What Does It Mean To Be A Follower Of Jesus?

What is a Follower of Jesus?

1. Guest As I read through the first few chapters of the Gospels, I notice that Jesus gives the same demand to practically everyone he comes across: ″Follow me!″ ″Say a prayer of repentance and commitment to Jesus, attend church on a regular basis and live a generally decent life,″ has been the common understanding among Christians for decades.
2. There’s a problem with this, you know.
3. Jesus never walked someone through a’sinners prayer,’ followed by a directive to attend church services, as is commonly believed.
4. ″No,″ he insisted, ″just follow me.″ ″Forsake all you have placed above and before me; commit yourself to live life my way, in accordance with my teachings and example,″ he was saying.
5. Make yourself a follower of mine.

Allow me to demonstrate a more fulfilling way of life, one that is free of the shackles of hypocritical living and lifeless religion.Continue on with me into a life of service and love for God and humanity,″ I said.Through all four Gospels, we can see how this is true.Jesus was on a mission to bring about transformation in people’s lives.He desired for people to live a life that was entirely focused on him – a life that said, ″It is not I who is living my life right now — it is Jesus.″ Being a disciple of Jesus means placing him at the center of your life and elevating him to the position of supreme ruler over all you are and do.

1. It is to allow him to take you out into the world as an agent of transformation in the lives of others via the power of his Spirit in your life.
2. The keys to following Jesus were given to his disciples by Jesus.
3. They are found in Matthew 28:18-20, where they read: ″I have been granted full power in heaven and on earth,″ Jesus said to his apostles when he arrived.
4. As a result, go and make disciples of all countries, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as the Lord has commanded you.
5. Instruct these new pupils to follow all of the instructions I have given them.

1. And rest assured that I will be with you at all times, even to the end of the age.″ Being a disciple of Jesus entails the following:

WE RECOGNIZE HIS AUTHORITY IN AND OVER OUR LIVES

We recognize him as Lord and submit to him. We accept that he has entire control over the situation and that we have diluted control. We followed in his footsteps. Our leader does not follow us; rather, we follow him.

WE MAKE DISCIPLES

It is important to note that disciples are instructed to go and create disciples. Being a follower of Jesus entails asking others to follow Jesus as well as yourself. We are his witnesses, charged with the responsibility of spreading the gospel and demonstrating what he is like to the rest of the world. Disciples grow in maturity and number.

WE GET BAPTIZED

1. Baptism is a public declaration of our allegiance to Jesus and his teachings.
2. He enlisted the help of his supporters to baptize new converts.
3. New believers in the early Church were required to go through this process after putting their confidence in Jesus and becoming his disciples.
4. When we examine the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and the epistle writings, we cannot help but conclude that baptism was not a choice for people who would follow Jesus; rather, it was an expectation he placed on those who would follow him.
5. Baptism is performed in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit for followers of Jesus.

WE OBEY JESUS’ COMMANDS

1. The disciples were instructed to both teach and follow Jesus’ instructions.
2. Following Jesus’ teachings will bring immense joy and great happiness to the follower of Jesus.
3. It is crucial that before we can teach others to obey Jesus, we ourselves must first demonstrate our own obedience to him.
4. Every disciple of Jesus is, by nature, a leader – we are to lead others into obedience to Jesus and submit to his way of life – which is the finest and most beautiful way to live one’s life.
5. To be a good leader, we must first be good at what we do.

Following what Jesus taught is not an add-on to our religion or something reserved for the overly fanatical; rather, it is a requirement of Jesus’ followers.As Christians, we must apply the teachings of the Bible to our lives in a way that glorifies Jesus and sets him at the center of our priorities.Simply simply, followers of Jesus are those who follow him.

WE GO TO THE WORLD

1. We proclaim Jesus to a world that is lost, broken, and hurting.
2. Throughout his life, Jesus preached the gospel in public places and to people.
3. Today, we appear to be committed to keeping the gospel contained within church structures, while Jesus accomplished the inverse.
4. God’s loving kindness and practical love were exchanged in marketplaces, next to swimming pools, in town centers, on mountain tops, on beaches, at a watering well, on a road, and in a variety of other settings, including dinners, parties, and sitting in temple courts, among other places.
5. Jesus wants us to take the Gospel to all of the countries of the globe, both physically and verbally, as we follow him.

Are you seeking Jesus in order to hear where he wants you to serve him: Is it in your local community for the long haul, or somewhere else entirely?Is it a foreign country?Is it because you want to relocate to a town where there is little or no Gospel impact and voice?We are tasked with bringing the Gospel to those who are in need.

WE FOLLOW

1. Throughout Jesus’ ministry, his disciples sought his knowledge, insight, and guidance.
2. They followed Jesus wherever he led them and went where he instructed them to go.
3. They had faith in him to the point that they would submit to his authority.
4. They didn’t always grasp what he was saying.
5. They made a blunder.

They had learnt their lesson.They expanded in size.They strolled alongside him and conversed with him.Following his ascension, they began preaching the gospel.They whisked him away to see the rest of the world.

1. Considering that we are just two weeks into 2013, why not begin the New Year by re-reading the Gospels to gain a better understanding of what Jesus taught and lived?
2. Follow this up with a study of Acts to observe how the earliest disciples followed Jesus and remained loyal to him and his teachings as time went on.
3. Perhaps it is necessary to return to the fundamentals and reevaluate our own devotion to Christ.
4. To be able to govern every aspect of their life, Jesus is seeking for followers who would follow him and make him the most essential element of their lives in order for him to have complete control.
5. It is not always easy – you might say it is a discipline at times – but it is also the most exciting experience of your life.

1. Since graduating from college, Stuart McCormack has worked as an archivist, bingo caller, and youth minister.
2. He is presently pursuing his vocation to missional life in the secular workplace as a Targeted Youth Support Worker/mentor in the nonprofit sector.
3. Kairos Network Church in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, is where he co-leads ″Vintage,″ which is a missional community that is a member of the Kairos Network Church family.
4. He is married to Jenna and the father of three children, Noah, Bella, and Sophia.
5. When he’s not working, he may be found tweeting at @STU7P or blogging at gospelpraxis.weebly.com.

What does it mean to truly follow Christ?

1. Answer to the question It appears several times in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) that Jesus commands his followers to ″follow me″ (e.g., Matthew 8:22; 9:9, Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27; John 1:43).
2. It appears that Jesus was addressing the twelve men who would become His disciples in a number of instances (Matthew 10:3–4).
3. He was also speaking to anyone who was interested in what He had to offer at other times (John 3:16; Mark 8:34).
4. Matthew 10:34–39 is a passage in which Jesus explains exactly what it takes to be His follower.
5. ″Do not think for a moment that I have come to bring peace to the planet,″ Jesus added.

I did not come to bring peace, but rather a sword to the table.In order to do this, I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in law against her mother-in-law—a man’s opponents will be members of his own family.’ Those who love their father or mother more than I do are unworthy of my affections; similarly, those who love their son or daughter more than I are unworthy of my attention.Whoever does not pick up their cross and follow me is not worthy of being called a disciple of Christ.Everyone’s life will be forfeited if they discover it, and whomever forfeits their life for my cause will be reclaimed.″ The fact that Jesus is bringing a ″sword″ and setting family members against one another may appear a little harsh after hearing words like ″whosoever believes in Him shall not perish″ (John 3:16).However, Jesus never softened the truth, and the fact is that following Him necessitates making painful decisions in order to survive.

1. It is possible that going back will be quite enticing at times.
2. A large number of those who had followed Jesus turned away as his teaching moved from the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3–11) to the imminent crucifixion (John 6:66).
3. It was the night of Jesus’ arrest when even his followers concluded that following Him would be too tough.
4. Every single one of them turned their backs on Him (Matthew 26:56; Mark 14:50).
5. Following Christ may have resulted in arrest and execution on that particular night.

1. For the sake of not endangering his own life, Peter denied three times that he ever knew Jesus (Matthew 26:69–75).
2. To really follow Christ implies that He has taken over the role of everything in our lives.
3. Everyone has a belief system, whether it is based on friends, popular culture, family, selfish interests, or God.
4. We can only pay attention to one item at a time (Matthew 6:24).
5. God has said that we are not to worship any other gods save Him (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7; Mark 12:30).
6. To fully follow Christ implies that we do not follow any other religion or philosophy.

″Whoever wishes to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross everyday and follow me,″ Jesus said in Luke 9:23.There is no such thing as a ″halfway disciple″ in the Christian faith.According to what the disciples proved, no one can follow Christ just on the basis of his or her own willpower.The Pharisees were excellent examples of individuals who attempted to obey God only through their own efforts.Rather than achieving success, their self-effort resulted in hubris and a distorting of the entire purpose of God’s Law (Luke 11:39; Matthew 23:24).Jesus revealed the secret of steadfastly following Him to His followers, although they were not aware of it at the time.

• ″The Spirit brings life; the flesh is worthless,″ he declared emphatically (John 6:63).
• ″This is why I told you that no one may come to me unless the Father has given them permission to do so″ (verse 65).
• The disciples had been with Jesus for three years, learning from Him, watching His miracles, and even participating in them.

1. Even yet, they were unable to follow Him with complete devotion in their own power.
2. They were in need of a Helper.
3. Jesus assured them on several occasions that, once He had risen to the Father, He would send them a ″Helper″ in the form of the Holy Spirit to assist them (John 14:26; 15:26).
4. Even more specifically, He informed them that He was departing in order for the Holy Spirit to be sent in their stead (John 16:7).

1. Every believer’s heart is filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 2:20; Romans 8:16; Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 28:20).
2. As Jesus advised His followers, they were not to begin testifying on their behalf of Him until they had been ″clothed with authority from on high″ (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4).
3. When the Holy Spirit descended upon those first Christians at Pentecost, they were instantly endowed with all the strength they needed to follow Christ, even to the point of death if necessary (Acts 2:1–4; 4:31; 7:59–60).
4. Following Jesus is making an effort to be like Him.
5. He was always respectful to His Father, and that is what we seek to do (John 8:29; 15:10).

1. To fully follow Christ means to put Him in charge of your life.
2. That is what it means to submit our life to Jesus as our Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 2 Corinthians 4:5).
3. Throughout life, every decision and dream is filtered through God’s Word with the objective of bringing Him glory in all things (1 Corinthians 10:31).

1. Rather from being saved by the works we perform for Christ (Ephesians 2:8–9), we are saved by what He has done for us.
2. Because of His grace, we desire to do everything we can to please Him.
3. All of this is made possible when we allow the Holy Spirit to have total reign over every aspect of our life, as described above (Ephesians 5:18).
4. He explains the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 2:14), bestows spiritual talents on us (1 Corinthians 12:4-11), soothes us (John 14:16), and directs our paths (1 Corinthians 2:15).
5. (John 14:26).
6. To follow Christ means to put into practice the truths we learn from His Word and to live as though Jesus were physically present with us.

Questions regarding the Christian Life can be found at this link.What does it mean to be a true disciple of Christ?

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What Does It Mean to Be a Follower of Jesus?

1. What does it look like to be a disciple?
2. This has the potential to ignite a slew of conversations and lead to some truly deep thought as well as practical application.
3. Many of us, on the other hand, are still perplexed as to what it means to follow Jesus.
4. What we’re really asking is, what does it mean to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
5. Jesus admonished us to be disciples who go forth and create more disciples.

What exactly does this imply?

What is Discipleship?

1. The meaning of the term itself is ″to follow Jesus″ or ″to be a student.″ How can we quantify this in a practical sense?
2. It is necessary to consider what it means to be a follower of Jesus when we strip it down to its most basic components.
3. Three points were crystal clear in his mind.
4. They are, in my opinion, absolutely necessary for gauging discipleship.
5. These three points are not meant to be exhaustive, but rather to serve as a beginning place for anyone who follow Jesus to begin assessing their lives as disciples.

God is to be adored (Mark 12:30) Worship, Bible study, prayer, and other activities are available.We Should Care About Our Neighbors (Mark 12:31) Missions, service, evangelism, and assisting individuals outside the church are all important.Each other’s love is essential (John 13:34-35) Fellowship, care ministry, prayer, difficult dialogues, encouragement, and support for individuals inside the church are all important.Our lives are transformed by God when we remain in the midst of these three principles.We can assess ourselves and discover that some of these rings are more difficult to complete than others.

1. The problem for us is to recognize where we are and where God wants us to be in our lives.
2. It is God’s desire for us to be in the center of things, staying in Him and yielding great fruit.

Questions to Ask Yourself:

1. Which of these three comes the most naturally to you?
2. Which of these three is the most difficult?
3. What actions do you need to take in order to get to the heart of the matter?
4. However, while this is not a definitive means of evaluating discipleship, it is a useful beginning point for assessing how well we are following Jesus.
5. How are we showing God that we love him with our lives?

Who are our neighbors?What about each other?How are we going to do it?

What is a Follower of Jesus

1. What would you answer if someone approached you and asked whether you were a disciple of Jesus and what led you to become one?
2. Generally speaking, when such question is posed, there are a range of possible responses.
3. The most frequently heard response is that I attend church.
4. Another is that I am a decent person who donates to charity, has been baptized, prays on occasion, is a religious person who participates in communion, and so on.
5. Despite the fact that these are activities that Christians engage in, they do not necessarily imply that an individual is a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Not to mention that they don’t provide a response to the query.So, what exactly does a disciple of Jesus Christ look like?

What is a Follower of Jesus?

1. The definition of a follower of Jesus is one who is a disciple of Jesus—a person who is a wholehearted supporter of Jesus.
2. A disciple is a person who is a pupil, student, or learner who adheres to the teachings of another person.
3. Not only does a disciple follow, but he or she also participates actively in the dissemination of the beliefs of another.
4. In the Bible, the word disciple is used the most frequently to refer to a follower of Jesus, and it denotes a close relationship with Him on a personal level.
5. Being a follower of Jesus requires a tremendous commitment on your part.

The Characteristics of a True Follower of Jesus

1. A true follower of Jesus exhibits and maintains certain undeniable characteristics.
2. Some are outside and evident, while others are inside.
3. First and foremost, we must “born again.” Jesus remarked in John 3:3, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” As part of the process of being born again, we must confess and repent of the sins that have separated us from God.
4. We must also surrender our lives to Jesus as our Lord and Savior, receive forgiveness through faith, and begin walking in the ways of Jesus.
5. It is not just accepting Christ and living the same life, but a change to a new life born of the Spirit.

For more on born again, visit the article, “What Does it Mean to be a Born Again Christian” on this page.Next, prayer—if we are following Jesus, we must be a person of prayer, following His example.Let’s look at Matt 14:23 23 After he had dismissed them, he walked up to a mountainside by himself to pray.When evening came, he was there alone, This is just one of many examples of Jesus’ motivation to pray.Characteristically, Jesus often spent the night in prayer.

1. While we are not required to spend whole nights in prayer, prayer is to be a major component in our lives.
2. It is important to spend time alone with God.
3. A day should never go by without prayer as opposed to an occasional cry for help when faced with difficulty.
4. Every day must begin and end with prayer.
5. Prayer is to be a lifestyle, not a life jacket!

1. Next, listen—God requires our submission and obedience.
2. However, if we don’t listen to Him, we can’t hear Him.
3. How then can we be obedient?
4. This is why it is imperative for us to listen to God as we read His Word and pray.
5. Think of the examples in the Scriptures of the Lord expressing His will to individuals.
6. Individuals such as Moses, Abraham, Noah, etc.

heard God.Had these men not been in a genuine relationship with God and listening, they would have never known His will for their lives.We may not receive a commission as these did, but God has a purpose and plan for all of His genuine followers.In Ps.138:8 the psalmist wrote, The Lord will fulfillfor me; your love, O Lord, endures forever — do not abandon the works of your hands.NIV Here the psalmist acknowledges with confidence that the Lord has a purpose for his life and He will fulfill it because of His faithful love.

• This applies to all of us.
• We are commanded by God to listen to Jesus.
• This commandment was handed down at Jesus’ transfiguration.

1. Let’s look at this in Matt 17:5: 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.
2. Listen to him!” It is essential that we submit to God and His son and listen to Him as we pray and read His Word.
3. Next, we must believe—Just as we initially trusted Jesus as our Savior, we must continue to trust and believe as we live by faith.
4. Scripture says in Heb 10:38, “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” This Scripture is part of a passage that encourages perseverance.

1. We are to persevere by believing in faith in the face of adversity and putting our trust in Him; this is what pleases God.
2. According to Heb 11:6, ″But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he who cometh to God must believe in his existence and in the fact that he rewards those who diligently seek him.″ The fact that Jesus came was for us to believe in Him and be saved from our sins, and we must never forget this.
3. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, in order that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life, as it is stated in John 3:16.
4. If you want to learn more about faith, check out the article ″What is Faith About″ on this website.
5. Then there’s obedience— It is impossible to have both following and obedience at the same time.

1. You can’t truly follow someone unless you are willing to be obedient.
2. In John 8:12, Jesus expresses his thoughts on what it means to follow Him…
3. ″I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life.″ ″I am the Light of the world.″ In order to obtain God’s benefits, we must first be obedient to His Son, Jesus Christ.

1. For example, Jesus stated in John 5:22-24: 22 For the Father judgeth no one, but has given all judgment to the Son: 23 For the Father judgeth no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son: 23 That all mankind should honor the Son in the same way that they honor the Father in heaven.
2. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him to earth.
3. 24 He who hears my word and believes in him who sent me has eternal life, and he will not be brought into judgment, but will be raised from the dead and will reign with Christ forever.
4. We can’t expect to be blessed until we honor and obey the Lord Jesus Christ.
5. A sincere disciple of Jesus is aware of this and accepts it as a personal responsibility.
6. Then there is love—the love we are to have for Christ encompasses our entire being and is unconditional.

No one can follow Christ half-heartedly; no one can follow Christ with a heart that is divided between the world and God.According to Mark 12:30, when asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus responded as follows: That you should love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength: this is the first and most important commandment you can follow in the world.In order to fulfill this commandment, one must have a sincere love for God.

Because of this, we must live a life that demonstrates our devotion to the Lord.So we cannot allow the dirty ideas, pictures, and words of the world enter our brains while also professing our love for God, since it would be impossible.Popular Christianity has come to be known as a result of this phenomenon.

This website contains an essay titled Popular Christianity: The Danger, which provides further information on the subject.The things we think and watch, where we travel, and what we do are all influenced by our wholehearted love for Christ.At the same time, we cannot allow dirty ideas, pictures, and words to take up residence in our brains while professing to love Him in our hearts.It has an impact on our thoughts and actions when we have a sincere love for Christ.According to 1 Corinthians 10:31, we are urged to continue our efforts.Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, or whatever else you do, do it to the glory of God.

• Service is the next point to consider—Jesus was a servant, and we, as His disciples, should strive to be the same.
• By helping others, we may all contribute to the Lord’s work in some way.
• Encouragement, caring, assisting, giving, consoling, educating, and sharing God’s Word are just a few examples of the many various ways to serve others.
• All of these things are expressions of the Spirit’s Gifts.
• Following Jesus does not imply just accepting Him and putting our hands on our hips.
• Much labor is needed for the kingdom, and the Lord provides us with the tools we need to do it!

According to John 12:26, Jesus said: 26 In the event that any man serves me, let him follow me; and wherever I am, there will also be my servant; in the event that any man serves me, my Father will honor him.We must follow Christ if we want to be of service to Him.In exchange, we are guaranteed the Father’s presence and protection throughout our lives.Suffering is the next topic on the list—as you might see, this one is not very popular!Scripture, on the other hand, provides guidance on this subject.

Philippians 1:29:29 For it has been granted to you on Christ’s behalf, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake; when we follow Jesus, we may anticipate to experience some level of suffering.We endure financial loss, rejection, and even the loss of relationships as a result of our ability to make people feel uncomfortable and because we just do not fit in with those who are passionate about the world.But we must not let this deter us from following Jesus and sharing the message with others.After all, the Bible refers to us as ″a strange people″ in several places.

1. We are not to be associated with the world.
2. Last, but definitely not least, is the act of sharing—we are required by Jesus to teach others the truth.
3. This instruction may be found in Matthew 28:19: 19 As a result, go around the world and make disciples of all countries.

• The Great Commission is a mandate given by Jesus that is followed to the letter.
• In order to follow Him and be His followers, we must be willing to communicate the truth of God’s Word with others, regardless of whether or not they agree with us.
• Despite the fact that they live in a world filled with hate, bitterness, hatred, and death, Christ’s disciples risk their lives every day to spread the gospel to people all over the world.
• It is undoubtedly true that everyone of us has the ability to say something that will pique the attention of at least one person we know who is not a Christian.
• These are the traits of someone who is a genuine disciple of Christ.

It is not a stroll in the park and can be challenging at times, but the satisfaction of knowing that we will be rewarded in due course makes it worthwhile.As the Bible urges us in Gal 6:9, ″And let us not get weary in doing good: for in due season we will reap, if we do not faint,″ we should not be discouraged.We must keep our sights fixed on the goal!Blessings in the name of Jesus Christ!

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What Does it Mean to be Follower of Jesus Christ?

1. A sincere disciple of Jesus demonstrates and retains a number of unmistakable qualities throughout time.
2. Some are visible from the outside, while others are hidden within the building.
3. In order to go forward, we must first be ″born anew.″ ″I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he has been born again,″ Jesus declared in John 3:3, referring to the process of becoming a new person.
4. As part of the process of being born again, we must confess and repent of the sins that have separated us from God.
5. We must also submit our life to Jesus as our Lord and Savior, accept forgiveness by faith, and begin walking in the ways of Jesus.

It is not simply accepting Christ and continuing to live the same life, but rather a transformation into a new life begotten of the Spirit.The article ″What Does it Mean to be a Born Again Christian″ on this website provides further information about being born again.As for praying, we must emulate Jesus by being a person of prayer and following in His footsteps, as he did.Take a look at Matthew 14:23-23.After he had dismissed them, he walked up to a mountainside by himself and prayed for sometime.

1. When the evening came, he was alone in the house.
2. This is only one of many examples of Jesus’ desire to pray that can be found throughout the Bible.
3. Jesus was known for spending a lot of time in prayer during the night.
4. Despite the fact that we are not obligated to spend our whole evenings in prayer, prayer should be a significant part of our daily life.
5. It is critical to spend quality time alone with God.

1. When dealing with adversity, one should never go a day without praying, as opposed to sometimes calling out for aid when in need.
2. Prayer should be said at the start and finish of the day.
3. Prayer is to be a way of life, not just a life preserver!
4. Then, pay attention: God expects our submission and obedience on our part.
5. However, if we do not pay attention to Him, we will not be able to hear Him.
6. So, how are we supposed to be obedient?

While a result, it is critical for us to pay attention to God as we study His Word and offer prayers.Consider some of the instances in the Scriptures where the Lord communicated His will to certain persons.Individuals such as Moses, Abraham, Noah, and others were able to hear God.It is possible that these guys would have never realized what God’s will for their life if they had not been in a true relationship with Him and listened.We may not receive a commission in the same way that these individuals did, but God has a purpose and a plan for each and every one of His sincere followers.It is said in Psalm 138:8 that the Lord will fulfill his promise to me; your love, O Lord, endures forever — do not forsake your creations, because they are yours.

• NIV Because of God’s steadfast love, the psalmist may be certain that the Lord has a plan for his life, and that He will see it through to completion.
• This applies to each and every one of us.
• God has given us the mandate to pay attention to Jesus.

1. This mandate was given to Jesus at the time of his transfiguration.
2. Take a look at Matthew 17:5 for example: 5 He was still talking when they were suddenly covered by an enormous light cloud, and a voice from the cloud said, ″This is my Son, whom I adore; I am pleased with him.″ ″Pay attention to him!″ While praying and reading God’s Word, it is critical that we submit to God and His son, as well as listen to Him.
3. We must then believe—just as we first placed our confidence in Jesus as our Savior, we must continue to place our trust and believe as we live our lives in faith.
4. Specifically, according to the Bible in Heb 10:38, ″Now the righteous shall live by faith: but if any man withdraw, my soul will have no delight in him.″ This Scripture is part of a section that urges people to persevere during difficult times.

1. This pleases God, and we should persist by trusting in faith in the face of adversity and relying on Him.
2. According to Heb 11:6, ″But without faith it is impossible to satisfy him: for he who cometh to God must believe in his existence and in the fact that he is the rewarder of those who seek him with all their hearts.″ The fact that Jesus came was for us to trust in Him and be freed from our sins, and we must never forget this fact.
3. The Bible declares in John 3:16, ″For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.″ This website has an article titled ″What is Faith About″ that provides further information on the topic.
4. Afterwards, there’s the matter of compliance.
5. It is impossible to follow without also obeying.

1. Being obedient is required in order to follow someone honestly.
2. John 8:12 contains Jesus’ words on the subject of following Him: I am the Light of the world; whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life shining in his or her heart.″ It is necessary to be obedient to God’s Son in order to obtain God’s benefits.
3. According to Jesus’ own words in John 5:22-24: 22 For the Father judgeth no man, but has given all judgment to the Son: 23 For the Father judgeth no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son: 23 In order for all men to respect the Son in the same way that they respect the Father Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him to do so.

1. 24 He who hears my message and believes in him who sent me has everlasting life, and he will not be condemned, but will have crossed from death to life.
2. When we do not honor and follow Christ, we can’t expect to be blessed in any way.
3. An authentic Jesus follower recognizes this and accepts it as a responsibility.
4. Then there is love—the love we are to have for Christ encompasses our entire being and must be unconditional.
5. We can’t follow Christ half-heartedly; having a heart that is half in the world and half with God isn’t going to work.
6. Mark 12:30 records Jesus’ response when asked what the greatest commandment was.

That you should love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength: this is the first and most important commandment you can follow in the whole world.In order to fulfill this commandment, one must have an unwavering devotion to God.So we must live lives that reflect our devotion to the Lord and His work.

So we cannot allow the dirty thoughts, pictures, and words of the world enter our brains while yet professing to love God at the same time.As a result, popular Christianity has gained widespread acceptance.The essay Popular Christianity: The Danger, which may be found on this website, has further information about Popular Christianity..

The way we think and watch, where we travel, and what we do are all influenced by our deep affection for Christ.At the same time, we cannot allow filthy ideas, pictures, and words to take up residence in our brains while professing to love Him as we do.The way we think and act are influenced by our deep affection for Christ.According to 1 Corinthians 10:31, we are urged to continue our journey.In order to honor God, anything you do (including eating and drinking) must be done to his glory.Service is the next point to consider—Jesus was a servant, and we, as His disciples, should strive to be the same.

• Serving others is a way for all of us to serve the Lord in some way.
• Encouragement, caring, assisting, giving, consoling, educating, and sharing God’s Word are just a few examples of the many various ways in which service can be rendered to others.
• Gifts of the Spirit reveal themselves in this manner.
• Accepting Jesus and folding our hands does not constitute following Him.
• Much labor is needed for the kingdom, and the Lord provides us with the resources we need to do it!!
• In John 12:26, Jesus said: ″26″ In the event that any man serves me, let him follow me; and everywhere I go, my servant will be; in the event that any man serves me, my Father will honor him.

We must follow Christ if we are to be effective in our service to God.Father promises to be with us and protect us in exchange for our obedience.In the next section we have suffering—a topic that is not well-liked, as you can expect!In this subject, however, the Bible gives instruction.philippians 1:29.

We may anticipate to experience some level of pain when we follow Jesus’ teachings.For unto you it has been granted on Christ’s behalf not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his cause; Due to the fact that we make people feel uncomfortable and that we do not fit in with those who love the world, we suffer financial loss, rejection, and even the loss of relationships.But we must not let this deter us from following Jesus and sharing his message.At the end of the day, the Bible says that we are ″a strange people.″ Our place in the world is not with the world.

1. Speaking of sharing, we are required by Jesus to tell others about the truth that he has revealed to us.
2. In Matthew 28:19, we read the following command: 19 Make disciples of all countries, then, as Jesus instructed.
3. Known as the Great Commission, this is the instruction of Jesus.

• In order to follow Him and be His followers, we must be willing to communicate the truth of God’s Word with others, regardless of whether or not they agree with us.
• Individuals all over the world are being reached by Christ’s disciples who are putting their lives in jeopardy to spread the gospel in a world filled with antagonism, bitterness, hatred, and death.
• It is undoubtedly true that everyone of us has the ability to say something that will pique the curiosity of at least one person we know who does not follow Jesus.
• True followers of Jesus Christ exhibit the traits listed above.
• It is not a stroll in the park and can be challenging at times, but the satisfaction of knowing that we will be rewarded in due course is priceless.

As the Bible urges us in Gal 6:9, ″And let us not get weary in doing good: for in due season we will reap, if we do not faint,″ we should not become discouraged.Keeping our sights fixed forward is critical.Best wishes in the name of the Lord!Amen!

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To Be a Follower of Christ

To Be a Follower of Christpreviousnext To be a follower of Christ is to strive to conform our actions, conduct, and lives to those of the Savior. In my personal study of the scriptures, I have been impressed by the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, who later became known as Paul, as described in the Bible. Paul was an active man in the persecution of the Church and the Christians. But because of the power of heaven and the Atonement of Jesus Christ, he was changed completely, and he became one of the great servants of God. His model of life was the Savior Jesus Christ. In one of Paul’s teachings to the Corinthians, he invited them to be his followers as he himself was a follower of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 11:1). This is a sincere and valid invitation from Paul’s time until today: to be a follower of Christ. I began to reflect on what it means to become a follower of Christ. And more important, I began to ask, “In what way should I imitate Him?” To be a follower of Christ is to strive to conform our actions, conduct, and lives to those of the Savior. It is to acquire virtues. It is to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ. I have studied some aspects of the Savior’s life, and I have retained, as part of my message today, four of His qualities that I try to imitate and that I share with you. The first quality of the Savior is humility. Jesus Christ was very humble from the premortal life. At the Council in Heaven, He recognized and allowed the will of God to prevail in the plan of salvation for mankind. He said, “Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever” (Moses 4:2). We know that Jesus Christ taught humility and humbled Himself to glorify His Father. Let us live in humility because it brings peace (see Doctrine and Covenants 19:23). Humility precedes glory, and it brings God’s favor upon us: “Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). Humility brings gentle answers. It is the source of a righteous character. Elder Dale G. Renlund taught: “Individuals who walk humbly with God remember what Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have done for them.” “We act honorably with God by walking humbly with Him” (“Do Justly, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly with God,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 111, 109). The second quality of the Savior is courage. When I think of Jesus Christ at the age of 12, sitting in the temple of God among the doctors of the law and teaching them divine things, I note that He already had, very early in His life, a good sense of courage, a particular courage. While most would expect to see the young boy being taught by the doctors of the law, He was teaching them as “they were hearing him, and asking him questions” (Joseph Smith Translation, Luke 2:46). We served a full-time mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Mbuji-Mayi Mission from 2016 to 2019. The way to travel in the mission from one zone to another was by road. A phenomenon had arisen in that area with bandits armed with bladed weapons breaking onto the road and disturbing the movement of travelers. Five missionaries traveling from one zone to another as part of the transfer were victims of these disturbances. Having been victims of this phenomenon ourselves sometimes before, we began to fear for the lives and safety of all of us, even hesitating to travel on these roads to visit the missionaries and hold zone conferences. We did not know how long it was going to last. I drew up a report, which I sent to the Area Presidency, and I expressed my feelings of fear about continuing to travel when the road was the only way to reach our missionaries. In his reply, Elder Kevin Hamilton, who was our President of the Africa Southeast Area, wrote to me: “My counsel is to do the best you can. Be wise and be prayerful. Do not knowingly put yourselves or your missionaries in harm’s way, but at the same time go forward in faith. ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind’ (2 Timothy 1:7).” This exhortation greatly strengthened us and allowed us to continue to travel and serve with courage until the end of our mission, because we heard direction from our Father in Heaven through that scripture. In modern scripture, we read the inspired words of the Prophet Joseph Smith reflecting the Lord’s encouragement to us: “Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory!” (Doctrine and Covenants 128:22). Let us have the courage to do what is right even when it is unpopular—the courage to defend our faith and to act by faith. Let us have the courage to repent daily, the courage to accept God’s will and obey His commandments. Let us have the courage to live righteously and to do what is expected of us in our various responsibilities and positions. The third quality of the Savior is forgiveness. During His mortal ministry, the Savior prevented a woman who had been taken in adultery from being stoned. He charged her to “go, and sin no more” (John 8:11). This moved her toward repentance and eventual forgiveness, for as the scriptures record, “the woman glorified God from that hour, and believed on his name” (Joseph Smith Translation, John 8:11). During a Christmas devotional in December 2018, our dear President Russell M. Nelson spoke about four gifts we have received from the Savior. He said that one gift the Savior offers is the ability to forgive: “Through His infinite Atonement, you can forgive those who have hurt you and who may never accept responsibility for their cruelty to you. “It is usually easy to forgive one who sincerely and humbly seeks your forgiveness. But the Savior will grant you the ability to forgive anyone who has mistreated you in any way” (“Four Gifts That Jesus Christ Offers to You”, broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Let us sincerely forgive each other to obtain the forgiveness of the Father. Forgiveness sets us free and makes us worthy to partake of the sacrament every Sunday. Forgiveness is required for us to be truly disciples of Jesus Christ. The fourth quality of the Savior is sacrifice. It is part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Savior gave the supreme sacrifice of His life for us so that we would be redeemed. Feeling the pain of sacrifice, He asked His Father to keep the cup away, but He went to the end of the eternal sacrifice. This is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. President M. Russell Ballard taught this: “Sacrifice isdemonstration of pure love. The degree of our love for the Lord, for the gospel, and for our fellowman can be measured by what we are willing to sacrifice for them” (“The Blessings of Sacrifice,” Ensign, May 1992, 76). We can sacrifice our time to perform ministering, to serve others, to do good, to do family history work, and to magnify our Church calling. We can give of our financial means by paying tithing, fast offerings, and other donations to build the kingdom of God on earth. We need sacrifice to keep the covenants we have made with the Savior. My prayer is that by following Jesus Christ and drawing upon the blessings of His Atonement, we become more and more humble, we are more courageous, we forgive more and more, and we sacrifice more for His kingdom. I testify that our Heavenly Father lives and that He knows each of us individually, that Jesus is the Christ, that President Russell M. Nelson is God’s prophet today. I testify that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God on earth and the Book of Mormon is true. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, amen.

Disciple (Christianity) – Wikipedia

1. This is not to be confused with the title Apostle.
2. In Christianity, the term ″disciple″ refers to a person who is devoted to following Jesus.
3. This phrase appears exclusively in the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament.
4. In the ancient world, a disciple is someone who follows or adheres to the teachings of a teacher.
5. The experience is not comparable to that of being a student in the current sense.

During the ancient biblical period, a disciple was one who actively emulated both the life and the teachings of his or her teacher.It was a purposeful apprenticeship that resulted in the fully developed student becoming a living replica of his or her teacher.During Jesus’ time, the New Testament mentions a large number of disciples of Jesus.After the resurrection of Jesus and the giving of the Great Commission, some disciples were appointed to missions, such as the Little Commission, the commission of the seventy in Luke’s Gospel, the Great Commission after Jesus’ ascension, or Paul’s conversion, which elevated them to the status of apostles and charged them with proclaiming the gospel (the Good News) throughout the world.Jesus made it clear that being one of his followers would be difficult and costly.

Background of the term

1. When we say ″disciple,″ we are referring to the Koine Greek word mathtas (), which means ″one who engages in learning through instruction from another″ or, in religious contexts like the Bible, ″one who is rather constantly associated with someone who has a pedagogical reputation or a particular set of views, disciple, adherent,″ respectively.
2. Despite the fact that the word ″disciple″ comes to us from the Latin discipulus, which means ″learner,″ it should not be confused with the more popular English word ″student,″ which has its origins in the Bible.
3. A disciple is distinct from an apostle, who is defined as ″messengers with extraordinary status, especially of God’s message, envoy,″ and more explicitly as ″messengers with extraordinary status, especially of God’s messenger, envoy.″ However, it is most frequently used in the New Testament to refer to ″a group of highly valued Christians who have a specific duty as God’s emissaries.″ Although an apostle is a missionary dispatched to preach the gospel and build new communities of believers, a disciple is someone who learns from and apprentices under the guidance of a teacher or rabbi.
4. Not surprisingly, the meaning of the term ″disciple″ is drawn mostly from its root meaning and etymology, rather than from its extensive use in the ancient world.
5. Disciples may be found all across the globe, not only in the Bible.

To provide an example, among the ancient Greek philosophers, followers learnt by copying their teacher’s complete manner of life, rather than only by recalling his or her spoken words.For example, Seneca, a first-century philosopher, calls attention to the ″alive voice and closeness of common existence″ that exists in the disciple–teacher connection amongst a variety of thinkers.Cleanthes could not have been the exact representation of Zeno if he had only listened to his lectures; he had to have participated in his life, seen into his secret motives, and observed him to see if he followed his own principles.Plato, Aristotle, and the entire throng of sages, all of whom were destined to go their own separate ways, got more benefit from Socrates’ character than they did from the teachings of the philosopher.In the world of the Bible, a disciple was a person who followed a teacher, rabbi, master, or philosopher as their leader or disciple.

1. Rather than simply learning the teachings of the rabbi, the disciple was interested in replicating the practical elements of their life.
2. A disciple was expected to do more than just listen to lectures and study books; they were also expected to engage with and mimic a real-life person.
3. A disciple would physically follow someone in the hopes of one day becoming what that person is or has been.
4. In Christianity, a disciple is a believer who follows Christ and then gives his or her own imitation of Christ as an example for others to emulate (1 Corinthians 11:1).
5. A disciple is first and foremost a believer who has demonstrated faith (Acts 2:38).

1. In other words, they have gone through a conversion experience, placed Jesus at the center of their lives, and participated in ceremonies of imitation of the Christian faith.
2. Unfinished discipleship includes the role of a leader in the community, who seeks to pass on his or her faith to others, with the ultimate objective of repeating this process.
3. (2 Timothy 2:2); (1 Corinthians 4:16-17; 2 Timothy 2:2).
4. A unique type of leadership succession that takes place through discipleship is referred to as apostolic succession.

Great crowd and the seventy

1. Furthermore, there is a considerably broader group of persons listed as disciples in the Sermon on the Plain section that are not included among the original Twelve Apostles (verses 1–12).
2. Aside from that, seventy-two (or seventy-two, depending on the source cited) individuals are dispatched in pairs to pave the way for Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem (Luke 10).
3. They are also referred to as the ″Seventy″ or the ″Seventy Disciples″ in other instances.
4. They are to consume whatever food is provided to them, heal the sick, and spread the message that the Kingdom of God is on its way.

Undesirables

During his public ministry, Jesus practiced open table fellowship, scandalizing his detractors by dining with sinners, tax collectors, and women.

Sinners and tax collectors

1. The term ″sinners and tax collectors″ is used throughout the gospels to describe the people with whom he associated.
2. In the first century, sinners were Jews who disobeyed purity laws, or more generally any of the 613 mitzvot, or potentially Gentiles who violated Noahide Law, though halacha was still in debate at the time (see also Hillel and Shammai and the Circumcision controversy in early Christianity).
3. Those in charge of collecting taxes benefited from the Roman economic system that the Romans enforced in Iudaea province, which was displacing Galileans in their own country by foreclosing on family lands and selling them to absentee landlords.
4. As such, such behavior was considered inappropriate in the honor-based society of the historical period.

Samaritans

Samaritans, who lived in the region between Jesus’ hometown of Galilee and Jerusalem’s Judea, were hostile to Jews on both sides of the border. According to the Gospels of Luke and John, Jesus expands his mission to the Samaritans.

Women who followed Jesus

Luke (10:38–42) depicts a contrast between Mary and her younger sister Martha, who was ″burdened with many things″ when Jesus was their guest, but Mary had chosen ″the better part,″ which was to sit and listen to the master’s speech.She is referred to in the Bible as ″the one who anointed the Lord with scented oil and dried his feet with her hair,″ according to John (11:2).In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus’ feet are anointed by an anonymous ″sinner″ who enters the house of a Pharisee.Luke mentions a number of persons who were with Jesus and the twelve at the time of his death.He singles out three ladies from among them: ″Mary, known as Magdalene, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, among many others, who supplied for them out of their own resources″ (Luke 8:2-3).

1. In Luke’s account of the resurrection, Mary Magdalene and Joanna are among the women who went to prepare Jesus’ corpse, and who subsequently informed the apostles and other disciples about the empty tomb and the words of the ″two men in dazzling clothing.″ Within the group of disciples who did not belong to the Twelve, Mary Magdalene has become the most well-known.
2. More is said about Mary in the gospels than about any of the other female disciples combined.
3. In addition, there is a substantial corpus of lore and literature devoted to her.
4. Other gospel writers disagree in their accounts of which women see the crucifixion and which ladies witness the resurrection of Jesus.

1. As part of the crucifixion scene, Mark includes Mary the mother of James, as well as Salome (not to be confused with Salome the daughter of Herodias).
2. Salome is also present during the tomb scene.
3. Mary, the wife of Clopas, is present during the crucifixion, according to John.
4. Tabitha (Dorcas) is the only female follower of Jesus who is specifically mentioned in the New Testament and is referred to be a disciple.

Cleopas and companion on the road to Emmaus

In Emmaus, Jesus is seen with two of his followers.Cleopas is one of the two disciples to whom the resurrected Lord appears at Emmaus, according to the Gospel of Luke (Luke 24:18).A disciple of Jesus called Cleopas is going from Jerusalem to Emmaus on the day of Jesus’ resurrection, with another disciple who has not been identified.A man approached Cleopas and his companion while they were recounting the events of the previous few days and inquired as to what they were talking about.Cleopas and his companion had invited the stranger to join them for dinner that evening.

1. Prior to his disappearance, the stranger is revealed as the resurrected Jesus, who blesses and breaks the bread with the congregation.
2. In order to deliver the news to the other disciples, Cleopas and his companion traveled to Jerusalem where they discovered that Jesus had shown there as well and that he would do so again.
3. The episode has no equivalent in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, or John.

Discipleship

″Love one another″

According to Jesus’ self-referential example from the Gospel of John 13:34-35, a definition of a disciple may be derived: ″I offer you a new commandment, which is to love one another as I love you.You should love one another in the same way that I have loved each of you.The fact that you are loving one another will be recognized by everybody as evidence of your discipleship.″ (NRSV) Detailed definitions by Jesus are given in Chapter 14 of the Gospel of Luke (see below).Beginning with a testing trap set up by his adversaries regarding the observance of the Jewish Sabbath, Jesus takes advantage of the opportunity to expose the flaws in his adversaries’ religiosity in comparison to his own teaching by making a litany of shocking comparisons between various apparent socio-political and socio-economic realities and the meaning of being his disciple.

″Be transformed″

Throughout the canonical gospels, Acts, and the Pauline epistles, the disciples are exhorted to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ or to be like God himself.Being imitators necessitates obedience, which is demonstrated via moral action.On the basis of this scriptural foundation, Christian theology teaches that discipleship requires transformation from one’s own worldview and manner of life into that of Jesus Christ, and so, through the lens of Trinitarian theology, into the image of God himself.When writing that disciples must ″not be conformed to this world,″ Paul the Apostle emphasized the importance of transformation as a prerequisite for discipleship.He wrote that disciples must ″not be conformed to this world,″ but must ″be transformed by the renewing of minds″ in order to ″discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.″ As a result, a disciple is more than just a collector of knowledge or someone who only alters moral conduct to correspond to the teachings of Jesus Christ; rather, a disciple seeks a fundamental shift toward the ethics of Jesus Christ in every aspect, including entire devotion to God.

1. The process of becoming a disciple is referred to as the Imitation of Christ in a number of different Christian traditions.
2. According to the Pauline epistles, ″be imitators of God″ (Ephesians 5:1) and ″be imitators of me, as I am of Christ″ (Colossians 3:18) are examples of this principle (1 Corinthians 11:1).
3. The Imitation of Christ, written by Thomas à Kempis in the 14th century, helped to popularize this notion.

The Great Commission

The practice of proselytism, or the process of bringing in new disciples, is widespread across Christianity.″Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,″ Jesus says to his first followers, Simon, Peter, and Andrew, at the outset of his career in Matthew, as he calls them to be his disciples (Matthew 4:19).Later, at the culmination of Jesus’ public ministry, he institutes the Great Commission, commanding those present to ″go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you″ (Matthew 28:19-20a).

Family and wealth

Jesus urged on his followers to give up their possessions and connections to their families.Considering that family was the root of one’s identity in his society, renunciating it would be equivalent to being essentially nobody.For example, in Luke 9:58–62, Jesus used a hyperbolic metaphor to emphasize the importance of this, and another example can be found in Luke 14:26, which states, ″If anyone comes to me who does not hate his or her father or mother or wife or children or brothers or sisters or even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.″ There are a variety of readings of this passage when it comes to calculating the cost of discipleship.

Discipleship Movement

When the ″Discipleship Movement″ (also known as the ″Shepherding Movement″) first emerged in the 1970s and early 1980s, it was a powerful and contentious movement among some churches in the United Kingdom and the United States.According to the movement’s ideology, the New Testament’s ″one another″ passages and the mentoring connection specified by the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 2:12 of the Holy Bible were both important considerations.A major source of controversy was the fact that it established a reputation for controlling and abusive conduct, with a strong emphasis placed on the value of loyalty to one’s own shepherd.Although the movement was eventually condemned by some of its founders, some elements of it continue to exist today in a modified form.

Radical discipleship

Fundamentalist Christianity has been replaced by radical discipleship, which is an emerging trend in practical theology that has sprung from a desire to follow the actual teachings of Jesus and a dissatisfaction with mainstream Christianity.Christians who consider themselves radical, such a