Date
8-6-2025
Department
Rawlings School of Divinity
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Bible Exposition (PhD)
Chair
Jordan P. Ballard
Keywords
Disciple, Discipleship, Great Commission, Authentic Faith, Spirit-Formed Identity
Disciplines
Religion | Rhetoric and Composition
Recommended Citation
Sandel, Jessika S., "Authentic Disciples of Christ: An Exegetical Analysis of Jesus’s Expectations of His Disciples’ Behaviors" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7298.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7298
Abstract
The fulfillment of the Great Commission demands that the Church possess a clear and objective understanding of what constitutes a disciple. Because the New Testament does not present a specific definition of a disciple, local churches adopt culturally-shaped paradigms—conversion-only evangelism, curriculum-driven frameworks, or programmatic models—that fragment the biblical vision and conflate orthodoxy and orthopraxy. This study addresses this tension by articulating a biblically-formed composition of a disciple, arguing that authentic disciples do not merely confess belief but are Spirit-formed witnesses to Christ’s redemption, reflecting his identity through enduring faith marked by love, obedience, perseverance, and gospel proclamation. Motivated by theological and ecclesial ambiguity surrounding the terms “disciple” and “discipleship,” this study offers a canonical synthesis—spanning the New Testament—to construct a cohesive portrait of an authentic disciple. Through exegetical analysis and theological integration, each biblical author contributes to the behavioral-based composition shaped by union with Christ and sustained by the Spirit. This study equips the Church with a biblical understanding of a disciple, enabling local churches to refocus disciple-making efforts around strengthening Spirit-formed identities rather than cultivating cognitive assenters. The central argument asserts that authentic disciples embody a Spirit-formed identity—not defined by momentary confessions or institutional programs, but by visible transformation that advances God’s redemptive mission. Their lives bear witness to Christ’s lordship through holiness, wholehearted devotion, enduring hope, and gospel proclamation. By weaving together theological motifs, this study affirms that the Church must reclaim its biblical calling to cultivate disciples who reflect Christ’s image, proclaim his truth, and persevere in his mission.
