Most people thought that following Christ is as easy as they are only saying it. It requires action and what we believe must be applied in our daily living.
Christians are the living witnesses, working out their faith and the light of what they believe must be visible in whatever they do, daily life testimony. To follow Jesus is to deny yourself.
Below Bible verse will teach us on how to follow Jesus, it is the first thing we must overcome to be able to follow Jesus fully.
Mark 8:34-38 KJV
34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
36–37 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Jesus teaches how to follow Him and why (Mark 9:1).
And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
Mark 9:1
To follow Jesus is not just simply saying it or just like following someone’s profile in the social media, it is not that easy and it requires time and effort for us to endure it. Jesus used the image of carrying a cross to illustrate the ultimate submission required of His followers.
Jesus was speaking about our full effort needed to follow Him every moment and everyday, to do his will even when the work is difficult and no immediate rewards are in sight.
Self-denial was not taught by Jesus as a goal in and the end of itself. He doesn’t want us to be miserable for the purpose of being a follower.
In order to experience life and provide true life and hope to others, we renounce the qualities of the ego that lead to death—selfishness, cruelty, and apathy.
Taking up your cross will necessitate sacrifice and possibly pain, but it will result in a life filled with a newfound respect for Jesus and service to others.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
Mark 8:35
We should be willing to lose our lives for the sake of the Good News, not because our lives are useless, but because nothing—not even life itself—can compare to what we gain when we follow Jesus.
Jesus wants us to choose to follow him rather than to lead lives of sin and self-satisfaction. He wants us to stop trying to control our own destinies and to let him direct us.
As the Creator, Jesus knows better than we do what real life is about. He asks for submission, not self-hatred; he asks us only to lose our self-centered determination to be in charge.
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Mark 8:36-37
Many people devote their entire lives to seeking pleasure. Worldliness, on the other hand, is ultimately meaningless, according to Jesus. It is concentrated on riches, position, or power.
Whatever you have on this planet is only transient; your soul cannot be exchanged for it. If you work hard to achieve what you desire, your life may appear to be fulfilling at first, but it will soon become hollow and empty.
Are you willing to choose the pursuit of God over the pursuit of pleasure for the sake of pleasure? Follow Jesus, you will learn what it means to live abundantly now and in the future.
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Mark 8:38
With speaking of first and last, saving and losing, Jesus continuously turned the world’s worldview upside down.
He gave us a choice: we could reject Jesus now and be rejected by Him when He returns, or we could accept him now and be accepted by him when he returns.
Rejecting him may temporarily alleviate our shame, but it will ensure an eternity of shame in the future.
While you still have time, deny yourself and follow Jesus truly.