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I. THE CHARACTER OF A DISCIPLE INDEED. Let us look at Christ's first disciples.

1. They forsook all they had. See the case of Paul (Philippians 3:7, 8). Every sin, idol, circumstance inconsistent with Christ's claim must be renounced.

2. They were docile. Christ taught them as they were able to hear. They had much ignorance and many prejudices, but they willingly sat at Christ's feet. This is requisite in all true disciples (Matthew 18:2, 3).

3. They had a spiritual knowledge of Christ (John 17:6-8), although the world knew Him not. So it is still (2 Corinthians 4:6).

4. They enjoyed the friendship of Christ (John 15:15). The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him (1 John 1:3).

5. They were engaged in Christ's service (John 15:16). "None of us liveth to himself."

II. THE PRIVILEGE PROMISED TO CHRIST'S DISCIPLES. "Ye shall know the truth."

1. The truth referred to. Christ is the truth (John 14:6). We read (Ephesians 4:21) of the truth as in Jesus — the truth full of Christ's personal glory, love, power to save. There is truth in His holy character, in His sublime life, in His vicarious death. He speaks here of the redemptive truth of which He Himself was the sum and substance!

2. The knowledge spoken, of "Ye shall know," not as mere theory, but living power, spiritually, experimentally. The inner eye is opened, the inner car is unstopped, the heart is melted, the soul is subdued. Truth must be engrafted in the soul (James 1:21).

3. The result predicated. The truth in Jesus emancipates the soul from the —

(1)  Condemnation (Romans 8:1);

(2)  the power and depravity of sin (Romans 6:23; Romans 8:30);

(3)  harassing fear of the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:9, 101;

(4)  the depressing anxieties of life;

(5)  from the dark and gloomy forebodings of death (Hebrews 2:14, 15).

III. THE CROWNING EVIDENCE THAT ONE IS A DISCIPLE INDEED. "If ye continue in My word." Many of Christ's professing disciples do not continue in His word. See the parable of the sower. But all Christ's true disciples do.

1. His word is engrafted in their souls. The gospel is a living shoot that produces fruit of its own. That soul thus Divinely operated on continues in Christ's word, and Christ's word continues in it.

2. They are joined to the Lord in an everlasting covenant. Every true disciple has entered into a perpetual covenant to be Christ's, having found that he is interested in God's everlasting covenant, ratified and established forever by the blood of the Surety! His motto is, "I am not My own!"

3. They are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. Without the indwelling, ever-abiding Spirit, there is no spiritual life, power, worship or service; without Him there is no safety. He comes as our life, and He seals us as God's forever and ever.

4. They are kept by the power of God through faith unto final salvation (Peter 1:15; John 13:1, 2). His Almighty arms of unchanging love are placed underneath, and round about (Deuteronomy 33:27; Isaiah 27:3). God's true people are kept not in mere safety, but in a life of holy love and devotedness; not in sloth and indolence, but in holy activity and spiritual diligence.

(T. G. Horton.)

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KJV: Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

WEB: Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, "If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples.