Jesus didn’t call people to simply believe in Him, but to follow Him. Many believers know the language of faith, attend church regularly, and affirm sound doctrine, yet still wonder whether they are truly living as Christ’s disciples. In this episode, Pastor Jeff Cranston and Tiffany examine three marks of true discipleship: remaining in God’s Word, bearing spiritual fruit, and loving others as Christ loves. This thoughtful conversation challenges listeners to consider not just what they believe, but how they live as followers of Jesus. What We Discussed: 02:30 Following Jesus Is More Than Intellectual Agreement Jesus’ call to “follow Me” is examined as a call to obedience and transformation, not just believing the right doctrine. 03:15 #1 - Abiding in God’s Word True disciples remain in Christ’s Word. Abiding means staying, dwelling, and allowing Scripture to shape decisions, priorities, and worldview. 07:05 Bearing Spiritual Fruit as Evidence of a Living Faith True disciples bear fruit over time. Spiritual fruit shows up in character, patience, humility, love, and meaningful impact on others, not in curated appearances or spiritual performance. 09:30 Fruit Grows Through Faithfulness, Not Speed Discipleship is described as a slow, faithful process. Jesus never calls for instant fruit. 11:10 Loving as Jesus Loves Jesus identifies love as the clearest mark of discipleship. This love goes beyond affection and includes sacrifice, commitment, and concern for others. 12:40 Love Our Enemies The episode addresses the hard call to love enemies, even those who oppose the gospel or disrupt the church, grounding this command in Jesus’ teaching from Matthew 5:44. 14:20 Love is Action, Not Feeling Biblical love is an action and commitment rather than emotion. True love shows itself through sacrifice, concern, and obedience empowered by the Holy Spirit. 16:00 Why Love Is the Visible Badge of Discipleship While sound doctrine matters deeply, love is the evidence of discipleship the unbelieving world recognizes most clearly. 18:45 Direction, Not Perfection The episode closes with a call to honest self-examination, reminding listeners that discipleship is about direction, not perfection, and that Jesus always meets His followers where they are. “ Discipleship isn't about hustle. It's about faithfulness.” – Pastor Jeff Cranston 👉 Visit Pastor Jeff Cranston on Amazon or his website to explore his books and booklets written to support believers in their walk with Christ. We love your feedback! If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review. If you have any questions or comments on today's episode, email me at pastorjeff@lowcountrycc.org Visit my website https://www.jeffcranston.com and subscribe to my newsletter. Join me on Sunday mornings at LowCountry Community Church. Check in with us on Facebook or Instagram @pastorjeffcranston Remember, the real power of theology is not only knowing it but applying it. Thanks for listening!
