Christianity exists wherever discipleship is, but is weakened and becomes dry, heavy, and fictional when discipleship is lost. That was why when the Lord ordered the disciples to preach, He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19–20). The Lord commanded them to prepare a new generation of disciples who will live as they lived, emphasizing the fact that discipleship is the primary method of teaching and the keeping of the commandments. Through discipleship, the disciples are filled with the Spirit of the Lord and Christianity is passed on from one generation to the next. For this reason, Christians were called “disciples,” and were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26). Perhaps, this was out of mockery from the pagans, by attributing to them the crucified Christ.
Since we are “Christians,” let us also acknowledge that we are “disciples.” I am not thus saying that we are all apostles or shepherds but that every Christian ought to be characterized by discipleship to our Lord Jesus at the hands of his or her mentor. The sacraments of baptism and repentance both fulfill that role through the sponsor and the Father in confession who are both responsible before God for the believer.
Confession, according to this concept, is the discipleship of a new generation that lives by the spirit of their fathers the saints, for Christ the Lord. It is a union between the
1467 St. Basil of Caesarea, The Rule of St. Basil in Latin and English: A Revised Critical Edition , trans., Anna M. Silvas (Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2013) Q. 50: p. 153.
1468 St. Basil of Caesarea, The Rule of St. Basil in Latin and English: A Revised Critical Edition , trans., Anna M. Silvas (Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2013) Q. 52: p. 153.
confessor, the Father in confession and Christ ; not just for a certain time of the week, but continuously. A father gathers his children and delights in regularly meeting them, not just physically but also spiritually in his private prayers or on the altar. The son and daughter then love their father, pray for him, follow his example, and consult him in everything, to learn from his spiritual experiences in struggling against sin so that they may follow his example too, his faith, struggle, and watchfulness.