Accept Him or Following Him?
"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." – Luke 9:23
There is a difference between accepting Jesus and actually following Him. We live in a culture that’s gotten pretty comfortable with the idea of “believing in God” without ever truly submitting to Him. You can ask a room full of people if they believe in Jesus, and most hands will go up. But ask how many are actively following Him, living like He’s Lord and not just Savior, and the room gets a lot quieter.
Accepting Christ is the starting line, not the finish line. Salvation is not the end of your faith; it’s the beginning of a surrendered life. When Jesus said “Follow me,” He never meant from a distance. He meant step in, carry your cross, and walk with Him daily, not just when it’s easy, not just on Sunday, and not just when you feel inspired.
Too many believers stay stuck because they’ve made a decision for Jesus, but not a lifestyle of obedience. They wear the label but never step into the life He’s offering. But the truth is, that should wake us up a bit. Following Jesus is not about comfort or convenience. It's about commitment. It’s about surrendering your desires for His will and trusting that what He calls you to will always be better than anything you could come up with on your own.
If your relationship with Jesus hasn’t changed your priorities, your actions, or your daily life, you’ve got to ask yourself, “Am I actually following Him?” Because Jesus didn’t come just to be added to your life. He came to transform it. And He doesn't want a part of you. He wants all of you.
He already gave everything for you. The question is, have you decided to give everything to Him? Not just your eternity, but your present. Not just your belief, but your obedience. Jesus is not looking for fans. He’s looking for followers. You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to be willing.
There is a difference between accepting Jesus and actually following Him. We live in a culture that’s gotten pretty comfortable with the idea of “believing in God” without ever truly submitting to Him. You can ask a room full of people if they believe in Jesus, and most hands will go up. But ask how many are actively following Him, living like He’s Lord and not just Savior, and the room gets a lot quieter.
Accepting Christ is the starting line, not the finish line. Salvation is not the end of your faith; it’s the beginning of a surrendered life. When Jesus said “Follow me,” He never meant from a distance. He meant step in, carry your cross, and walk with Him daily, not just when it’s easy, not just on Sunday, and not just when you feel inspired.
Too many believers stay stuck because they’ve made a decision for Jesus, but not a lifestyle of obedience. They wear the label but never step into the life He’s offering. But the truth is, that should wake us up a bit. Following Jesus is not about comfort or convenience. It's about commitment. It’s about surrendering your desires for His will and trusting that what He calls you to will always be better than anything you could come up with on your own.
If your relationship with Jesus hasn’t changed your priorities, your actions, or your daily life, you’ve got to ask yourself, “Am I actually following Him?” Because Jesus didn’t come just to be added to your life. He came to transform it. And He doesn't want a part of you. He wants all of you.
He already gave everything for you. The question is, have you decided to give everything to Him? Not just your eternity, but your present. Not just your belief, but your obedience. Jesus is not looking for fans. He’s looking for followers. You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to be willing.
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2 Comments
Yes. I absolutely accept His grace. But no I am not perfect. It started off as obedience. I wrestled with it a little bit. I have also found that even when I am trying my very best I fall short. I think it’s Roman’s that says I do what I do not want to do and what I want to do I do not do. I am compelled by the grace of Jesus Christ to do better. Even in the past year I was trying to do better out of fear of losing Him. It didn’t work. He never left me. He died for my sins. While I am free to do anything not everything is constructive. I was following some people for the past couple years and slowly I started to take on their way of thinking. I developed an old way of thinking i used to have before I knew Jesus. A life of grace dependent on works and performance. It’s not punishment that changes people. It’s the love of Jesus Christ. Through His death on the cross and also His resurrection with the Holy Spirit sealing me. I’ve been experiencing this much more vividly lately and I don’t want to let any doubt hold weight in my mind that tells me anything different. For me the trick is to have self honesty. To get an accurate picture of just how far I am from the perfection that God requires. That same distance that is covered by the sacrifice my Lord Jesus Christ made for me. I too am convinced that nothing in heaven or earth can separate me from the love of God. And for that I am grateful. And without it i am screwed.
"He already gave everything for you. The question is, have you decided to give everything to Him?" Powerful statement. From CJ's comment "And without it i am screwed. " Also a powerful statement! Thank you God for Pastor Ed and CBC, and CJ too!