What binds all disciples together? What are the common values of a disciple?
I have been reading about the Army’s Warrior Ethos and have been thinking about a Disciple Ethos. The Army describes the Warrior Ethos as…
“a set of principles by which every Soldier lives. In a broader sense, the Warrior Ethos is a way of life that applies to our personal and professional lives as well. They define who we are and who we aspire to become.” – Army.mil website
The seven character qualities are also a set of values or principles that Jesus said must be part of every disciple. He uses phrases such as, “then you are truly disciples of mine”, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must”, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples.” On the contrary, Jesus warns us of the outcomes of not following these principles with phrases such as, “none of you can be My disciple who does not”, “he cannot be My disciple”, “is not worthy of Me.”
The Army describes the Warrior Ethos as a way of life.
The Warrior Ethos “- is a set of principles by which every Soldier lives. In a broader sense, the Warrior Ethos is a way of life that applies to our personal and professional lives as well. It makes us better people in general – better husbands; better wives; better sons and daughters; better brothers and sisters.” – Army.mil website
Here is the Warrior Ethos…
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade behind.
The Disciple Ethos is also a way of life. It permeates not just one areas of our lives, but every area. It describes who we are that then permeates all that we do. Our relationship with Christ is not just first priority of many, it is first in every other relationship and responsibility. It determines who we are in other relationships. Our goal is to become Christ-like. To be a disciple is to be a person in process who is continually learning about Christ and obeying Him so that we become more and more like Him. Therefore, we become like him in our relationships as husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, friends, warriors, etc… So what might a Disciple Ethos look like if we live by the seven character qualities of a disciple?
I will love Christ supremely and forever. (CQ 1)
I will commit to knowing and obeying Christ. (CQ 2)
I will submit to following Christ through self-sacrifice. (CQ 3,4,5)
I will recognize that all my possessions belong to God. (CQ 6)
I will love others as Christ has loved me. (CQ 7)
I have combined CQ 3, 4, and 5 into the single phrase, “I will submit to Christ through self-sacrifice.” The three CQs are a logical progression that goes together.
This is a first stab at thinking through a Disciple Ethos. It is important to take the qualities of a disciple and think through how we can make them part of who we really are. God desires to change who we are through the work of Christ. Who are you? Do you have a Disciple Ethos?
Father in heaven, form in me the Ethos of Jesus.
