What does it really mean to follow Jesus Christ? to be a Christian!
(Luke 14:28-33 KJV)For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
Following after God means just that and it does not mean you follow after some man or women, his or her teachings instructions for you for sure, or merely join any church immediately, nor does it mean you have to learn Greek, or go immediately to a Bible school, Bible college, unless God tells you specifically ! (Please see What is a Christian)
Following after God means especially now today, following after Jesus, following His voice, His Holy spirit, His Words even those in the Bible. After all Jesus is also God Himself.
Acts 5:4 You have not [simply] lied to men [playing false and showing yourself utterly deceitful] but to God. (Luke 14:26 KJV)If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. (pictured right)
(Luke 14:27 KJV) And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
(Luke 14:33 KJV) So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
Many of us have heard, or seen the evangelist Billy Graham requesting people to come to God.. so what does it mean to come to God and follow Jesus Christ? Does it mean doing my best following after Christ’s teachings, as found in the Bible? going to church too? or does it even require a lot more than that?
No one is too bad so as not to be able to be accepted into the Kingdom of Heaven (see The Kingdom of God) who is willing to humble himself, admit his sis, repent, turn from his or hers wicked past ways, and is willing to do good solely next.
(John 15:4-27 KJV) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
(John 10:27-30 KJV) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.
We all need to know how God differentiates between and deals with the wicked, those persons deliberately disobedient to Him, and the righteous people, those who put their trust in Him.. God is merciful, kind to them, but God’s grace of forgiveness does not extend to everyone..
If we truly have a relationship with Christ we realize our absolute dependence on Him in our lives. I believe that in order to be "in tune" with ourselves in the truest sense, we must have a relationship with Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and it is only by following in the path He set that we can come to a true understanding of who we are, and what we need in life. It is Him who is the giver of every good gift, and it is because of Him that we can obtain any true insight into what we need out of life. There is so much we don’t understand as mortal beings, and so much that God has in store for us in the future, that we need to be in tune with Him and His Spirit in order to truly be in tune with ourselves and what we need out of life.
The beautiful thing about our relationship with Jesus Christ is that He is always willing, and always does do His part in developing a relationship with us. So it’s really just up to us to do our part. Our part involves loving Him, loving others, keeping His commandments, listening to His voice etc… The blessing is that we will understand His will for us. "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God…"For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that hey may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 2:9-11,16)
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