---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Discipleship is not an offer that man…"
description: "\"Discipleship is not an offer that man makes to Christ.\" — Dietrich Bonhoeffer"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_christ_discipleship-is-not-an-offer-that-man-ma_1056508.jpg"
---

#  Discipleship is not an offer that man makes to Christ.

![“Discipleship is not an offer that man makes to Christ.” quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_christ_discipleship-is-not-an-offer-that-man-ma_1056508.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_christ_discipleship-is-not-an-offer-that-man-ma_1056508.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_christ_discipleship-is-not-an-offer-that-man-ma_1056508.jpg)

> “Discipleship is not an offer that man makes to Christ.”

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Discipleship is a commitment to Christ, not a reciprocal offer made by the believer.

**In simple terms:** Discipleship is a response, not a request.

Key Takeaway

Accept Christ’s call without expecting a bargain.

Themes

faith commitment service

Mood

contemplative devotional

Type

inspirational theological

When to use this quote

- church membership
- mission work
- daily prayer
- ethical decisions

Key Concepts

theology spiritual obedience covenant

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you see your faith as a gift or a contract?
- What does surrender look like in your life?

A Different Perspective

Some view discipleship as a two‑way relationship, which can dilute its surrender nature.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Discipleship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipleship/) [Discipleship Offer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipleship-offer-2557225/) [Makes Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes-christ-408417/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Offer Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offer-man-1365537/) [Offers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offers/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/)

## Related quotes

> [“The Spirit makes Christ present to us and draws us toward his likeness. It is as we thus behold the “glory of the Lord”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-spirit-makes-christ-present-to-us-and-draws-us-toward-his/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [A woman who has nothing but sex to offer a man,is not good to keep the home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-kid/a-woman-who-has-nothing-but-sex-to-offer-a-man-is-not-good-to-keep/)

[Ace Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-kid/)

> [The virgin birth, understood as literal biology, makes Christ's divinity, as traditionally understood, impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-virgin-birth-understood-as-literal-biology-makes-christ-s/)

[John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/)

> [Take care that all your offerings be free, and of your own, that has cost you something; so that ye may not offer of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-fox/take-care-that-all-your-offerings-be-free-and-of-your-own-that-has/)

[George Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-fox/)

> [Avarice is a cursed vice: offer a man enough gold, and he will part with his own small hoard of food, however great his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian/avarice-is-a-cursed-vice-offer-a-man-enough-gold-and-he-will-part/)

[Lucian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian/)

> [Salvation is accomplished by the almighty power of the Triune God. The Father chose a people, the Son died for them, the Holy Spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loraine-boettner/salvation-is-accomplished-by-the-almighty-power-of-the-triune-god-the/)

[Loraine Boettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loraine-boettner/)

> [Any honours that come our way are only stolen from him to whom alone they really belong, the Lord who sent us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/any-honours-that-come-our-way-are-only-stolen-from-him-to-whom-alone/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [“Discipleship means adherence to Christ, and, because Christ is the object of that adherence, it must take the form of discipleship. An abstract Christology,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/discipleship-means-adherence-to-christ-and-because-christ-is-the/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [But discipleship never consists in this or that specific action: it is always a decision, either for or against Jesus Christ...Christ speaks to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/but-discipleship-never-consists-in-this-or-that-specific-action-it-is/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [“Christianity without the living Jesus Christ remains necessarily a Christianity without discipleship; and a Christianity without discipleship is always a Christianity without Jesus Christ.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/christianity-without-the-living-jesus-christ-remains-necessarily-a/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [After death something new begins, over which all powers of the world of death have no more might.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/after-death-something-new-begins-over-which-all-powers-of-the-world/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/cheap-grace-is-the-grace-we-bestow-on-ourselves-cheap-grace-is-the/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/christianity-without-discipleship-is-always-christianity-without/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [If our Christianity has ceased to be serious about discipleship, if we have watered down the gospel into emotional uplift which makes no costly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/if-our-christianity-has-ceased-to-be-serious-about-discipleship-if-we/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [“All that the follower of Jesus has to do is to make sure that his obedience, following and love are entirely spontaneous and unpremeditated.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/all-that-the-follower-of-jesus-has-to-do-is-to-make-sure-that-his/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

## More by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

> [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [...Gratitude transforms the torment of memory of good things now gone into silent joy. One bears what was lovely in the past not as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/gratitude-transforms-the-torment-of-memory-of-good-things-now-gone/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [Only he who believes is obedient and only he who is obedient believes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/only-he-who-believes-is-obedient-and-only-he-who-is-obedient-believes/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [Who can really be faithful in great things if he has not learned to be faithful in the things of daily life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/who-can-really-be-faithful-in-great-things-if-he-has-not-learned-to/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [“The church can only defend its own space by fighting, not for space, but for the salvation of the world. Otherwise the church becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-church-can-only-defend-its-own-space-by-fighting-not-for-space/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [There remains an experience of incomparable value . . . to see the great events of world history from below; from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-remains-an-experience-of-incomparable-value-to-see-the-great/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [“To endure the cross is not a tragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/to-endure-the-cross-is-not-a-tragedy-it-is-the-suffering-which-is-the/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [“There is only one church, the church of faith ruled by the word of Jesus Christ alone. This is the true catholic church that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-is-only-one-church-the-church-of-faith-ruled-by-the-word-of/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [“As Christians, we needn’t be at all ashamed of some impatience, longing, opposition to what is unnatural, and our full share of desire for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/as-christians-we-needn-t-be-at-all-ashamed-of-some-impatience-longing/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [Those who love their dream of a Christian community more than the Christian community itself become destroyers of that Christian community even though their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/those-who-love-their-dream-of-a-christian-community-more-than-the/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [“From now on there can be no more wars of faith. The only way to overcome our enemy is by loving him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/from-now-on-there-can-be-no-more-wars-of-faith-the-only-way-to/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [“The scriptures do not present us with a series of Christian types to be imitated according to choice; they preach to us in every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-scriptures-do-not-present-us-with-a-series-of-christian-types-to/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/we-are-not-to-simply-bandage-the-wounds-of-victims-beneath-the-wheels/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

[Explore all 711 Dietrich Bonhoeffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

## More Christ quotes

> [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [“I would even go so far as to say that the mythical character of a life is just what expresses its universal human validity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/i-would-even-go-so-far-as-to-say-that-the-mythical-character-of-a/)

[C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/)

> [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/)

[Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/)

> [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/)

[Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/)

> [May nothing entice me till I happily make my way to Jesus Christ! Fire, cross, struggles with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/may-nothing-entice-me-till-i-happily-make-my-way-to-jesus-christ-fire/)

[Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/)

> [Whoever does not seek the cross of Christ doesn't seek the glory of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-the-cross/whoever-does-not-seek-the-cross-of-christ-doesn-t-seek-the-glory-of/)

[John of the Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-the-cross/)

> [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/)

[Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/)

> [Christ never preached any funeral sermons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/christ-never-preached-any-funeral-sermons/)

[Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/)

> [The emerging church movement has come to believe that the ultimate context of the spiritual aspirations of a follower of Jesus Christ is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samir-selmanovic/the-emerging-church-movement-has-come-to-believe-that-the-ultimate/)

[Samir Selmanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samir-selmanovic/)

> [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/)

[Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/)

> [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/)

[Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/)

> [One thing the young Christian should be taught as quickly as possible after his conversion is that Jesus Christ is all he needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/one-thing-the-young-christian-should-be-taught-as-quickly-as-possible/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [If you don't plan to live the Christian life totally committed to knowing your God and to walking in obedience to Him, then don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-arthur/if-you-don-t-plan-to-live-the-christian-life-totally-committed-to/)

[Kay Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-arthur/)

> [Lord, send Your life throughout the entire church. Visit Your church; restore sound doctrine and holy, earnest living. Take away from professing Christians their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/lord-send-your-life-throughout-the-entire-church-visit-your-church/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

[Browse all 9,006 Christ quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Discipleship is not an offer that man makes to Christ.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Dietrich Bonhoeffer"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/discipleship-is-not-an-offer-that-man-makes-to-christ/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Christ"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/discipleship-is-not-an-offer-that-man-makes-to-christ/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_christ_discipleship-is-not-an-offer-that-man-ma_1056508.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_christ_discipleship-is-not-an-offer-that-man-ma_1056508.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_christ_discipleship-is-not-an-offer-that-man-ma_1056508.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Discipleship is not an offer that man makes to Christ.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Dietrich Bonhoeffer",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Discipleship is not an offer that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/discipleship-is-not-an-offer-that-man-makes-to-christ/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/discipleship-is-not-an-offer-that-man-makes-to-christ/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
