BELIEVERS AND DISCIPLES 7

And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:27 KJV)

What does it mean to follow Jesus? Luke 9:23 in the Amplified version paraphrased it thus: “cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also”

Dictionary defines “follow” as to go after, to pursue or move behind in the same path or direction. It means to keep watch or track of, to walk in a course, to attend closely.

From the Scripture verse above, we will note that bearing our crosses should ultimately lead to following​ Jesus for us to be fully qualified as disciples.

To be a follower of Jesus is to relinquish the driver's seat of our lives to Him. To be His follower means to be led by Him (Romans 8:14). When one is yoked to Jesus, you will ultimately go wherever He goes and stop wherever He stops. This is contrary to our nature and most difficult (humanly speaking), to do. One major reason why man (unregenerated) finds this most difficult is nothing more than the lack of understanding that humanity is lost. Many Christians will yet struggle with this truth because they have no idea of how completely lost and helpless man is. The ‘degree of lost-ness’ is yet unclear to many Christians. Many are yet strong in themselves even in their search for God. Any man who by the mercies of God has gotten a glimpse into that ‘degree of lost-ness’ will readily receive His leading. Such a man will know that if he does not follow Jesus closely he many never be able to find his way back to the everlasting arms of God the Father.

Jesus said “I am the Way… no man cometh unto the Father but by me.’ Are you following the Way?

Finally, I challenge you all who are believers not to fall short of the fullness of God's glory in not pursuing this call of God upon our lives. The call to be His disciples.