Introduction
All blessings and all healings are only by-product of your eight- dimensional intimate relationship with Jesus. This eight-Dimensional Relationship with Jesus will solve almost all your problems. Are you going through some crisis today or are you submerging? Still there is hope! Be with Jesus and try to develop eight- dimensional relationship with Jesus. This will help you to solve almost all your problems. The Disciples of Christ for the first time are called Christians when they are in Antioch (Acts 11:26). Therefore, all Christians are supposed to be disciples of Jesus. They should have eight-dimensional relationship with their master. What are these 8 dimensions and what are the qualities and requirements of a true Disciple of Christ? Following are some of them. What are the elements of eight-dimensional relationship, what are the good qualities of the disciples i.e., Christians? Let me go through the Bible and the magisterial teaching of the Church to understand the eight- dimensions, qualities and requirements of the Disciples of Christ. I have identified ten qualities and requirements of the disciples from the Bible and the magisterial teaching of the church such as: disciples must be with Christ in His glory (Mt. 17:1), they must be with Him in his suffering (Mt. 26:37), they are carrying the cross of Jesus (Mk. 15:21), they should proclaim the good news (Lk. 10:1), they must love and serve the church (Rom. 16:12; Mt. 25:34-45), they are supposed to pray more than others do (1Cor. 14:18), they must remain in the Word (Jn. 8:31) , they must practice the new commandment of Love (Jn. 13:34-35) and finally they must witness Christ where ever they are, because Jesus said you are my witnesses (Acts 1:8).
What are the elements of eight-dimensional relationship?
Following are the eight-dimensional relationship with Jesus Christ:
Followers- Mt. 4: 23-25
Disciples – Lk. 10:1
Apostles- Mt 10.1-2 and Mk. 3:13-14
Friends and Brothers and sisters - Jn. 15:16 + Jn. 20:17
Co-workers of Jesus - 1 Cor. 3:9
Ambassadors of the Jesus Kingdom - 2 Cor. 5:20
Substitutes of Christ- Gal. 2:20
Vine and branches, shepherd and sheep, bridegroom and bride like relationship - Jn. 15:5, 10:16, 2 Cor.11:2. This the culmination of this eight-dimensional relationship
Please try to develop an eight-dimensional relationship with Jesus through personal prayers, common prayers and special prayers without ignoring 5 sets of home work and 14 constituent elements of spiritual life as it is described in Logos Prayer book “Infilling of the Holy Spirit” pp 97-112 (Click link to download the prayer book)
What are the good qualities of the disciples i.e., Christians?
Disciples must be with Christ in His glory (Mt. 17:1)
“And after six days Jesus took with Him Peter and James, John and his brother and led them up a high mountain by themselves” (Mt. 17:1). Jesus took these three disciples to mount Tabor where he was transfigured. Some people ignore Jesus and the Church when they are doing well or extremely rich because they do not have sufficient time to be with Him. But they are busy with picnics, resorts, business, internet, whatsapp, mobile, entertainments, personal parties and programmes. That’s a tragedy. If we ask Jesus to go out of our life and wellness, that will be culminated in a big tragedy such as Titanic incident. The recent shoot-outs in schools, terrorist attacks, 9/11 tragedy in New York etc are a sign that people have already cast out Jesus form the schools and institutions, prosperous life etc under the banner of secularism, new age movements and materialism. But all the disciples are called to be with Jesus in their prosperity and glorious moments of life.
Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayso asked her "How God could let something like this happen?" (regarding the attacks on Sept. 11). Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentle person He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone….I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."
They must be with Him in his suffering (Mt. 26:37)
“And taking Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and troubled”( Mt. 26:37). These three disciples went around with Jesus to Gethsemane and tried to participate in His hours of suffering. When we are in deep sorrows and all negatives happened we have no right to blame God, ‘why this happened to me?’ In the days of tragedies and maladies we have to be with Jesus then He will turn it for our favour (CCC 312 and Rom. 8:28). But some people become atheist or agnostics when they are going through the negative phase of their life. Church says “… God is no way directly or indirectly the cause of our sufferings or pain….” (CCCc 57).
They are carrying the cross of Jesus (Mk. 15:21).
“And they compelled a passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus to carry his cross” (Mk. 15:21). This man was compelled by the Roman soldiers to carry the cross of Jesus. As tradition says Alexander, his son, became governor of the Roman Empire and Rufus became a bishop. When we carry the cross of Jesus we get blessings even for our future generations. This Simon had a field near Jerusalem; he was just coming from his work and was compelled to carry the Cross. That was a blessing in disguise. So all the disciples of Jesus when they carry the Cross, they are being blessed in their present and the future generations. This man might have helped Jesus to carry the Cross only some two hundred or three hundred meters because the total length of the passion journey was approximately thousand two hundred meters only. What does it mean that deny yourself and carry the cross? (Mt.16:24). CCC 618 gives the answer thus Mother Mary is the example of carrying the cross. That means the cooperation that she extended to Jesus’ redemptive work is known as carrying the cross. Not the sickness or poverty or deprivations in her life. We deny ourselves and carry the cross, when we do the work of evangelization for the redemption of souls.
They should proclaim the good news (Lk. 10:1)
“After this the Lord appointed seventy two others and sent them all ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go” (Lk. 10:1). Moses also trained seventy people for assisting his ministry (Num. 11:24-29). All the disciples of Jesus are intended to proclaim the good news – “Go into the entire world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mk. 16:15).
They must love and serve the church (Rom. 16:12; Mt. 25:34-45)
“Greet Mary, who has worked hard for me” (Rom. 16:6) and the church. This Mary was working in Roman Church with all her abilities. Therefore St. Paul says that she must be honored. Jesus said in Mathew’s gospel, “Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” Mt. 25:40. Therefore all the disciples are called to serve the Church and others.
They must pray more than others do (1Cor. 14:18)
“I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you” (1Cor. 14:18). And also Paul said I worked more than others did. All the disciples of Jesus are intended to pray more and do more works than others do. St. Paul did more work than others did because he prayed more than others prayed.
They must remain in the Word (Jn. 8:31)
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in Him, …abide in me… bear much fruits then whatever you ask will be provided (Jn. 15:7-9). “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples” (Jn. 8:31). Therefore, all the disciples must learn the scripture thoroughly and practice it. Let everyone, be the doers of the word of God. Then we will be successful in all matters concerned.
They must practice the new commandment of Love (Jn. 13:34-35).
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another” (Jn. 13:34-35). Jesus, the new Moses, has given only one commandment that is commandment of love… love of God and love of neighbor as I have loved you. That is the most important commandment”.
They must bear fruits (Jn. 15:8).
“My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples”. Fruits of the Holy Spirit are nine (1Thes. 5:23). God is glorified in us when we bear much fruits such as love, peace, joy, endurance, goodness, kindness, humility, meekness and self-control.
They must witness Christ wherever they are, because Jesus said you are my witnesses (Acts 1:8).
People who lost their faith and hope will get it through the testimony of others who have already solved their problems through their faith in Jesus and prayers. That will encourage them. And that will help them to have faith in Jesus and method of prayers will be revealed. In fact, the whole Bible is a book of testimonies and divine revelations.
Conclusion
Truly you are going to be out of your problems If you have developed an eight-dimensional intimate relationship with Jesus and become a true disciple of him. Above mentioned are the eight-dimensional relationship with Jesus and ten qualities and requirements of the Disciples of him. Are you not the disciple of Christ? If so, please try to develop this kind of relationship and nurture these ten qualities. Holy Spirit is the helper, he will help you. And, he helps you to witness Christ Jesus everywhere in the world. Let the holy spirit come up on you as a by-product of your relationship with Jesus, so that you may be enabled to be as good disciples to enjoy all blessings and healing from Our Lord Jesus Christ.
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