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Response
In the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), Jesus’ directive to “follow me” is frequently mentioned (e.g., Matthew 8:22; Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27; John 1:43). On many occasions, Jesus was summoning the twelve men who would later become His disciples (Matthew 10:3-4). However, at other times, He was addressing anyone interested in what He had to offer (John 3:16; Mark 8:34).
In Matthew 10:34–39, Jesus clearly explained the implications of following Him. He declared, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ Whoever loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; whoever loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever tries to hold on to their life will lose it, and whoever is willing to give up their life for my sake will find it.”
Jesus’ reference to a “sword” and causing division within families may appear severe when compared to phrases like “whoever believes in Him shall not perish” «For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. », (John 3:16). Nevertheless, Jesus never diluted the truth, and the reality is that following Him involves challenging decisions. At times, the option to turn back may seem very tempting. When Jesus’ teachings are fully embraced, they lead to a transformation that impacts every aspect of life.From the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-11) to the approaching cross, many who had followed Jesus turned away. “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” (John 6:66). Even the disciples decided that following Jesus was too challenging the night He was arrested. Each of them deserted Him (Matthew 26:56; Mark 14:50). On that night, following Christ meant facing possible arrest and execution. Instead of risking his own life, Peter denied that he even knew Jesus three times (Matthew 26:69-75).
Truly following Christ means He has become our everything. Everyone follows something: friends, popular culture, family, selfish desires, or God. We can only follow one thing at a time. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24). God commands us to have no other gods before Him (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7; Mark 12:30). To truly follow Christ means we do not follow anything else. Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” There is no such thing as a “halfway disciple.” As the disciples demonstrated, no one can follow Christ by the strength of their own willpower. The Pharisees were good examples of those who tried to obey God in their own strength. Their self-effort led only to arrogance and a distortion of the whole purpose of God’s Law.
Jesus gave His disciples the secret to faithfully following Him, but they did not recognize it at the time. He said, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing” «It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. », (John 6:63). And “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them” (verse 65). The disciples had walked with Jesus for three years, learning, observing, and participating in His miracles. Yet, even they could not follow Him faithfully in their own strength. They needed a Helper.
Jesus promised many times that, once He had ascended to the Father, He would send a “Helper” to them—the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; John 15:26). In fact, He told them that it was for their good that He was going away so that the Holy Spirit could come «Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. », (John 16:7). The Holy Spirit indwells the heart of every believer (Galatians 2:20; Romans 8:16; Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 28:20). Jesus warned His followers that they were not to begin testifying of Him “until you have been clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4). When the Holy Spirit came upon those first believers at Pentecost, they suddenly had all the power they needed toFollow Christ, even unto death if necessary (Acts 2:1-4; 4:31; 7:59-60).
Following Jesus means striving to emulate Him. He consistently obeyed His Father, and that is what we aim to do (John 8:29; John 15:10). Truly following Christ entails making Him the ultimate authority. This is what it means to acknowledge Jesus as the Lord of our lives (Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 2 Corinthians 4:5). Every decision and aspiration is evaluated through His Word with the objective of bringing Him glory in all things, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31). We are not justified by our actions for Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9), but by what He has accomplished for us. Through His grace, we desire to honor Him in all aspects of life. This is achieved as we yield complete control of every area of our lives to the Holy Spirit, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” (Ephesians 5:18). The Spirit interprets the Scriptures, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14), bestows spiritual gifts upon us (1 Corinthians 12:4-11), and provides comfort, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter,…”
that he may abide with you forever; », (John 14:16), and guides us «But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. », (John 14:26). To follow Christ means we apply the truths we learn from His Word and live as if Jesus walked beside us in person.
