Disciple Reflections - Monday English Class > 제자학교

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Reading Disciple by Juan Carlos Ortiz truly convicted and rebuked me about what it means to be a true disciple of Christ. While our identity as a child of God is sealed when we come to know and accept His saving grace, a life of a true disciple must bear the fruit that reflect Christ. While many of the points are something we may have known as someone who has been a Christian for many years, it’s always a challenge and a daily surrender to truly walk with Him.
Disciple strongly emphasizes the cost of discipleship. The idea is woven throughout the book: following Jesus requires total commitment, surrender, and real sacrifice.

Ortiz makes it clear that becoming a disciple is not just about gaining something (like salvation or blessings), but also about giving things up. He challenges the common tendency to present Christianity as easy or purely beneficial. Instead, he stresses that calling Jesus “Lord” actually means giving Him authority over every area of life—time, decisions, relationships, goals, and personal desires. That’s where the “cost” comes in.

One major aspect of this cost is losing control. Ortiz points out that many people want Jesus as Savior but hesitate to fully submit to Him as Lord. True discipleship means letting go of independence and choosing obedience, even when it’s uncomfortable or doesn’t align with personal plans. This can feel costly because it requires trust and humility.This made me reflect on areas of my life I haven’t fully given to God yet.

Another cost he highlights is sacrifice in relationships and daily living. Loving others, serving them, and being part of a real Christian community all demand time, energy, and emotional investment. It may mean forgiving people when it’s hard, being patient when it’s inconvenient, or prioritizing others over yourself. Ortiz shows that discipleship is not lived in isolation—it affects how you treat people every day.

Lastly, the emphasis on love stood out to me in a very practical way. It’s easy to say I believe in loving others, but actually doing it consistently—especially when it’s inconvenient—is much harder. Ortiz reminded me that love is not optional in discipleship; it’s essential. That made me think about how I treat people in my daily life and where I can do better.

Juan Carlos Ortiz treats love as the core evidence of true discipleship, not just an added virtue. In Disciple, loving others isn’t presented as a feeling or a vague ideal—it’s a concrete, daily commitment that reflects whether someone is actually following Jesus. Ortiz emphasizes that many believers are comfortable with knowledge, church involvement, or even moral behavior, but love is the real test. If love is absent, then discipleship is incomplete.Love must be active and sacrificial. It’s not enough to say we care about people or feel compassion toward them. It should show through serving others, being patient, forgiving, and putting others’ needs before our own. This kind of love is difficult because it requires giving up comfort, time, and sometimes pride.
He also stresses that love within the Christian community is essential.  Ortiz makes it clear that it’s easy to love those who are kind, similar to us, or easy to get along with. However, the real test of discipleship is loving people who are frustrating, different, or even hurtful. This kind of love requires humility and forgiveness, which can be uncomfortable and countercultural. It forces believers to confront their own selfishness and biases.

Overall, Ortiz’s teaching on love pushed me to truely examine my heart. As a recipient of the greatest saving love and grace, I have no reason to not reflect this one of love to others. During this season of lent, i pray that I may truly be saturated in Christ’s sacrificial love for me and can honestly confess that I would like to carry the cross with Him, loving as He did.