Following Christ

Through each day that goes by, it will become harder to be a follower of Christ. Many of us in the West have no idea what that means. We go through our day, never talking about Jesus, much less thinking about Him. After all, religion is one of those things we are taught to never talk about. We call ourselves 'Christian' because--at one time or another, perhaps in the high of a Bible camp--we walked down an aisle or raised a hand and a kindly person led us through a prayer which is pretty much the same for all of us. "Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I am sorry for my sins. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins. Please come into my heart. Thank you. Amen."

But what does it actually mean to be a Christian? Can it truly be so simple that all you have to do is say a little prayer, be baptized, and you're in? Do we walk away from our conversion experience believing anything other than that we've just been given free fire insurance?

To be a Christian is to follow Jesus. According to Scripture, following Jesus is more than simply saying a prayer and being dunked under water. It is more than simply a one-time experience.

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Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. (Matthew 16:24-25 KJV)

If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At the day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. (John 14:15-21 KJV)

He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (I John 2:6 KJV)

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1-2 KJV)

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:29-32 KJV)

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. (Ephesians 5:1-21 KJV)

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:16-26 KJV)

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20 KJV)

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There are many Scriptures which express the truth that those who follow Christ are meant to live as He lived and--if need be--to die as He died. To be a Christian is to follow Christ. To follow Christ is to live by the Holy Spirit, finding nourishment in the Bible as the word of the Most High. We are to lay aside those selfish desires and take up the mantle of Jesus.

Repent and believe on Jesus Christ!

Pray more than just whenever you need something from Him, are going to bed, or are fixing to eat supper.  Pray more than just at church. Spend time in the Scriptures each day. Be with your God throughout your day. Instead of allowing your mind to worry throughout the day, focus on Jesus Christ--on Yahweh--on Light, Truth, Grace, and Purity. Think on the Scriptures and on hymns.

Be cautious of what you allow into your mind and your heart. Guard your heart, your mind, your soul, lest Satan gain a foothold in your life.

Be wary of how you speak and act around those around you. From the moment you first called yourself a Christian, you were an Ambassador of Christ...a representative...if we are the Body of Christ, then the world sees Him whenever they look at you....and if they aren't--even if they think that they are--then they need to. Don't be afraid to speak of what He has done for you throughout your day. Do not allow your faith to sit still, for stagnant water will grow stale and will become a swamp.

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As the world chases the gods of tolerance, wealth, sex, and pleasure, it will grow more and more difficult to follow Christ. You see, those who follow Christ will always be seen as intolerant and judgmental. To love another person--to love a sinner--is not to ignore their sin; but, rather, it is to show them that they are acting against a holy and just God. If we--as Christians--are told to love one another and yet we do not, then we are sinning. If we do not pull the log out of the eye of another in an area in which our eyes are clear, then we are not loving. If you do not confront it for fear of being condemned, rejected, or being called judgmental, then you, too, are sinning.

Do not be afraid to speak up. Do not fear man...what they say...what they do....rather, fear the living God, honour Him, love Him, and do not deny Him.

In any case--as I like to say--being blind and denying that 18-wheelers exist as you stand in the center of a highway will not keep you from being hit by one, simply because you are blind and do not think such a thing could be true.

Love everyone, but love Yahweh first....after all...He IS Lord.