So, since by grace, why anything else? Well, you see, when we become disciples of His, we’re just starting—we’re not finishing. On one occasion, in John 18:25, Peter was asked a very, very sobering question. In fact, it was an embarrassing question—a stinging question: “Aren’t you also one of His disciples?” Have you ever been where you shouldn’t have been, and you said some things you shouldn’t have said, and you were in a situation you shouldn’t have been in? And somebody with a certain tone of voice and with a certain implication asks: “Aren’t you also one of His disciples?” as if to say, “You don’t act like it!” You mean disciples are to act a certain way? That’s right! You can be religious without being righteous. In Luke 18, verse 9 to 14, the Pharisee was very religious and he wanted everybody to know that he was religious. But he wasn’t righteous. But the old publican wouldn’t even so much as lift up his eyes to Heaven, which showed guilt if he couldn’t even look God in the eye. What about the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, verses 25 to 37? The priest?—he seemed religious. The Levite?—he seemed religious. They were religious, but they were not righteous. And here the Samaritan, who wasn’t even supposed to be religious and was not regarded as such, showed more righteousness than the other two combined. You see, we can be religious without being righteous. In James 1:26, “if a man seems to be religious,”— if you saw people partake of the communion awhile ago, and they seem religious—if you see them here tomorrow night or Tuesday night or Wednesday night, they seem religious. But you see, things are not always as they “seem.” They can do all of this and still not be His disciples—they can do these things and still not be righteous.

And then if a man’s religion is just for “show,” it’s questionable, Matthew 6: 1. The Pharisees did certain things to be seen of men, to be heard of men, to be praised of men, and recognized by men. If it’s just for “show,” it’s questionable. But if a man’s religion just doesn’t show, it’s also questionable. Matthew 5:16: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven,” or Philippians [2:14-16], where he talks about our “lights shining” in a dark place. That’s what a light is for.

When he was seven years of age, Robert Louis Stevenson’s mother had an errand to run and she left him with somebody. The person noticed, as the darkness came, that Robert got real quiet. If you know anything about little boys, you know that if he gets real quiet, it’s not a bad idea to check on him. So she went in and said, “What are you doing?” He said, as he pulled back the curtain, and watched the lamplighter go down the street lighting lamp after lamp, “I’m watching that man make holes in the darkness.”

Isn’t that what Christians are—people “making holes in the darkness”? The world is pretty dark today. When the world is at its darkest, we ought to be at our brightest! When the world is at its worst, we ought to be at our best!

So Christians, then, make a difference in the world. “Aren’t you also one of His disciples?” Who knows? Well, God does, 2 Timothy 2:19. But do you? It’s possible to be deceived. If a man thinks himself to be religious when he isn’t, “he deceives himself,” Galatians 6:3. Matthew 7:21 to 23 shows how surprised some people will be at the judgment—thinking all is well, but in reality, it isn’t!

And it’s also possible to be mistaken. Some “have a form of godliness,” but they are “denied the power thereof,” 2 Timothy 3:5. Or, “some say and do not,” Matthew 23:3. Some have a “name” that they live, but they “are dead,” Revelation 3:1. Or, Jesus said they “honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me,” Matthew 15, verse 8 and 9.

So, when that question was asked [“Aren’t you also one of His disciples?”], the question was not out of place, but the one who was asked the question [Peter] was out of place. Peter was out of place. But I want you to notice in John 18, verse 18 that these servants and the officers of the enemy—the people trying to put Jesus to death—had made a fire. The Bible said they were standing around it “warming themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.” But a few days later on Pentecost, it’s a different story and a different Simon Peter. The Bible said, “Peter stood up with the eleven,” [Acts 2:14]. He was standing with the enemy a few days before, but now he’s “standing with the eleven”—with the Lord’s people. He had made a big change. But when that question was asked—“Aren’t you also one of His disciples?”—don’t you know that made Peter think? Don’t you know that really pierced his soul?

Well, people have a right to ask that question all along. You see, words don’t prove discipleship—but deeds do! Words don’t prove love—but deeds do! Words don’t prove allegiance—but deeds do! Words don’t prove faith—but deeds do! Words don’t prove much of anything—but deeds do! This is born out [shown; proved] in 1 John 3:17 and 18 [“But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?¹⁸ My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in Truth.”.

So, “Aren’t YOU also one of His disciples?” Does your life really show that you are? What do you have to show for the religion that you claim? Is it a righteousness, or is it just a religion? That’s a good question!