Discipleship is a little bit complicated. 

 I am excited to announce the release of my newest book, The 21 Laws of Discipleship. It is currently available on Amazon. 

The genesis of this book was an observation from Romans 12.2:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2 (NIV)

We don’t live the Christian life by trying hard to be good. We live the Christian life by being transformed. The word is metamorphosis and pictures a caterpillar transforming from a little worm-like creature to a chrysalis to a butterfly. A Monarch Butterfly doesn’t get from Canada to Mexico by trying really hard. It gets there by being transformed. 

We are transformed by the renewing of our minds. We have to change our stinkin thinkin. There it is. We live the Chrisitan life by being transformed. We are transformed by the renewing of our minds. 

Full stop.

Until I studied some more. This same word is used in 2 Corinthians 3.18 where it says that we are transformed by beholding Him:

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV) And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. 

We become what we behold. We become like what we most admire. We become like what we worship. 

Then I asked the question, “What else does the Bible say about being transformed?” (Always a good idea to ask the question, “What else does the Bible say?” The Bible is an excellent commentary on the Bible.) It turns out, it says a lot! Here is a list, which will form the outline for this study:

1. Transformed by the renewing of your mind.
2. Transformed by training.
3. Transformed by worship.
4. Transformed in community.
5. Transformed by habit.
6. Transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
7. Transformed by imitating a godly example.
8. Transformed by trying really hard. (Yes, discipleship does include trying really, really hard.)
9. Transformed by faith.
10. Transformed by speaking the truth. We are changed more by what we say than by what we hear.
11. Transformed by pain.
12. Transformed by the gospel.
13. Transformed by service.
14. Transformed by finding and using the way of escape.
15. Transformed by going all-in.
16. Transformed by time.
17. Transformed by prayer.
18. Transformed by understanding and using the principle of replacement.
19. Transformed by confessing sin.
20. Transformed by living life in the kingdom.
21. Transformed by sovereign grace.

It turns out, discipleship is a little bit complicated.