The English words disciple and discipline are linguistically related terms, revealing an important connection between the two concepts.[1] A disciple refers to one who is devoted to learning from another, with a commitment to practice their teachings and example. On the other hand, discipline involves the process of mastering what has been learned, with the goal of internalizing the teachings to the point where they shape character and behavior. Ryrie says a disciple is “A follower of a teacher and his teachings,” and discipline is the “training that molds the believer toward Christlikeness.”[2]
Salvation is a free gift, received by faith alone in Christ alone (John 3:16; Rom 6:23; Acts 4:12), and requires no works or payment on our part (Rom 3:28; 4:5; Eph 2:8-9; Gal 2:16). However, our lives as disciples demand sacrifice and a lifelong commitment to spiritual growth and obedience to God (Matt 16:24; 28:19-20; Luke 14:26-33; Rom 12:1-2; Jam 4:7). After we are born again (1 Pet 1:23) and brought into the family of God (John 1:12; Gal 3:26), we are directed to learn and live God’s Word (2 Tim 2:15; 1 Pet 2:2), walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38), produce good works (Gal 6:10; Eph 2:10), love one another (1 Th 4:9), serve one another (Gal 5:13), and advance to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1). This is the lifelong journey of discipleship.
The word disciple translates the Greek noun mathetes (μαθητής), which refers to “one who engages in learning through instruction from another, pupil, apprentice…one who is constantly associated with someone who has a pedagogical reputation or a particular set of views, disciple, adherent.”[3] In the Christian context, a disciple is someone who learns from the Lord (Matt 11:29; John 13:15; Phil 2:5-12), is committed to following Him (Matt 16:24; 28:19-20; Luke 14:26-33), and continues as an obedient-to-the-Word believer (John 14:15, 21; Jam 1:22; 1 John 5:3).
Discipleship requires dedication and self-sacrifice. Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matt 16:24), and “Whoever does not carry their own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27). The cross symbolizes self-denial and total commitment to God’s will. When Jesus commands us to deny ourselves and take up our cross, He calls us to surrender our personal desires, ambitions, and even our very lives to follow Him. Jesus’ own cross represented His ultimate obedience to the Father, leading to His sacrificial death for our salvation (Mark 10:45; John 12:32-33; 1 Cor 15:3-4). The cross was both an instrument of suffering and the means by which He accomplished God’s plan of salvation for everyone.
For us, taking up the cross means adopting the same attitude of submission to God and His will. While most of us may not face martyrdom or extreme persecution, discipleship involves a willingness to surrender everything to God, regardless of the cost. This commitment stems from a gratitude for God and a desire to live according to His purposes, even when it requires sacrifice. Jesus’ call to carry the cross is not just about enduring hardship but about aligning our lives with God’s will, even if it means facing suffering, loss, or opposition. This mindset reflects hearts that are fully devoted to the Lord, willing to die to self in order to live for Him.
For some of us, this may involve literal persecution or martyrdom, but for many, it means living with integrity, enduring challenges, and consistently choosing God’s way over worldly temptations and self-interest. Such a radical and lifelong commitment requires each of us to “calculate the cost” of following Jesus (Luke 14:28). To be a devoted disciple of the Lord means surrendering our lives to God. This is never accomplished in the energy of the flesh, but by the filling of the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18), and walking by means of the Spirit (Gal 5:16).
Divine Discipline and Self-Discipline
Discipline, in the Bible, is twofold: God disciplines us as His children, and we are to be self-disciplined. God’s discipline is His ongoing correction and training that results in His people living righteous lives that conform to His character and will. The key OT terms for discipline are the verb yasar (יָסַר) and the noun musar (מוּסָר). Yasar means “to instruct…to chastise, rebuke…to teach, bring up.”[4] And musar refers “to discipline, as chastisement…discipline that leads to wisdom…training.”[5] In the NT we observe the Greek verb paideuō (παιδεύω) and the noun paideia (παιδεία). Paideuō means “to provide instruction for informed and responsible living, educate…to assist in the development of a person’s ability to make appropriate choices, practice discipline.”[6] And paideia refers to “the act of providing guidance for responsible living, upbringing, training, instruction, chiefly as it is attained by discipline, correction.”[7] In the Septuagint, paideuō is used as a synonym for yasar, and paideia as a synonym for musar.
The Bible contrasts the wicked and foolish, who hate discipline, with the wise, who love it. The wicked are described as those who “hate discipline” (Psa 50:16-17). The fool admits, “How I hated discipline, and how my heart despised correction” (Prov 5:12). Proverbs also states that “whoever hates correction is stupid” (Prov 12:1b) and “he who neglects discipline despises himself” (Prov 15:32a). In contrast, the wise understand that “reproofs for discipline are the way of life” (Prov 6:23), and that “whoever loves discipline loves knowledge” (Prov 12:1a). Therefore, it is advised to “listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days” (Prov 19:20).
God trains us through His Word (2 Tim 3:16-17), and through painful circumstances that He controls (Heb 12:5-11). His discipline is always “for our good, so that we may share His holiness” (Heb 12:10), and when we have responded properly to the Lord’s training, “afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Heb 12:11). Ryrie provides several reasons why God’s people receive His discipline, saying, “Discipline is a part of the total educational process by which a believer is fitted to share God’s holiness (Heb 12:10). Discipline is a proof of a genuine love relationship between our heavenly Father and us (Heb 12:6, 8). Discipline helps train us to be obedient (Heb 12:9). Discipline produces the fruit of righteousness in our lives (Heb 12:11).”[8]
God trains us to be self-disciplined, teaching us to exercise “self-control” (1 Cor 9:25-27; Gal 5:22-23) and to be fully committed to learning His Word, which is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16). Self-discipline is shown in the daily application of God’s Word to all aspects of our lives (whether in marriage, family, work, education, or finances). It requires focus, effort, dedication of time and resources, and the ability to resist distractions that pull us away from our walk with the Lord. As we mature, we are marked by a disciplined life of Bible study (2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2) and biblical meditation that recalibrates our minds to think with divine viewpoint (Psa 1:2; Rom 12:1-2), constantly being “nourished on the words of the faith and of sound doctrine” (1 Tim 4:6). In our advance to maturity, we directed to “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7; cf. Heb 10:38), to be “doers of the word, and not merely hearers” (Jam 1:22), to “rejoice always” (1 Th 5:16), to “pray without ceasing” (1 Th 5:17), and to pursue “goodness and righteousness and truth, trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph 5:9-10). These are just a few things that characterize mature believers who practice biblical self-discipline. Ultimately, God’s purpose in this discipline is to shape us into the likeness of Christ, “to become conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom 8:29). Our journey of discipleship involves growing in Christ, and discipline is the ongoing process that guides and sustains that journey.
In conclusion, the relationship between discipleship and discipline in the Christian life is essential. As disciples, we are called to learn from the Lord, and faithfully study and live His Word. Discipline, both from God and self-imposed, is part of the refining process that molds us into Christlikeness, training us in righteousness and equipping us to live lives that reflect His holiness. Humble believers embrace discipline as a means to grow in wisdom and maturity, understanding that through correction and obedience, we experience the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Ultimately, both discipleship and discipline are fundamental to a believer’s walk, leading to a life that glorifies God and aligns with His will.
Dr. Steven R. Cook
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[1] The word disciple comes from the Latin discipulus, meaning “learner” or “pupil,” which is derived from discere, “to learn.”
[2] Charles C. Ryrie, So Great Salvation: What It Means to Believe in Jesus Christ (Chicago: Moody Press, 1997), 144.
[3] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 609.
[4] Ludwig Koehler et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000), 418-419.
[5] Ibid., 557.
[6] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 749.
[7] Ibid., 748.
[8] Charles C. Ryrie, So Great Salvation: What It Means to Believe in Jesus Christ, 140.
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