Discipleship

“Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.”

3 Nephi 5:13

These are the words of the ancient prophet, Mormon, as he recorded his witness of the resurrected Savior. His words have become a clarion call for many modern day disciples as we too declare, “I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God!”

As I ponder why I choose to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, I feel it boils down to one defining characteristic of Jesus—His love. After all, Jesus is the one who taught us the Golden Rule:

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”

Matthew 7:12

Treat others how you want to be treated. Be kind. Be generous. Be gentle and loving. Treat others fairly. Have respect, and lift others up. Can you imagine what a beautiful place the world would become if we could all live by that one single, simple rule?

According to the Savior Himself, this kind of love is the hallmark of discipleship. His words to His disciples 2,000 years ago still stand true for us today.

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

John 13:34-35

Of course I’m imperfect—we all are—but when I declare that I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, this is what I mean: that my ultimate goal is to spread the kind of love and goodness that Jesus Christ commanded us to give.

Thoughts about Jesus Christ—our Advocate, our Savior, and our Friend.

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Questions To Ponder On

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?

To be a disciple of Jesus Christ means choosing to follow Him by striving become like Him, including trying to reflect His defining characteristic—His love. Though we are imperfect, our ultimate goal as His disciples is to spread the kind of love and goodness that He commanded us to give: to treat others as we would want to be treated, to be kind, generous, gentle, respectful, and uplifting. As Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

Why is love considered the defining characteristic of Jesus Christ’s disciples?

Jesus said “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” He also taught us the Golden Rule: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” Treating others with kindness, generosity, fairness, and respect reflects the love Jesus showed. This kind of love is the hallmark of discipleship.

How can being a disciple of Jesus Christ impact the world?

When I declare that I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, this is what I mean: that my ultimate goal is to spread the kind of love and goodness that Jesus Christ commanded us to give. I am by no means perfect. No one is. But as we strive to love one another as Jesus commanded, we can make the world a better place.

How can imperfect people still strive to be true disciples of Jesus Christ?

No one other than Jesus is perfect, but we can try our best. Treat others how you want to be treated. Be kind. Be generous. Be gentle and loving. Treat others fairly. Have respect, and lift others up. And where we fall short, we can trust in Jesus’s power and mercy to make up the rest.