Fight the good fight of the faith.
In the gospel of John chapter 8
Jesus said : “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Here's the truth:
The prodigal son had to come home and ask for forgiveness. Luke 15:11-31
Peter needed to go far, the hard way, from talking boldly about believing in Jesus, to loving and following Him with all his heart mind spirit and strength. John 21:16-25
Mary Magdalene had to push in and be wiling to pay any social price in order to enlighten the disciples about how The Lord had risen from the dead. John 20:18
Elijah had to go to the place called "there" to get right with God. 1 Kings 19:4
Moses had to spend a lifetime in the wilderness to learn God's will for his people. Exodus 2:11-15
Isaiah had seen God, experienced his almighty glory, he was marked for mission. That man marked by God, was sent to preach to people that ignored him. Isaiah 6:5
Paul had to be struck blind so that he could see that Jesus Christ is Lord and God. Acts 9
Matthew needed to be willing to give up everything in order to discover that the Messiah had come. Matthew 1:18-25
Stephen had to be willing to risk his helps/serving ministry, and his life, going beyond in order to speak the truth about the kingdom of God to the evil religious rulers. Acts 7
Jeremiah had to experience the potters house to finally understand how God molds, shapes, and remakes all his children's lives. Jeremiah 18:5-6
Thomas had to travel far and wide to give his life up to a spearhead while preaching the Gospel.
Job, a blameless and upright man in God's eyes, suffered great lost, everything important to him destroyed, and the Lord restored him. Job 42:12-17
Hosea learned about God's forgiveness, mercy, and restoration by marrying and remaining faithful to a prostitute.
John exiled, a prisoner on Patmos because he was preaching about Jesus and that He had been raised from the dead. Revelation 1:9-11
Timothy, beaten to death for preaching against the maddness of pagan idolatry and festivals, sexual immorality and murder prominent in his age.
Andrew crucified, James beheaded, Phillip hanged, Nathaniel flayed with knives, James, son of Alphaeus sawn into pieces, Thaddaeus stabbed with arrows, Simon the Zealot crucified, and Judas destroyed himself.
Joanna, Susanna; and many others spent their lives supporting Jesus' ministry out of their own means.
Amos learned about God's justice and righteousness when he preached an ethical relationship between God and man. Amos 5:24
And Satan (Lucifer) became filled with violence, profanity, and in his anger weakened the nations, teaching them to rebel against God. His sin was he deceived the whole world. He was thrown down from God's holy mountain, outcast, buried forever amid the fiery stones. Ezekiel 28:16
Final thoughts on discipleship:
Jesus said: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” John 13:34-35
Jesus said: “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” Matthew 6:33
Jesus said: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
"...earnestly seek him” Hebrews 11:6
"Do not become weary in doing good..." Galatians 6:9-10
"always strive to keep a conscience clear before God and man” Acts 24:16
"abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul” 1 Peter 2:11
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." Philippians 2:3-4
Conclusion:
True faith in Christ will always lead to a changed life. This is not to say an amazingly wonderful and fruitfully abundant life, as the world believes. This is obvious, made evident above. Faith involves real conviction of sin. Jesus never said "by mouthing words you will be saved". Faith is a changed heart, mind, and spirit. "Through faith" by grace we are saved. God prepared a way in advance for believers to follow after good works as an expression of their love of God and their appreciation for His divine grace.
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God had before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
Here's the simply truth, the followers of the gospel are maturing. As Jesus himself said you must abide in his word. Jesus prayed to The Father in John 17:4 "I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do." His work continues in us. That's it, he'll put you to work, and he'll welcome you home good and faithful servant.