what does-it-take-to-follow-christ

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO FOLLOWCHRIST?

TThis is an importantquestion in a day whenmost people seem to believe

in God on their own terms. Howmany of us would be countedamong the small band of formerfisherman, public enemies, andprostitutes who followed Jesus?Has our democratic attitudeabout personal rights, life, andgovernment affected the way wethink about authority, obedience,submission, and the lordship ofChrist?

Herb Vander Lugt and Kurt De Haan have written thisbooklet to call us back to anattitude toward Christ that all too often has been forgotten. Wepray that this study will renewand deepen your desire to followour Lord and Leader.

Martin R. De Haan II

Managing Editor: David Sper Cover Photo: J. C. Leacock/Adventure Photo & FilmScripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by ThomasNelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.© 1992,1997,2002 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan Printed in USA

CONTENTS

Solo Or Symphony? . . . . 2

What Does Christ Want From Us? . . . . . . . 4

1. Dependence . . . . . . . 5

2. Risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

3. Loyalty . . . . . . . . . . . 18

4. Imitation . . . . . . . . . 23

Encore! . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

© RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.

SOLO ORSYMPHONY?

AAs the auditorium lightsdimmed and thecurtain began to

rise, the concertgoers endedtheir conversations andturned their attention to thestage. The conductor strodeto the podium and bowedin response to enthusiasticapplause.

Then the conductorturned to face the orchestra.He raised his baton andbegan the concert with adramatic gesture. Whatfollowed was one of thestrangest concertsimaginable.

After the harmonious first minutes, only a fewmusicians continued tofollow the conductor’s lead.The others seemed to playonly when they felt like it,or they played a completelydifferent tune. A violinistsauntered out in front and

tried to perform a piece he had written himself. Atrombonist broke into a jazznumber. Chaos reigned. The audience sat for severalminutes in stunned silence,then walked out in disbelief.

Fortunately, the situationdescribed above is fictitious.Skilled musicians who agreeto play in an orchestrasimply do not behave thatway. They sign on with theagreement that they willfollow the conductor’s lead. They are part of asymphony, not soloists whojust happened to be playingat the same time.

Unfortunately, we whohave declared ourselves tobe followers of Christ canbehave as the members ofthat imaginary orchestradid. We may not like tothink so, but we all have atendency to want to directour own lives. We tend tofocus on self-survival andself-promotion, and wethink we are wise enough

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and strong enough to takecare of ourselves. Our goalstake on greater importanceand urgency than God’sgoals for us. And again,though we would bereluctant to admit it toanyone, we act as if God is supposed to help us getwhat we want out of life.This can happen even when we know the truthsexpressed in the Bible.

Although we arethankful for what Christ did for us on the cross, andwe gladly accepted His offerof forgiveness and eternallife, we may have gotten

distracted. We may haveforgotten that as part of His“symphony”—subjects ofHis kingdom and membersin His church—we are tosubmit to His direction of our lives. He is theConductor, the Head, theKing whom we serve. Doingwhat He wants us to do iswhat our new life is allabout. He longs to lead us through a life that willdemonstrate to a watching“audience,” the unbelievingworld around us, that weknow what it means to beHis people. He wants us todemonstrate the validity ofour profession of faith.

This booklet seeks to point to the essentialelements of a life thatfollows our Conductor’slead. As we do that togetherwith other believers, we willbring beautiful praise toHim. And we will discoverthe joy of experiencingGod’s approval both nowand forever.

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“Only he who believes is

obedient; only hewho is obedient

believes.”Dietrich Bonhoeffer


WHAT DOESCHRIST WANTFROM US?• What does a conductor

want from musicians?• What does a teacher

want from students?• What does a boss

want from employees?• What does a coach

want from players?• What does a parent

want from children?• What does a general

want from soldiers?• What does a ruler

want from citizens?All these relationships

have elements in common.Every leader desires hisfollowers to take directions,make use of his help, dowhatever is necessary tocomplete assignments,place loyalty to him aboveother relationships, and puthis teachings into practice.

When we consider whatChrist wants from us, wemay feel uneasy. After all,

how we relate to Christaffects more than a musicalperformance or the outcomeof a ballgame—it affects all of our relationships, our eternal well-being, and our joy here and now.

For many of us thedemands may seem toohard to achieve. Eventhough we may admit thatour relationship with Christis not what it should be, we are afraid of whatwholehearted obedience to Him will cost us. Thestories of great Christianswho spent hours in prayerevery day or patientlyendured persecution or lefteverything to serve the Lordmay have left us feelinghopelessly inadequate. Wewonder what the Lord reallyexpects from ordinarypeople like us. And besides,so many believers aroundus seem to have lost theirenthusiasm and we don’twant to “stick out like asore thumb.” We feel the

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pressure to conform to thestatus quo of the Christiancommunity in which weworship and serve. But weknow that there should bemore to following Christ.

In this study, we willrediscover what it means to be a disciple of Christ.We will see that devotion to Him is not for only a fewspecial people. He doesn’tdemand the impossiblefrom us. He knows what we are made of, and He will patiently guide us aswe learn more and more ofwhat it means to obey Him.He also offers His strengthto help us carry out Hiscommands.

The type of life thatChrist wants from us can be summarized by four keywords: dependence, risk,loyalty, and imitation.

DEPENDENCE

Jesus said, “Abide in Me,and I in you. As the branchcannot bear fruit of itself,unless it abides in the vine,neither can you, unless youabide in Me. I am the vine,you are the branches. Hewho abides in Me, and I inhim, bears much fruit; forwithout Me you can donothing. . . . These things I have spoken to you, thatMy joy may remain in you,and that your joy may befull” (Jn. 15:4-5,11).

What have youheard through thegrapevine? Jesus usedthe analogy of a grapevine

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DEFINING OUR TERMS

Disciple: A follower, a student.The term is applied to those whochoose to give devotion andobedience to Jesus.


to communicate the mostimportant element ofobedience to Him. Ourobedience must grow out of a close relationshipwith our Lord. Just as abranch of a grapevineproduces fruit only as it isconnected to and drawingnourishment from the vine,so too we can produce thefruits of obedience only as we are continuallyconnected to and drawingnourishment and strengthfrom our Lord.

That kind of life, a life of ongoing dependence on Christ, not only pleasesHim but also produces the greatest joy in us (Jn.15:11). So what we areconsidering is not a morbid

resignation to a life ofmisery as we carry out our duties for God, but a life that will give us thegreatest sense of personalfulfillment. That sense of satisfaction and ourfruitfulness come as we“abide” in Christ.

How are we to“abide” in Christ? Tolive in close relationshipwith Christ, we mustdepend on Him for wisdom,strength, and direction inlife. To have an intimaterelationship with Him, wemust not be deliberatelyholding on to somerebellious attitude or actionthat we know we shouldconfess and forsake. Thebarrier to our relationshipwill be removed and we willbe forgiven if we confessour sins (1 Jn. 1:5-10).

Abiding also means thatwe listen attentively to whatGod has to say to us in theBible—not merely gettingour daily quota of Bible

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DEFINING OUR TERMS

Dependence: Reliance, trust, or faith. In this booklet, the termis used to refer to the intimaterelationship we are to have withJesus, expressing our love anddrawing on His wisdom andstrength.


reading for the day butthinking and praying aboutwhat we are reading. Just asyou show respect and lovefor a person who is talkingto you by carefully listeningand responding, so too weneed to make our time ofBible reading an occasionto get to know God.

To abide also means that we spend timeexpressing to the Lord ourdeepest thoughts, hurts,desires, and details of ourlives. He wants us to talk toHim about our successesand our sources of shame.He cares about us.

Bible teacher WarrenWiersbe writes, “Once you

have begun to cultivate thisdeeper communion withChrist, you have no desireto return to the shallow lifeof the careless Christian”(Be Transformed, p.42).

This matter of abiding in Christ is essential if wewant to please God. Wecannot live the Christianlife in our own strength by the power of our ownwill. We must live with acontinual reliance onChrist. Jesus said, “WithoutMe you can do nothing”(Jn. 15:5). He didn’t say wecould do some things or afew things—He said wecould do nothing to pleaseGod without His working in and through us.

Just as we were saved byGod’s grace through faith inChrist (Eph. 2:8-9), we arenow to live for God bytrusting Christ. The apostlePaul made this point in his letter to the Galatianbelievers. He said, “Afterbeginning with the Spirit,

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We cannot live the Christian life inour own strengthby the power of

our own will.


are you now trying to attainyour goal by human effort?”(3:3 NIV). And to theRomans, Paul wrote, “Inthe gospel a righteousnessfrom God is revealed, arighteousness that is byfaith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘Therighteous will live by faith’”(1:17 NIV).

Faith requiresdependence on Christ,relying completely onHim—first for our salvationand then for the ability tolive the Christian life.

What happenswhen we try to livewithout depending onHim? If we are not relyingon Christ, we end up in one

or more of the followingconditions. We will be:

• defeated by sinfulhabits

• preoccupied with a list of do’s and don’ts

• self-deluded andhypocritical

• plagued by inneremptiness

• depressed byjoylessness

• exhausted by busyself-effort

• frustrated by a sense of distance from God

• trapped by worldlinessWhat kind of fruit is

produced in the livesof those who abide inChrist? Galatians 5 listsseveral characteristics ofsomeone who is living independence on Christ andthe indwelling Holy Spirit.The “fruit of the Spirit”includes love, joy, peace,longsuffering, kindness,goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control(vv.22-23).

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DEFINING OUR TERMS

Faith: Trust, belief, an expressionof confidence and dependence.We receive the gift of salvation byfaith, putting our soul in Christ’scare because He showed Himselftrustworthy by His life, death, andresurrection. We are to live byfaith, continually relying on Christto help us.


The apostle Peter offeredthe following characteristicsas evidence of the kind of life that is growing inChristlikeness (2 Pet. 1:5-7).

• faith• perseverance• virtue• godliness• knowledge• brotherly kindness• self-control• love

Peter said, “If thesethings are yours andabound, you will be neitherbarren nor unfruitful in theknowledge of our Lord JesusChrist” (v.8).

We need to evaluate ourlives on the basis of the

characteristics that Paul andPeter said should be part ofthe lives of those who arewalking with Christ,depending on the HolySpirit who lives within. Are we bearing spiritualfruit? If not, why not?

How does prayershow our dependenceon Christ? David Brainerd(1718–1747) served as amissionary to the Senecaand Delaware Indians ofNorth America and died atage 29. He left a diary thatreveals he normally spent atleast 2 hours in prayer everyday and that he often fastedand prayed for a period of48 hours. Martin Luther saidthat when he expected anespecially busy and tryingday he would prepare for itby spending 3 hours inprayer.

Does this mean that Godexpects us to pray at least 3hours every day? Does Godwant us to set aside 12-hourperiods for prayer and

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“As far as God is concerned, there

is no reason foryou to live, except

to bear fruit.”Erwin Lutzer


fasting? Maybe, but notnecessarily. Although Hewants us to pray, He hasnot given us a minimumtime-frame. While all of thebelievers who made a greatimpact for God prayed, not all of them spent hoursevery day in prayer. Sometalked with God calmly,simply, briefly, andexpectantly. And Godanswered them too!

When Paul wrote, “Praywithout ceasing” (1 Th.5:17), he obviously was nottelling us to pray 24 hours a day. He was aware thattime is needed for working,eating, and sleeping. But weshould be so God-consciousall the time that we arecontinually in an attitude of prayer about what isgoing on in our lives.

In John 15, Jesusindicated the importance of abiding in Him if we areto receive answers to prayer(v.7). When we are close toHim, our requests will be in line with His will.

What can we do toremove any barriers inour relationship? FirstJohn 1:9 tells us, “If weconfess our sins, He isfaithful and just to forgive usour sins and to cleanse usfrom all unrighteousness.”This verse is not a formulafor salvation. When weaccepted Jesus as our Savior,we were forgiven, received

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PRAYER SUGGESTION

You may find it helpful toremember four key words: adore,appreciate, admit, ask. Adore theLord by praising Him andexpressing your desire to honorHim with your life. Let Him knowhow much you appreciate all Hehas done. Admit your sins andaccept His forgiveness. And askHim to fulfill your requests.

Your prayer-time may be briefat first. But as you develop asense of God’s continualpresence, you will lift silent praiseor requests to Him through theday. Your prayer-life will graduallybecome richer and moresatisfying.


into God’s family, and madecitizens of heaven (Rom.5:1-2; Eph. 2:1-10). If wehave been forgiven, why do we need to confess oursins? And what will happenif we refuse to confesscertain sins because wedon’t want to quit doingthem? How detailed mustthis confession be?

Even though we arecompletely forgiven themoment we put our faith in Christ as our Savior, sinscommitted after that pointin time can create a barrierto a close relationship withHim. Therefore, we musttalk to God about our sins,acknowledging them,accepting His forgiveness,and asking Him to help usgain the victory over them.

When we confess oursins, we express to God ourrealization that we sinnedagainst Him. We need notplead. We need not ransackour minds to dredge uptransgressions that were

committed without ourrealizing it. We need notwork ourselves into deepfeelings of guilt. We needonly to acknowledge thesins of which we are awareand ask the Lord to help us overcome them.

The demand is simple.But the consequences oftaking sin lightly can bevery serious. If we decidethat we don’t want toconfess our sins because we don’t desire to give them up, we can expectdiscipline. In Hebrews 12:6-7 we read, “For whom theLord loves He chastens[child-trains], and scourgesevery son whom Hereceives. If you endurechastening, God deals with

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DEFINING OUR TERMS

Salvation: Forgiveness of sin,secured by the life, death, andresurrection of Jesus. We arerescued from sin’s penalty andpower when we receive the freegift of forgiveness by trustingChrist alone.


you as sons; for what son isthere whom a father doesnot chasten?” When we arewillfully disobedient, thischastening may come in theform of sickness and evendeath (1 Cor. 11:29-30). A joyful Christian life isimpossible for those whothink lightly of their sins.

The most fundamentalissue, therefore, that wemust understand to live an obedient life is thismatter of dependence. Thekind of obedience God islooking for comes out of arelationship of trust andlove for Jesus Christ. Whenwe are reliant on Him,obedience will be ourheart’s desire.

Thinking It Over.How would you describeyour relationship with

Christ? Are you growingcloser to Him, learningmore what it means todepend on Him throughoutyour day for strength,wisdom, guidance, and theability to serve God throughyour words and actions?Are you taking time to readthe Bible prayerfully, askingGod to show you what youneed to know and do? Areyou setting aside time inyour schedule for prayer?Identify the obstacles thatkeep hindering a closerelationship with Christ and ask Him to help you to overcome them.

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DEFINING OUR TERMS

Obedience: Submitting our willto the desire of someone else.We are to do what our Lord asksus to do.

A joyful Christianlife is impossible for those who think lightly of

their sins.


RISK

Jesus said, “If anyonedesires to come after Me, let him deny himself, andtake up his cross daily, andfollow Me. For whoeverdesires to save his life willlose it, but whoever loseshis life for My sake willsave it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and ishimself destroyed or lost?”(Lk. 9:23-25).

What have wegotten ourselves into?Many people have askedthat question when theywere faced with greatpersonal risk. A mountain

climber, for example, maywonder if the risk is worththe thrill of reaching thetop. When his muscles feel as if they will give out,when winds whip at him,when doubts about hissafety rope enter his mind,or when his breathingbecomes difficult because of the lack of oxygen, hewill be tempted to quit.

The same panic canstrike a soldier. DuringWorld War II, a patrioticyoung man envisionedhimself as a brave fightingman capturing SouthPacific islands from theJapanese. So he enlisted inthe Marine Corps. He wasdeeply disappointed whenhis first assignment was aclerical job. He expressed

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DEFINING OUR TERMS

Risk: Danger of losing something.We are to obey Christ no matterwhat the possible cost, but Hemore than compensates us forwhat we may lose.


his feelings to hissupervisors and was thrilled when he wasassigned to a combat unit. A few months later he landed in Guadalcanal.One of the first sights thatgreeted his eyes was atruckload of corpses—thebodies of dead Marinesstacked like cord wood. Atthat moment he thought,What did I get myself into?

Many followers of Christalso may wonder what theyhave gotten themselves into.When they read the wordsof Christ about taking up across and losing their livesfor Him, suddenly they may

feel that they have signed upfor a suicide mission ratherthan what they hoped wouldbe more like a pleasurecruise. They may haveinitially been told that if theyreceive Jesus as Savior Hewill bring peace and joy totheir lives, and they didn’tanticipate the hardships.

What does it meanto deny ourselves? It is not the denial of food,fellowship, and other good things just to makeourselves feel miserable. It does not mean developinga weak, nonassertivepersonality. It means putting Christ’s claims andcommands above our owndesires. If what we knowChrist wants from usclashes with what we want to do, we say no toourselves and yes to Him.That’s a big order! But it’sneither outlandish norunreasonable. With God’shelp we can obey it. And wewill be happier when we do.

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“He who has Mycommandmentsand keeps them,

it is he who loves Me.”

Jesus (Jn. 14:21)


What does it meanto take up our crossdaily and followChrist? Jesus is asking that we be willing to commitour lives to Him, to followin His steps, and even to die for Him. It doesn’t mean that we must makeourselves suffer or do thingsjust to invite persecution.

To take up the cross mayinvolve much persecution,as has been the case inmany countries of theworld, or it may involvelittle. It is the attitude, notthe amount of suffering andshame we endure, thatcounts in God’s sight.

What does it meanto lose our lives forHis sake? When Jesussaid, “Whoever loses hislife for My sake will save it”

(Lk. 9:24), He did not mean that we should seek a martyr’s death. His pointhas to do with how weinvest our lives.

If a person invests his life in the pursuit of selfishpleasures and earthly fame,he will “lose it.” After all, thisearthly system is temporary.On the other hand, theperson who invests his lifefor God will reap greatreward. Like the kernel ofwheat that is buried anddies, only to spring up andreproduce itself, the believerwho “loses his life” will findit in a glorious eternity (Jn.12:24-25).

Should we reallytake these wordsseriously? It is quiteobvious that missionarieslike David Livingstone,Hudson Taylor, and WilliamCarey took these wordsseriously. They left all thecomforts of life at home and endured unbelievablehardships to take the gospel

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DEFINING OUR TERMS

Cross-carrying: To be willing tosuffer whatever persecution maycome our way because of ouridentification with Christ.


to foreign countries. The same goes for manytoday—and not just foreignmissionaries. Whether theyare translating the Bible,working on an assembly line,programming computers, or caring for children, they can be courageousrepresentatives of the Lord.

How have believersbeen persecuted? Thewriter of Hebrews, referringto godly people of the OldTestament era, said theyendured “mockings andscourgings,” “chains andimprisonments.” “They were stoned, . . . sawn intwo, . . . slain with thesword. They wanderedabout in sheepskins andgoatskins, being destitute,afflicted, tormented” (Heb.11:36-37). During the earlyyears of the church, Stephenwas persecuted and stoned(Acts 6–7), the apostle Jameswas killed with the sword(Acts 12), and the apostleswere continually harassed

because of their witness for Christ.

Church history tells usthat all the apostles exceptJohn were executed, and attimes during the first fewcenturies Christians were

hunted like wild animals, put to death by being thrownbefore hungry lions and bybeing burned like torches. Inthe centuries that followed,millions have suffered anddied as martyrs for Christ.Many people in recenthistory have suffered fortheir faith in prison camps or psychiatric institutions.Even in democracies, devout

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“Loving God—really loving Him—

means living outHis commands no matter what

the cost.”Charles Colson


Christians are often madethe objects of ridicule andunfair treatment.

Should we expectpersecution today?On the night before Hiscrucifixion, Jesus warned Hisdisciples, “If they persecutedMe, they will also persecuteyou” (Jn. 15:20). To Timothy,Paul wrote, “All who desireto live godly in Christ Jesuswill suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).

We who believe on JesusChrist and want to pleaseHim will experience someopposition from people whodon’t want to follow God’sways. Whether it be at theworkplace, at school, in theneighborhood, or even athome, when we choose todo and say what wouldplease Christ, we will findsome resistance. Peoplewho live only for their ownpleasures feel rebuked bythe lifestyle and teaching ofthose who are trying to liveout their faith. They express

their antagonism bymisrepresenting whatChristians believe, ridiculingthem, or going out of theirway to offend them.

How can we avoidneedless persecution?While the Bible tells us toexpect persecution andteaches us that such trialscan be a means of buildingcharacter (Rom. 5:1-5; Jas.1:1-8), it never encouragesus to seek trouble. On thecontrary, it urges us to begood citizens and to go outof our way to please ouremployers (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:11-25). Paul said we should pray “for kingsand all who are in authority,that we may lead a quiet andpeaceable life in all godlinessand reverence” (1 Tim. 2:2).We are to live at peace withothers—to the extent that we can do so withoutcompromise (Rom. 12:18).

Peaceful conditions,however, present us with adifferent kind of challenge.

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We can easily succumb tothe temptation to be earthlyminded, to live for thethings of this world. If wedo, then we are the losers.But if we focus on theeternal while enjoying thepresent, we will enrichourselves and others. Inmany ways this is a greaterchallenge than enduringopposition. And throughHis Spirit we can beheavenly minded whileenjoying life on earth.

Thinking It Over.Has your devotion to Christ caused you to seem“strange” to your friends,co-workers, neighbors,family? Have nonbelieversalways responded positivelywhen you talked to themabout your faith? Are youwilling to let people knowthat you are a follower of Christ? What happenswhen you refuse toparticipate with your friendsin an activity that you knowwould displease the Lord?

LOYALTY

When speaking to a largecrowd, Jesus said, “If anyonecomes to Me and does nothate his father and mother,wife and children, brothersand sisters, yes, and his ownlife also, he cannot be Mydisciple” (Lk. 14:26). Jesustold the Twelve, “He wholoves father or mother morethan Me is not worthy ofMe. And he who loves sonor daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me”(Mt. 10:37).

What kind of loyaltydoes Christ require?A person who enlists in theU.S. Marine Corps lives by

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the Corps motto SemperFidelis, which means“Always Faithful.” He is to

remain absolutely loyal to his commanders, and ultimately, to theCommander-in-Chief, the President of the UnitedStates. A U.S. Marinepledges his allegiance—evenunto death—for the cause ofhis country. He is not totake orders from enemyleadership, nor is he to quitpartway through a militarymission. He is committed tobe “always faithful.”

Semper Fidelis wouldalso be an appropriatemotto for followers ofChrist. He asks us to putour allegiance to Him aboveany other relationship. Thisapplies to any people, anymaterial goods, and any

self-serving personal goals. That sounds radical,

doesn’t it? Christ even used the strong word hateto describe the attitude weshould have toward allothers, even family. He putthe matter in such strongterms because He takesloyalty and disloyalty soseriously.

How can family andfriends challenge ourloyalty? To answer that,let’s consider the life ofWilliam Carey (1761–1834).When 31-year-old Careytold his wife that he felt Godwanted him to go to India

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DEFINING OUR TERMS

Loyalty: Faithful allegiance to aperson or cause. Followers ofChrist are to pledge absoluteallegiance to the Lord and Hispurposes.

“Resolved: To follow God

with all my heart.Resolved also:

Whether others do or not, I will.”

Jonathan Edwards


as a missionary, at first shedidn’t want to go. That wasunderstandable since theyhad three small childrenand a fourth on the way.Her tears deeply moved hersensitive husband. Aftertalking about it, they agreedthat they would go, but notall at once. Their 8-year-oldson would go with him anda year or two later she andthe younger children wouldjoin him.

When Carey’s fatherlearned of the plan, heexclaimed, “Is Williammad?” Then he did all hecould to discourage himfrom going. Carey, however,believed that God wantedhim to go to India. He wasdetermined to please Godeven though it meantstrained relationships withthe people closest to hisheart.

How was Carey obedientto the words of Jesus to“hate his father and mother,wife and children”? (Lk.

14:26). He showed a tender love for his wife, his children, his parents. He didn’t hate them. This istrue if we define hatred as a feeling of malice, whichdesires harm or hurt forsomeone. But in the Bible it is used to denote takingaction that prefers oneperson over another. So, wecan say of William Careythat he loved the Lord somuch that in his actions heappeared to hate his family.

Perhaps you or someoneyou know has had to facerejection from familymembers because of adecision to accept Christ as Savior. Sometimes aprofession of faith in Christleads to being shunned bythe rest of the family.

Maybe those you lovedon’t like a decision youmade to do what is right, to be honest, or to becommitted to purity. Maybethey were pressuring you totell a lie, break a law, or

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reject biblical principles. Insuch cases, the choices arepainful and heartwrenching.We long for closeness withfamily members. But if wehave to make a choice, ourallegiance must go to Christ.

What elsecompetes for ourloyalty? In addition to the tension that can beproduced in a family byconflict over allegiance toChrist, many other peopleand activities assume theplace in our lives that onlyChrist deserves.

The apostle Paul warnedthe believers in Rome, “Donot be conformed to thisworld, but be transformedby the renewing of yourmind, that you may provewhat is that good andacceptable and perfect willof God” (Rom. 12:2). Johnalso told us to beware thelure of the world (1 Jn.2:15-16). To allow anungodly culture—instead of Christ—to shape our

attitudes and actions is tounwittingly give allegianceto Satan (3:8; 5:19).

Just before the OldTestament leader Joshuadied, he challenged thepeople of the new nation ofIsrael to affirm their loyaltyto the Lord. He said,“Choose for yourselves thisday whom you will serve,whether the gods whichyour fathers served thatwere on the other side ofthe River, or the gods of theAmorites, in whose landyou dwell. But as for meand my house, we will

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“Choose foryourselves this

day whom you willserve . . . . But asfor me and myhouse, we will

serve the Lord.”Joshua (Josh. 24:15)


serve the Lord” (Josh.24:15).

Jesus spoke aboutsomething that can pull ourloyalty away from Christ—money. That’s something weall have to deal with. Hesaid, “No one can serve twomasters; for either he willhate the one and love theother, or else he will be loyalto the one and despise theother. You cannot serve God and mammon [money]”(Mt. 6:24). And Paul warnedthat “the love of money is aroot of all kinds of evil, forwhich some have strayedfrom the faith in theirgreediness” (1 Tim. 6:10).

How is self-centeredness a type of loyalty? In theprevious section, we sawhow the command to denyself (Lk. 9:23) applies to ourboldness in risking our livesand reputations for the sakeof Christ. In this section, wecan apply the command todeny self to the matter of

putting loyalty to Christahead of loyalty to our self-centered ways of thinkingand living.

Self-centered devotion to our own selfish interestsis really the heart of sin.Adam and Eve were the firsttraitors to God’s cause, andever since then all peoplehave tended to put loyalty to self above loyalty to God. Romans 3 reminds us, “There is none whounderstands; there is nonewho seeks after God. . . .There is no fear of Godbefore their eyes” (vv.11,18).

Decisions of loyaltyinvolve the factor of riskalso. Noah, for example,chose to live for God insteadof following the ways of thepeople around him (Gen.7–8; Heb. 11:7). Moseschose to be loyal to Godand His people rather thanto enjoy the benefits of livingas part of Pharaoh’s royalfamily (Heb. 11:24-27).Daniel and his three friends

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chose to be consideredtraitors to the king ratherthan compromise theirdevotion to the Lord (Dan.1:8; 3:1-28; 6:1-23). Rahabshifted her loyalty to theGod of Israel when the Jewswere about to attack Jericho(Josh. 2:1-21; Heb. 11:31).

Yes, God wants you tolove your spouse, yourchildren, your parents (Eph.5:25,28; Ti. 2:4). He wantsyou to show respect foryour government. He wants you to love yourselfbecause self-love is thestandard by which youmust measure your love foryour neighbor (Mt. 22:39;Lk. 10:27). But your love forGod is to be so strong thatyou put obedience to Himabove your own desires andthe desires of your family,your friends, your employer,and your community.

Thinking It Over.How does your use of timereveal your loyalties? Howdo your thoughts reflect

your level of devotion to the Lord? What pressures tocompromise have you feltat home or at work? Whereis your treasure? (Mt. 6:21).Do your standards ofbehavior reflect God’spurity, or are you beingshaped by the world?

IMITATION

Jesus said to His disciples,“You call me Teacher andLord, and you say well, forso I am. If I then, your Lordand Teacher, have washedyour feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you anexample, that you should

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do as I have done to you”(Jn. 13:13-15). On anotheroccasion, Jesus urged His disciples, “Follow Me”(Lk. 9:23).

The apostle John wrote,“He who says he abides inHim ought himself also towalk just as He walked” (1 Jn. 2:6). In a letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote,“Imitate me, just as I alsoimitate Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1).

What does it meanto imitate Christ? Toimitate someone is to copyhis or her actions as closely as possible. It is to model our lives after the characteristics of someone we look up to.

Children imitate theirparents. Consciously or not,they pick up from Mom andDad a way of speaking,

walking, and relating topeople. Through what theparents do and say, thechildren learn how torespond to the manycircumstances of life. If Dad comes home and kicksthe dog, his child may thinkthat’s acceptable behaviorand do the same. And ifDad is careful to beabsolutely honest in all his conversations anddealings, then the childoften will pick that up too.

As children of Godthrough faith in Christ, weare to imitate Christ. Weare to learn what it meansto obey God by living asJesus lived. If we are livingin dependence on Him,spending time with Him inprayer and learning aboutHim in the Bible, we willwant to imitate His way of life.

Much of what we havesaid up to this point in thebooklet could be applied tothis matter of imitating

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DEFINING OUR TERMS

Imitation: A copy, model, orreplica. As believers, we are tofollow the example of Christ,becoming more and more likeHim in attitude and action.


Christ. So let’s first notehow we are to be like Himin the three areas we havealready discussed, then wewill suggest additional waysthat we are to model ourlives after His.

How did Jesus showdependence on theFather? Even thoughJesus is God the Son,during His time on earth He voluntarily gave up theindependent use of Hisdivine abilities in order toidentify with us (Phil. 2:5-11). He lived in dependenceon the Father and the HolySpirit. Jesus said, “The Soncan do nothing of Himself,but what He sees the Fatherdo . . . . I can of Myself donothing. As I hear, I judge;and My judgment isrighteous, because I do not seek My own will butthe will of the Father whosent Me” (Jn. 5:19,30).

Christ lived in constantfellowship with the Father.He prayed often, taking

time to talk with His Fatherand receive direction forHis ministry.

The author of Hebrewstold us that Jesus learnedobedience through suffering(5:8). He responded totemptation and persecutionin the right way because Hewas relying on the Father.

How did Jesus putHimself at risk? Themost obvious answer is that He was willing to suffer the ultimate agony ofenduring the penalty for oursin on the cross. He gaveHis very life to do what theFather wanted Him to do.Peter wrote, “Christ alsosuffered for us, leaving us an example, that you

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“Christlikeness—spiritual maturity—

is obedience.”Jerry White


should follow His steps” (1 Pet. 2:21).

In many other waysthroughout His earthly life, Jesus took the abuse of people who did notappreciate what He had to say. He confronted thehypocritical religious leaders,condemned the unbelieving,spent time with the outcastsof society in order to bringthem salvation, and did whatwas right no matter whatanyone else said.

How did Jesus show His loyalty tothe Father? DuringChrist’s temptation in thewilderness, Satan said hewould give all the nations to Jesus if He wouldworship him (Mt. 4:8-9).Jesus, however, expressedHis loyal devotion to theFather by saying, “It iswritten, ‘You shall worshipthe Lord your God, and Himonly you shall serve’” (v.10).

On another occasion, ahuge crowd of people had

gathered around Jesus.Enemies were accusing Himof being a partner of Satanbecause He was casting outdemons (Mk. 3:20-30).Jesus’ family said, “He is outof His mind” (v.21). Whenthe message reached Jesusthat His family wanted totalk with Him, He looked atthe people around Him andsaid, “Here are My motherand My brothers! Forwhoever does the will ofGod is My brother and Mysister and mother” (vv.34-35). His loyalty to the Fatherand His followers tookpriority over even His family.

In addition to imitatingJesus’ example ofdependence, risk, andloyalty, we can find otherways that we can followHim. These ways includehow He served others, how He responded to needy people, how Heforgave, how He resistedtemptation, and how Hehandled possessions.

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How did Christserve others? Jesusdescribed His life this way:“The Son of Man did notcome to be served, but toserve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mt. 20:28).

The apostle Paul pointedto the life of Christ as ourexample when he wasurging the Philippians toserve one another in love.He told them not to be self-centered but to look out forthe interests of others (2:3-4). He encouraged them toadopt the same attitude asChrist, who took the role ofa servant and “humbled

Himself and becameobedient to the point ofdeath” (v.8).

In Paul’s correspondencewith the Corinthians, hewrote, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Cor.11:1). Paul wanted them toimitate the self-sacrificingattitude of Christ, especiallybecause it will help peoplefind salvation (10:33).

Jesus demonstratedhumble service in adramatic way when Hewashed His disciples’ feet(Jn. 13). He said, “If I then,your Lord and Teacher,have washed your feet, you also ought to wash oneanother’s feet. For I havegiven you an example, thatyou should do as I havedone to you” (vv.14-15).We are to imitate Hishumility and be willing to put aside our “rights” in order to help others.

This loving service forpeople is directly tied to ourlove for God. Jesus said, “By

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“He who says heabides in [Christ]ought himself also

to walk just as He walked.”

1 John 2:6


this all will know that youare My disciples, if youhave love for one another”(Jn. 13:35). John wrote,“This is His commandment:that we should believe on the name of His SonJesus Christ and love oneanother, as He gave uscommandment” (1 Jn. 3:23).

In fact, Christlike love summarizes all thecommands that God wantsus to obey. When talking to a religious teacher, Jesus said that all thecommandments could bereduced to two: Love Godwith all your heart, soul,and mind, and love people as yourselves (Mt. 22:34-40).

How did Christrespond to needypeople? Jesus treatedthem with love andcompassion. He helped thesick and welcomed socialoutcasts like “tax collectorsand sinners” (Mt. 9:10). Hewas moved with great

compassion when He sawthe many people who wereso spiritually needy, and Helonged for more workerswho would spread the news that could bring themsalvation (9:36-38). He fedthousands of people whowere hungry (15:32-39). Hegraciously gave salvation toa repentant thief who wasdying on a cross next toHim (Lk. 23:39-43). Evenwhile Jesus was on thecross, He arranged for Hismother’s care (Jn. 19:25-27). He was patient withdoubting Thomas (20:24-29). He gently reassuredPeter of His love andencouraged him to remainfaithful, even after he haddenied the Lord (21:15-23).

How did Christforgive? In a letter to theEphesians, Paul told us,“Be kind to one another,tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.Therefore be imitators of

28


God as dear children. Andwalk in love, as Christ alsohas loved us and givenHimself for us” (4:32–5:2).

We may not always findit easy to imitate Jesus byforgiving others who havehurt us deeply. But we willexperience the joy offorgiveness and thesweetness of fellowshipwith God to the extent thatwe forgive those who havewronged us (Mt. 6:14-15).

Just think of all God has forgiven you. Then,realizing that no one haswronged you nearly asmuch as you have sinnedagainst Him, start prayingfor those who have wrongedyou and be willing toforgive them.

How did Christresist temptation?During His time in thewilderness before He beganHis public ministry, Jesusfaced intense temptation(Mt. 4:1-11). Satan tried toget Jesus to satisfy Hishunger by making stonesturn into bread. The devilattempted to get Jesus totest the Father’s care forHim by jumping off a tallbuilding. And Satanpromised a shortcut to ruleover the kingdoms of earthif Jesus would worship him.

In each case, however,Jesus responded with thetruth and power of God’sWord. The writer of Psalm119 said, “Your Word Ihave hidden in my heart,that I might not sin againstYou” (v.11). The apostlePaul referred to the Word of God as the “sword of theSpirit,” which we are to usein our warfare with Satan’sforces (Eph. 6:17). That ispart of God’s provision to

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“Imitate me, just as I also

imitate Christ.”Paul (1 Cor. 11:1)


help us escape even themost powerful temptation(1 Cor. 10:13).

How did Christview possessions? To a rich young ruler whoasked what he had to do toreceive everlasting life, andwho claimed that he hadbeen a good, law-keepingperson, Jesus said, “Onething you lack: Go yourway, sell whatever you haveand give to the poor, andyou will have treasure inheaven” (Mk. 10:21). ToHis disciples Jesus declared,“Sell what you have andgive alms; provideyourselves money bagswhich do not grow old, atreasure in the heavens thatdoes not fail” (Lk. 12:33).

John Wesley, the founderof Methodism (1703–1791),took these Scripturepassages so seriously thathe lived frugally and gaveaway his income as fast ashe received it. His sloganwas, “Earn all you can,

save all you can, give allyou can.” By standards ofhis day he earned a greatdeal of money, but when he died a few months shortof his 88th birthday he leftalmost nothing. He hadpracticed what he preached.

Does the Lord demandfrom all His followers, as He did with the rich young ruler, that they sell everything they have and give it to the poor?Apparently not. His friends,Lazarus, Mary, and Martha,continued to live in theirBethany home. As we readthe book of Acts and theEpistles, we do not find the apostles making thisdemand.

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“Earn all you can,save all you can,give all you can.”

John Wesley


The Lord wants us toenjoy the good things Hegives us, but He reminds us that we are to sharewhat we have with others,with an eye toward reapingin eternity. We are to realizethat money and possessionsare temporary, and that we should be much moreconcerned about investingin heavenly treasures (Mt. 6:19-21).

These are just a fewways we can imitate Christ.As we spend time readingthe Gospels, we willdiscover many other waysthat we can become likeHim in our responses tovarious people and todifferent kinds of situations.

Thinking It Over.Our goal as followers of Jesus Christ is to knowHim better and become asmuch like Him in this lifeas is humanly possible.That won’t happenovernight. It is a process of growing and maturing

that will not be completeuntil we see Him.

If that truly is your goal, how do you need to rearrange the priorities of your daily life? In whatways are you followingChrist’s example? In whatareas of life have you beengoing your own way?

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“Our relationshipto our heavenlyFather, thoughsecure, is not

static. He wantsHis children to

grow up to knowHim more and

more intimately.”John R. W. Stott


ENCORE!

AAt the close of a stirring musicalperformance, an

audience may cry, “Encore!Encore!” That’s the crowd’sway of telling musiciansthat they like what they’veheard, and they want tohear more.

At the end of the day,after we have finished ourwork, eaten our meals,responded to all sorts ofsituations, and related to all types of people, can weimagine Jesus saying,“Encore! Encore!” to us?Would He want a repeatperformance tomorrow?

This is not to suggest thatHe expects us to be perfecttoday and every other day.He understands that wesometimes fail, that we needto work continually on ourlives, that we are involved ina process of growth. Butwould He be pleased by theprogress we are making in

our dependence on Him,our willingness to take risksfor His sake, our loyalty toHim, and by our desire to belike Him? Would He like anencore?

At the end of our life’sday, when we stand beforeChrist, the greatest wordswe could ever hear will bethese: “Well done, good andfaithful servant” (Mt. 25:23).

His highest praise will go tothose who by faith acceptedHis gift of salvation andwho continued to dependon Him.

Jesus is the Conductor of our lives. If we follow His lead, the “music” weproduce will receive His“Encore!” now and a “Well done!” later.

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“Well done, goodand faithfulservant.”

Matthew 25:23


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