The Distillery Church

Transformation and Discipleship

16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. (Matt 7:16-18)

According to Dallas Willard, a noted writer, professor and theologian, one of the worst things to happen to the modern Christian church is it’s tendency towards Beliefism. At some point following Jesus became more about what one believes instead of what one does. So long as you say the right things, and believe the right things, you are “in.”

Nothing more is really required of a “Believer.” However, the Bible is full of references to “Discipleship.” Discipleship is more than merely believing the right things about God. It is about trying to become like Jesus. Learning, growing, experiencing, and ultimately journeying with God in the process of transformation.

Transformation is really just a big word that means “change.” The kind of transformation that occurs when one chooses to truly follow Jesus in discipleship is one from within. We have grown to understand that when we invite God into our lives, he in a sense takes up residency within us.

In other words, his essence actually moves into our essence and comingles with all that is us. The result of this is that through partnership with God, we begin to change for the better. We begin to do things like Jesus would. He slowly begins to turn us into the kind of people that truly love others, care for others, and seek justice and peace.

In the book of Matthew, Jesus talks about the kind of tree that bears “good” fruit. Transformation is about becoming that tree through a focused and determined walk with Jesus. It’s not about “Doing” good stuff all the time so we can look like a good tree. It’s about being the good tree and becoming like Jesus. When that begins to happen, the fruit comes naturally.