stand boldly

The essential work of Jesus was to create around him a circle of disciples, whom he inspired with boundless affection, and amongst whom he deposited the germ of his doctrine. To have made himself
beloved, to the degree that after his death they ceased not to love him, was the great work of Jesus, and that which most struck his contemporaries. His doctrine was so little dogmatic, that he never thought of writing it or causing it to be written. People did not become his disciples by believing this thing or that thing, but in being attached to his person and in loving him.
(Ernest Renan, Vie de Jesus (1863))

Although I do believe that people become disciples by growing in our relationship with Jesus, I do take exception to portions of this quote. His doctrine was already written throughout the old testament. He was the fulfillment of the word that had come to His people which preceded His walk on this earth as a man.
He held fast to the truth of God and did not depart from it. He quoted from the scriptures repeatedly and confirmed their authority.
It was the religious leaders that had taken “religious practice” so far away from the truth ! The new testament reflects numerous occasions where he confronted the religious leaders for their wrong motives. He went even so far as to say that they where “hindering” people from the truth.
If we love Him as He has loved us, our desire will be to follow Him, to obey His commands - to seek after His truth (which has been left to us in His word - the Bible).
Our responsibility is to seek to obey the greatest commandment -
"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And He said to him,"' You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' "This is the great and foremost commandment. "The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
"On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." (Matt 22:36‑40)

Let us stand boldly on His truth - this is why He came for us - For our God is true and His love for us is never ending, His mercies are new every morning, great is His faithfulness. May we practice His truth, empowered by His Holy Spirit to do His will.

John 3:16‑21 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. "And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. "For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. "But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."
(prb)