Evangelism and Discipleship | 1 Timothy 4:6

“If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed.” (1 Timothy 4:6 NLT)

 

Somewhere along the line, we have separated evangelism from discipleship. But there is no such distinction in Scripture. The idea of the Great Commission is not just to pray with someone to receive Christ and then say, “See you later. God bless you.”

That would be like a mother who gives birth to her baby and then says, “God bless you, my child. It’s a rough world out there, but here’s a box of Pampers. Now get going.” A little baby needs to be nurtured and coddled and cared for and loved and taught. A new believer requires the same.

As believers, our objective, our vision, and our mission is to make fellow disciples. That means working to help new Christians get on their feet spiritually, acclimate to the church, and learn what it means to be a Christian. Only then are we truly fulfilling the Great Commission.

Look at the apostle Paul’s words to Timothy, a young spiritual leader: “If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed” (1 Timothy 4:6 NLT).

Timothy had been nurtured, physically and spiritually, by a godly mother and a godly grandmother. They had instilled in him a strong faith. And that’s what Paul wanted Timothy to do for others: nurture and instill a strong faith. That’s what all believers are called to do. You’ll notice in Paul’s words that this nurturing and instilling begins with three simple words: “Explain these things.”

The truths of Scripture aren’t always intuitive or self-evident because they call for us to resist our natural inclinations—the impulses of the person we used to be—and do things that seem completely out of character. Love your enemies? Forgive those who do you harm? Put other people’s needs before your own? Take up your cross? If you don’t have questions and concerns about the Christian life as a new believer, you’re not paying attention.

Believers who aren’t new to the faith can fulfill the Great Commission by addressing their questions and concerns. The apostle Peter said, “If someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it” (1 Peter 3:15 NLT).

We can make ourselves ready by studying God’s Word purposefully and faithfully, asking and answering our own tough questions, by spending quality time in prayer—talking and listening to our heavenly Father, deepening our relationship with Him—and by spending time in fellowship with other believers, sharing experiences, encouraging one another, and holding one another accountable.

Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend” (NLT). The more time we spend honing our own spiritual edges, the better prepared we’ll be to sharpen new believers into disciples.

Reflection Question: How can you equip yourself to mentor new believers? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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