What does it mean to be a true follower of Christ?
Does it mean to go to Church every Sunday? To read your Bible now and then? That if you were baptized everything is fine and you don’t have to do anything else?
What does being a true follower mean to you?
Mark 8:34 – And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Surface Christianity is not a true following of Christ. In your heart and your mind, if you have a true love for our Savior, you should pick up your cross daily to follow Him. Jesus should be a part of your life, not just on Sunday. We should be in the word, be living it, showing it to others, and following Christ. Unfortunately, with all the distractions of everyday life, this is becoming less and less.
John 12:26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
It starts with our hearts, with our free will, we must make that decision. As humans though our automatic decision in our hearts is to choose ourselves first. What can I do for me? Me, me, me. The heart can defy us and make us think negative or sinful things.
Matthew 15:19 Jesus said, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.”
God gave us free will to choose Him. To be a true follower, we must choose Him every day. Serving Him and following Him is all a part of that. We are to be His light that shines every day.
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Are you truly living with Christ in your life? Or are you going through the motions? It’s easy to say that we are just too busy, or you can do something later. But Jesus showed us the way. He wanted us to follow Him, pray to the Father, know the word, and share it with others.
God calls to us every day, we must take up our cross daily and show the world His amazing love. Move beyond surface Christianity and what we think will make US look better. It’s not about us…. It’s about Him.