When someone “followed Jesus” as we read in the pages of the New Testament, what did that actually mean? How could you tell the curious on-lookers from the inner circle? How can you tell the difference in those two groups today? We find the answer in the inside out life.

To begin to understand biblical and authentic Christianity, we need to understand who a disciple is.

The word “disciple” is derived from the Greek word “mathetes,” referring to any student, pupil, or apprentice. The word was also associated with devoted followers of a religious leader or teacher. This translated into English from the Latin “discipulus” meaning a learner, while the more common English word is “student.”

The concept of an apprentice is a great way to understand being a disciple in the Western culture. An apprentice is someone who spends time with the master with the goal of becoming like the master to eventually be able to do what the master does.

In Eastern cultures, this concept is better understood as guru and sishiya. The disciple (sishiya) lived with the guru, learned from him, became like him, and behaved like him. One of the core responsibilities of a disciple was to stay in close proximity to, spend time with, and be involved in communion and fellowship with the guru. The sishiya left his or her home to live with the guru to become like him.

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you” (John 14:14-20 NIV).

The context of this passage is just before Jesus was arrested and was coming to the end of the time with His disciples. Obviously they are concerned when He begins to talk about leaving them. So He tells them they will continue to “be with him,” because He will move from being among them to actually being in them.

So, based on this New Testament paradigm, a disciple is one in whom Jesus lives. This is not a poetic metaphor, but an actual consequence of belief. This is a lifestyle that describes a true disciple. A disciple of Jesus will “see Him,” “live with Him,” and “be in Him.”

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me” (Revelation 3:20 NIV).

The game changer in Christianity is Jesus and His followers being together. God is now alive in man as an experiential reality—God and man in spiritual communion of intimacy. A disciple of Jesus is “in Him” 24/7. Experiencing God in man. This is Crossruption. This is Christianity.