Mentoring and Sanctification

I have explained in previous posts that I think it is helpful to see our Christian life as unfolding on three levels like a three story house. We have the story of our inner life. This level is the activity of our person. Included in this level is our devotional life, our intimacy with God, the practicing of the presence of God, and management of our heart. Discipleship as I teach it from the Sermon on the Mount addresses this level of our life.
Meekness, mercy, and purity of devotion to the Lord all really are activities of our spiritual life.

The second level is the level of our discipleship relationships. There are the few people who see our lives and that we expose ourselves to and who teach us the path to peace and help us manage the level one of our life.

The third level is the level of the community and the level in which we together live out our Missional vocation in the church. We are part of a unified community that is taking the “kerygma” to the world. We take the message of the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom to the world around us. This is our life as a people, as a Morally Beautiful people.

So of these three level which is the primary and most vital. Which level if you miss it means you really are going to be extremely hindered in doing the others?

Well, here is my experience. Level two is the most important. Here are the facts as I see it. You will never have the quality of life you desire without meeting with people and discussing your inner life with people and reminding one another about the meaning of the teachings of Jesus every day.

I have tried to disciple and teach people, but unless we apply the principles together EVERYDAY nothing really changes. I need meetings everyday. That is just the way it works. These meetings are the 2-3 gathered meetings. These daily meetings and open dialogues about your day and how we are implementing the Kingdom teachings of Jesus are the backbone of all sanctification. We are simply too forgetful and too dull to do it alone. There is simply no other way.

Daily we must worship together and share the teachings of the Lord if we to effectively be a witnessing people to others and walk in the kingdom. This is just the way it is.

You may not know what you are doing and you may not know a mentor. Do not worry!! The spirit will help you. Learn the teachings of Jesus. Talk to your friends and your pastors. Meet and call people up every day. I am mentored by people who may not actually have done this stuff as long as I have or who are as far down the road but that is not the real point of discipleship. The point is to keep it real and have a relationship where someone else encourages you into meekness, mercy, purity and worship. Discipleship relationships - there is just no other way to practice the presence of God on a daily basis. Discipleship relationships are the path to sanctification.