Victorious Life Church

Built on God’s Word: Discipline, Discipleship, and Agape Love

This is a word from the archives by RMI Founder Dr. Marino aka Pastor Tom. It still rings true today.

I am sharing his words in full because this is not something to skim past. It deserves to be read, weighed, and applied.

Pastor Tom wrote:

I’ve heard it said that when discipline leaves a Church, Christ leaves with it. Is that a radical statement, or may there be a foundation of Truth within? We are called to be Disciples of Christ. The definition of “Disciple” is simply one who adheres to a specified discipline of learning or doctrine. Jesus stated that we ‘cannot’ be His disciples unless we first Love Him more than the world (including our own family), AND take up a cross and follow Him. He went to Calvary. He died. He gave up the entirety of His earthly flesh, in order that we might be free from sin, His Blood paying the price for our redemption. In like manner, a “Disciple” of Christ will give up their flesh (their fleshly nature…their life) in order to serve Christ in the way that He served us…. Not as an answer to others sins (only Christ could perform this), rather to be in service to others, as Christ gave Himself for us. We “sacrifice” ourselves for Christ, giving of ourselves and our life to help, to serve, and to edify OTHERS above our own selves. THIS is the definition of “Love” (Agape) in the Biblical context….It is the self-sacrificing nature (Love) of God, that He imparts to His true Disciples upon Salvation. It is literally God IN us….We become His Temple, His abode, His Dwelling Place….. His Church. HOWEVER, there are false “converts” as well as the True.

An English teacher will present proper grammar, punctuation and syntax in order that the pupil will learn the language correctly. That teacher must also correct error, thereby maintaining the discipline of the language. No good teacher will avoid correcting error. To do so would make them a “false” teacher in that they will have allowed pollution or degrading of the Truth of that discipline. When the majority of school kids graduate at a 6th Grade reading and writing level, where would you suppose the problem lies?

In like fashion, a Bible Teacher and/or Pastor MUST maintain a proper discipline within the Church. The doctrines of Christ MUST be taught as written by the Apostles and Prophets, and the instructions contained within the New Testament context MUST be adhered to, lest the Church be filled with undisciplined disciples….that’s an obvious misnomer, right? If you’re undisciplined, you’re NOT a disciple. A disciple of Christ ADHERES to the teachings and commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ, sacrificing of his/her self for the good of OTHERS, for the good of the Church and for the good of the Gospel of Christ. That’s what Christ has done for us, and we are to FOLLOW if we are His Disciple.

So what about those who do NOT adhere to Christ’s teachings and/or commands, yet say unto Him “Lord!, Lord!” ? To a Bible student, the answer should be obvious, yet we’ll give it a quick review. In John 13:35, Jesus actually defines what His disciple IS….. “By this, all will know that you are my disciples, if you have Love for one another”. There’s that word again….. Agape…..Love……Self-Sacrifice. Keeps popping up, doesn’t it? Do you wonder why? Because God IS LOVE (Agape) 1 John 4:8 says, “He who does not Love, does not know God, for God is Love.” Quite plainly stated, if you do NOT walk in the Love of God toward others, you do NOT KNOW GOD. Translation: You are NOT saved. You are NOT clothed with salvation. You are not His child. If you cannot forgive others, if you refuse to be disciplined and obey Christ’s commands, if you walk and act according to your SELF (flesh…sinful nature) and reject the Lord’s discipline and correction, then you do NOT belong to Him. Those that He Loves, He also chastens (disciplines…corrects…rebukes)…. Revelation 3:19; “As many as I Love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous, and repent”. A very clear statement of what it means to be a child of God.

To wrap this up, the vast majority of “Churches” no longer teach or preach what I’ve just written. They believe it’s terribly judgmental, unfair and unloving to be so blunt or forceful, so they simply remove all of these Scriptures from their doctrines, OR they will use them out of their context and literally REDEFINE the word “Love” into a post-modern, progressive and inclusive term that has NOTHING at all to do with the God of the Bible. God’s Love is NOT all inclusive, it is rather EXclusive….. Those who reject His commands and/or who twist and distort the Scriptures are EXCLUDED from the promise of Salvation. Jesus is the Way (the Way of the Cross…you MUST FOLLOW Him), He is the Truth (there is NO darkness, no distortion, no evil or deception in Him and His Word), and He is the Life (Temporal AND Eternal….Life more abundantly on Earth, ie, Godliness with contentment, and Life Everlasting in His Kingdom to come). You cannot be His disciple if you choose the way of disobedience, rejection of Scriptural teaching, and failure to Love others as Christ has loved you. Read Galatians the 5th Chapter, and weigh yourself in the balance. ALL of us must do the same if we are to be His Disciples. Repentance and Forgiveness of sin is the Gospel. LIVE it. Amen?

Amen, Pastor Tom. Amen.

When you wrote, “Jesus stated that we cannot be His disciples unless we first love Him more than the world, including our own family, and take up a cross and follow Him,” all I can say is AMEN.

When you wrote that we sacrifice ourselves for Christ by giving of ourselves to help, serve, and edify others above ourselves, and that this is the biblical meaning of agape love, I say PRAISE THE LORD. That is the love of God working in us. It is not just words. It is not just emotion. It is God dwelling in His people. We are His temple, His dwelling place, His Church.

And when you pointed to John 13:35, where Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another,” it brings the whole message into focus. True discipleship is not separated from love, and true love is not separated from obedience, discipline, correction, forgiveness, and sacrifice.

I would also add Galatians 6:7–9, King James Version:

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

That passage fits this word so strongly. We cannot sow to the flesh and expect to reap the fruit of the Spirit. We cannot reject discipline and still call ourselves disciples. We cannot be hearers only. We must be doers of the Word.

Hebrews 12:1–3 also reminds us to lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles us, and to run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus. He endured the cross. He despised the shame. He sat down at the right hand of God. If we are His disciples, we must follow Him.

And 2 Peter 1:3–11 reminds us that His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life. We are called to add to our faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. If these things are increasing in us, we will not be ineffective or unproductive in our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. But if these things are absent, Scripture says we are nearsighted and blind, forgetting that we have been cleansed from our past sins.

Thank you, Pastor Tom, for reminding us what RMI was built upon: God’s Word.

No matter how long it is, no matter how inconvenient it may be to read, every letter, every passage, and every application of Scripture matters.

Repentance and forgiveness of sin is the Gospel.

Live it.

Amen.

Pastor Donnie Semple