In today’s society, Christians are too focused on how they can make the Word of God fit the world’s paradigm and the social constructs that are present today. Christians have failed to realize the true meaning behind the Scripture and in doing so, have forced the image of Jesus Christ into a mold completely bizarre in comparison to His true form. Plus, they have become so focused on religion and how it can change to benefit the world that they have lost sight on what it truly means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
This mentality that they have adopted has led them away from Christ. Christians today have made making Jesus a savior that loves and accepts all, a savior who doesn’t care about any of your sins, who only wants you to prosper in earthly materials, their top priority. This is not only wrong, but also demeaning to our Lord God. This belief is a false doctrine that has spread through the United States, among other countries, like a disease. Look at what Paul instructed the early Christians living in Rome and his student Timothy.
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“Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching, which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” Romans 16: 17-18
"For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions." 2 Timothy 4:3
We need to be more than Christians; we need to be true followers of Jesus Christ. No more twisting the Holy Word of God to fit mainstream beliefs. The Bible wasn’t written to be politically correct, it was meant to be a written path to Christ and a weapon for His use. Homosexuality is sinful, paganism is sinful, false idols are sinful, using offertory money to live in luxury is sinful, and Jesus Christ despises every bit of it.
The first step to becoming a true follower of Christ is spending time in prayer, asking Him to be your Lord and Savior. This is where many Christians stop their journey. You absolutely must continue on your journey with Christ if you ever want to be a true follower of His. The first step for Peter and Andrew was stepping out of the boat and leaving their father behind, the second was spending all of their time with Jesus. If you want to be a true follower you too must dedicate your whole life to Jesus.
Being a Christian means you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior. Being a follower of Christ means your life is dedicated to serving Him. You are more than just a believer of Christ, you are a disciple, a warrior ready to be used by God in the greatest battle in the history of the universe, the battle between ultimate good and ultimate evil. God can’t use you if you stop at step one, because you will never be ready for battle. If you pledge allegiance to the King of Kings, but never train for battle, you will never know what it means to be a warrior, a follower of Christ.
That is the difference between only being a Christian and being both a Christian and a follower of Christ. Christians that aren’t true followers stop trying after they have pledged allegiance. True followers of Jesus Christ spend their lives training for battle, by spending time in the Word, in prayer and in discipleship with fellow believers. If you do prepare yourself for battle, the Lord God will use you in truly amazing ways. If you don’t prepare yourself, and spend your life trying to please the world, you will never know the feeling of being a warrior for Christ and you will never know how it feels to hear Jesus Christ call you a “good and faithful servant.”
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Matthew 16:24
