humility. They feel they deserve better in life than others because they accepted Jesus Christ. No suffering. No sickness. No financial struggles. That’s being entitled and prideful.
- Lack biblical contentment. They compare their progress in life and compete with other Christians and nonbelievers. They desire what they don’t have because they’re ungrateful and unhappy with what they have.
- Lack of self-discipline in practicing the basic Christian disciplines of studying the Word, fellowship, and prayer, and lack of self-control in avoiding the wrong things and people that influence them to sin.
- Lack patience with God’s preparation and want His promises fulfilled immediately. They desire, demand, and even command that God act quickly on their behalf rather than wait for His timing and way of answering.
We can take it further and ask ourselves, how can we expect to build godly marriages without a comprehensive training for couples during courtship? How can we expect Christians to handle money and run businesses in a godly way without training them?
I hope you see our point; discipling or training is essential in every aspect of our lives.
Has someone ever discipled you? How did it change your life? Are you willing to disciple a new believer?
I can’t judge, condemn, or blame an undiscipled Christian. For the most part, it’s not their fault, since no one may have discipled them. They may be victims of the blind leaders who fall into the pit with their followers. (Matthew 15:14)
But still, that’s not an excuse that will give them a free pass in heaven. Growing in intimacy with God and becoming mature are personal responsibilities.
Asking an undiscipled Christian to think and live like a discipled Christian is like asking an illiterate person to read, a blind person to walk without knocking anything, or a sick person to run.
You see, people act in their own best interests and in accordance with their beliefs or worldview. When they don’t do what is right for them and God, it’s because they don’t know what they are doing. If they knew what’s good for them, they’d change their ways. That’s why Jesus asked the Father to forgive His killers because they didn’t know what they were doing. (Luke 23:34)
Ministers and leaders often expect their followers to demonstrate what they haven’t trained or modelled.
It’s like expecting my two-year-old daughter to feed herself without training her. I may raise my voice and even spank her, but because of her immaturity and lack of training, she won’t do it. Yet another parent with a child of the same age may feed herself flawlessly.
Therefore, a discipled Christian should be patient, compassionate, and gentle with undiscipled Christians. Like little children who need training to grow, the undiscipled Christian can be trained to maturity. (1 Thessalonians 2:7, Ephesians 4:2)
When we grow in the knowledge of who God is, who we are, why we’re here, and what results God expects at the end of our lives, I’m convinced our restlessness, anxiety, depression, and mental health issues would disappear. We’d score high on our emotional health scale. I believe God has given us everything we need for life and godliness. Do you believe that?
Let’s give you a little assignment. Ask your family members or close friends to grade you on a scale of 1-5 (1: Poor, 2: Fair, 3: Good, 4: Very Good, 5: Excellent) on how you measure up to the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23.
We pray that God will use the buffet of courses on this website to provide the needed discipleship for you, your family, friends, and fellow believers.
[1] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22434-colostrum. Accessed 24/11/25
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