Jesus called twelve men to be His disciples. “And He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him, and that He might send them out to peach, and to have authority to cast out the demons” (Mark 3:14-15). They learned valuable lessons from Him for at least three years. The Bible does not reveal the specific times of each one’s repentance, but there are indications that the disciples were genuine believers at the beginning of their journey with Jesus not at the end of that journey nor after the resurrection of Jesus.

After Jesus called the twelve, He sent them out in pairs to share the Gospel, the kingdom of God and repentance. “And they went out and preached that men should repent” (Mark 6:12). Is it logical to think that they preached the Gospel but did not believe it themselves? “And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God, and to perform healing… and departing, they began going about among the villages, preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere” (Luke 9:2-6). Of course, they did not know all the specifics about the character and coming of the Messiah (especially the crucifixion), but they did believe that Jesus was the Promised One. “Simon Peter answered Him, Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69).

Many times during their travels with Jesus, the disciples proclaimed their belief in Him. “Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God” (John 16:30). As the disciples spent more time with Jesus, their understanding of His deity increased. “And those who were in the boat worshipped Him saying, You are certainly God’s Son” (Matthew 14:33).

Specific details are recorded concerning the call of Peter, Andrew, James and John. “They left everything and followed Him” (Luke 5:11). Also, the call of Matthew (Levi) is shared for our benefit. “And he left everything behind, and rose and began to follow Him” (Luke 5:28).

As the disciples dined with Jesus for the last time, He washed their feet as a servant. During this wonderful example of service, Peter misunderstood the actions of Jesus. He thought that he must be cleansed completely again in order to commune with His Lord. But Jesus clearly revealed to him and the other disciples that “you are clean” (John 13:10). Judas Iscariot was the only disciple that chose not to be “clean” in the Lord (John 13:11). In Jesus’ final discourse before His arrest, He adds clarity to this tremendous fact. “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you” (John 15:3).

Jesus prayed that the Father would assist the disciples in showing everyone that His Son truly is the Messiah, the Savior of the world. “Now they have come to know that everything Thou hast given Me is from Thee; for the words which Thou gavest Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from Thee; and they believed that Thou didst send Me” (John 17:7-8). Jesus “sent them into the world” to tell the truth (John 17:15-18).

To conclude that the apostles were unbelievers until Jesus rose again from the dead produces confusion and conflict concerning the significance of their salvation. Preaching to others about salvation and not believing the message themselves would produce hypocrites not disciples. The disciples understood that Jesus was the Son of God and the promised Messiah. They believed that His power came from God the Father, and they trusted in His words. They followed Him by faith.

When Christ ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit was sent to guide the apostles into a more concrete and confident relationship with their risen Lord. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26).  The Holy Spirit will now abide within the believer to help him live the Christian life and serve the Savior with joy. “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides in you, and will be in you” (John 14:16-17).

The disciples were saved by Jesus for a special purpose. They would become the builders of the “foundation” of the church (Ephesians 2:19-21). Power from the Holy Spirit would help them to witness about the Gospel of Jesus “inJerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).“You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you” (John15:16). Fruit is still being produced because of the saving faith of the twelve disciples!


Rob Zapotoski,
SMS interim Director