What It Really Means to Follow Christ
As believers, one of the most important questions we can ask ourselves is, “What does it mean to truly follow Christ?” In today’s world, there’s a tendency to separate the idea of salvation from the concept of discipleship, almost as if one could exist without the other. This way of thinking suggests that you can believe in Jesus for salvation without actually committing to follow Him as a disciple. But is that really what the Bible teaches? Let’s talk about it in a more down-to-earth way.
When Jesus called people to follow Him, He wasn’t just offering them a ticket to heaven. He was inviting them into a life of discipleship—a life that involves self-denial, taking up one’s cross, and following Him daily. In Luke 14:26-33, Jesus makes it clear that being His disciple is not just about saying a prayer or making a one-time decision. It’s about a life-long commitment to follow Him, even when it costs us something.
To put it simply, discipleship isn’t an optional upgrade to salvation; it’s part and parcel of what it means to be a Christian.
James Boice, in his book Christ’s Call to Discipleship, sheds light on this by pointing out that separating faith from discipleship, or grace from obedience, creates a distorted view of what Christianity is all about. When we do this, we end up with a version of faith that’s cheap and meaningless—a faith that doesn’t actually change our lives.
So, what’s the big deal about this distinction between faith and discipleship? The issue is that when we start to believe that we can accept Jesus as our Savior without making Him our Lord, we undermine the whole message of the Gospel. Jesus didn’t come just to save us from hell; He came to transform our lives.
The call to follow Him is a call to become a new person—a person who reflects the character and mission of Christ in every aspect of life.
This transformation is what true faith is all about. It’s not just about believing certain facts about Jesus; it’s about being so drawn to Him that you leave everything else behind to follow Him. This kind of faith isn’t easy, but it’s the only kind of faith that Jesus recognizes.
Now, let’s take a closer look at what real grace and real faith look like. First off, salvation is a gift from God, and it’s by grace through faith that we’re saved (Ephesians 2:8). But grace isn’t just God’s way of overlooking our sins—it’s His power at work in us, changing us from the inside out. Some people think that grace means we can do whatever we want because God will forgive us anyway. But that’s not the kind of grace the Bible talks about.
True grace teaches us to say “no” to ungodliness and to live in a way that honors God (Titus 2:12). It’s the power of God helping us to fulfill His will, even when we fall short sometimes. Likewise, true faith isn’t just a mental agreement with the facts about Jesus. It’s a living, active trust in Him that leads to repentance, surrender, and a deep desire to obey God. This kind of faith is inseparable from a changed life. It’s faith that says, “I’m done with my old ways; I want to follow Jesus with everything I’ve got.”
Some people struggle with the idea that faith and works are connected. They think that because salvation is a gift, there’s no room for works in the Christian life. But the truth is, while our works don’t earn us salvation, the faith that saves us will always produce good works. Jesus said it Himself in Matthew 7:17—“Every good tree bears good fruit.” The works aren’t what save us, but they are the evidence that we have been saved. Faith without works is dead (James 2:26), because true faith will naturally lead to a life that bears fruit for God.
This doesn’t mean we’ll never mess up or struggle with sin.
But it does mean that, over time, we’ll see a pattern of growth and obedience in our lives.
That’s what it means to be His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works (Ephesians 2:10).
So, here’s the challenge: Are we living out the faith we claim to have? Are we just believers, or are we true disciples of Christ? This isn’t about perfection—it’s about direction. Is our life moving towards Jesus, or are we stuck in the same old patterns? If we’re truly born of God, we have a faith that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4). We may stumble, but God is at work in us, perfecting us until the day of Christ (Philippians 1:6). Let’s commit ourselves to following Jesus not just in word, but in deed. Let’s embrace the call to discipleship, knowing that while it may cost us everything, it’s the only path to true life.
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