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What It Means to Follow Christ

Observe Christ's Command:

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

-Matthew 4:19, KJV


One of the most frightening thoughts that many people in the faith have is the fear that they will have to forsake everything and everyone they once loved and enjoyed in their life to follow Christ sincerely. This thought has frightened many in such a way that they have decided to settle with the basic principles of the faith so that they can profess Christ and continue to live their lives in a way that is convenient for them. They want the benefits of Christ as their Savior, but they also want to save their lives for themselves.


Jesus states in Matthew 16:24-25, “…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”(KJV). Jesus says that if people try to save their lives, they will lose them, but if they lose their lives for His sake, they shall indeed find them.


It is impossible to live a righteous life outside of Christ. Romans 6:23 states, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Eternal life will be found by forsaking sinful desires and actions in life.


Christ says if one is not willing to lose their life for Him, they are not worthy of Him: “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:38). Not only will one not be worthy of Him, but He also says he or she cannot be His disciple if they do not follow Him: “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27). For Christ to be the mediator that reconciles one to a holy God, following after Him by being obedient to God’s commands as He did is not an option.


Of course, man cannot obey God as perfectly as He did; however, it is not an excuse for man not to strive to, knowing that His blood covers their shortcomings as long as they continue to abide in Him. In Luke 13:34, Christ says to strive to enter at the narrow gate: “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” He is saying just try and make great efforts to enter through the narrow gate. Sadly, many will not enter through the narrow gate because of their lack of consistently striving to obey God’s instructions.


There are conditions to inheriting the Kingdom of God. There is no way around not walking as Christ did by striving obey God’s instructions.


For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matthew 16:26, KJV


*All Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version.


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