Becoming a Follower of Jesus
Becoming a Follower of Jesus
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
What does it mean to be a “follower of Jesus”?
There is only one Biblical answer. To follow Jesus is to do life Jesus’s way. It means we surrender control (our plans, dreams, ideas of what life should be), and instead, choose to live in obedience to God’s Word.
In the beginning, God created the world, and it was perfect (Genesis 1). He made humans to enjoy the earth and be His image-bearers, that is to represent Him and to love like Him.
Instead, humanity chose to do life their own way, without regard for God (Genesis 3).
Because of this disobedience, which we call sin, humanity was separated from God, and destined to die. Since God is Holy and perfect, He cannot be in the presence of sin and evil. And whenever humans chose their own way over God’s and at the expense of others, they are perpetuating that evil.
Not only did Adam and Eve sin in the garden, but each one of us has chosen sin in our own lives (Romans 3:10). Whenever we chose something over God, and live in disobedience to His Word, we sin.
Because of this each one of us deserves judgment, and to be separated from God forever.
But God so loved that He sent His Son Jesus, to die in our place. He paid the price for our sin, died on a cross, and rose again. And now all who believe in Him can have eternal life, forgiveness, and a renewed relationship with God.
In the beginning, God created the world, and it was perfect (Genesis 1). He made humans to enjoy the earth and be His image-bearers, that is to represent Him and to love like Him.
Instead, humanity chose to do life their own way, without regard for God (Genesis 3).
Because of this disobedience, which we call sin, humanity was separated from God, and destined to die. Since God is Holy and perfect, He cannot be in the presence of sin and evil. And whenever humans chose their own way over God’s and at the expense of others, they are perpetuating that evil.
Not only did Adam and Eve sin in the garden, but each one of us has chosen sin in our own lives (Romans 3:10). Whenever we chose something over God, and live in disobedience to His Word, we sin.
Because of this each one of us deserves judgment, and to be separated from God forever.
But God so loved that He sent His Son Jesus, to die in our place. He paid the price for our sin, died on a cross, and rose again. And now all who believe in Him can have eternal life, forgiveness, and a renewed relationship with God.
What does “following Jesus” look like?
The Bible is also clear about that.
Romans 10:9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
In Romans, the Bible says we must “declared Jesus is Lord”. This means we are deciding to obey Jesus. By saying He is Lord, we are saying He is the one who gets to set the rules. We decide to stop just doing whatever feels good to us, and instead, seek to live in submission to Jesus’s authority. This is called repentance.
We also choose to place our faith and trust in Jesus’s finished work on the cross, believing it paid the price for us to be forgiven. This is why we are eternally grateful and in love with God, for while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
Romans 10:9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
In Romans, the Bible says we must “declared Jesus is Lord”. This means we are deciding to obey Jesus. By saying He is Lord, we are saying He is the one who gets to set the rules. We decide to stop just doing whatever feels good to us, and instead, seek to live in submission to Jesus’s authority. This is called repentance.
We also choose to place our faith and trust in Jesus’s finished work on the cross, believing it paid the price for us to be forgiven. This is why we are eternally grateful and in love with God, for while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
How Do I Start?
When we are convinced of our own sin, and desire to repent and leave that lifestyle behind to submit to God’s way, we only need go to Jesus in prayer and tell Him as such. He did all the work, the price is paid in full. All’s that is required on our part is sincere faith (Ephesians 2:8).
At that exact moment, we are saved, and the Holy Spirit comes into us to empower us in the process of living out a Holy life.
If you recently made this decision or would like to, please let us know so we can celebrate with you. God created the church for that exact purpose, to connect followers of Christ so they can help build each other up. We would love to connect with you and help you on this exciting new journey!
At that exact moment, we are saved, and the Holy Spirit comes into us to empower us in the process of living out a Holy life.
If you recently made this decision or would like to, please let us know so we can celebrate with you. God created the church for that exact purpose, to connect followers of Christ so they can help build each other up. We would love to connect with you and help you on this exciting new journey!
Posted in Next Steps