Following, Denying, and Taking Up Our Cross, Part 2

In my previous post, I discussed the Biblical and cultural context surrounding this statement of Jesus:

If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24, NRSV. Also, see Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23)

Christians often talk about being a disciple or following Jesus as the desire to be like Him. This was the way of discipleship in Jesus’ time. Students would follow their rabbi or teacher, learning from him, and trying to emulate his life. Christians often perceive their relationship with Jesus like this today.

While following Jesus and using His life as an example is admirable, I don’t believe this conveys the main point of Jesus’ statement. As presented in my previous post (Following, Denying, and Taking Up Our Cross), I believe Jesus intended this as the way to become a Christian, rather than a way to behave like a Christian. In the gospel narratives, Jesus is consistently describing life under the Old Covenant compared to life in the New Covenant Kingdom. This life is Christ Himself, and Jesus is showing that He is the only way into His Kingdom.

The purpose of this post is to discuss following Jesus. I consistently hear Christians refer to themselves as “Christ-followers or Jesus-followers.” Labels can be a tricky thing. They often develop connotations that move beyond the original meaning. Conversely, they often reveal what we believe about ourselves and others. I am not saying identifying ourselves as Jesus-followers is wrong or that following Jesus’ example is wrong. It is how we understand what following Jesus really means that is imperative.

Remember, Jesus chose twelve men to follow Him, and they had a three-year physical relationship with Him. Throughout this whole period, they came to understand who Jesus is, and some came to love Him. However, they also consistently misunderstood Jesus, viewing His identity and their own through the lens of their preconceived Old Covenant understanding. Jesus also had other disciples who followed Him but then left because they could not accept His words (John 6:60-66). Those who left did not believe, and the twelve that stayed had not yet experienced the change associated with the New Covenant.

Referring to Christians as Jesus-followers seems to have gained popularity in recent years. I have not done a definitive study, but I read and hear these phrases more and more often. There may be advantages to this identification, particularly avoiding the current societal or religious connotations associated with the name Christian. For example, when speaking to a Muslim, being a follower of Jesus may provide more open conversation than identifying oneself as a Christian. However, my brief research on referring to ourselves as Jesus-followers raised some concerns.

When people use the term Jesus-follower to identify themselves, I sense that it is often associated with how they behave and what they must do. While well-intentioned, it seems that using the name Jesus follower potentially limits how people view their identity in Christ. Below are two issues to consider when we view ourselves as Christ-followers.

First, it can put our emphasis on relating to Jesus primarily by following His example. We may look at everything that Jesus said in the gospel records as the things we must do to follow Him. If we are not careful, being a Jesus-follower can just be a set of religious activities we are obligated to perform. We must pray, read our Bible, go to church, serve, witness, give money, and love our neighbor. These activities are good, but they can obscure our identity in Christ if they define us as Jesus-followers.

The Bible characterizes our relationship with Jesus beyond following His example. We are one spirit with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17). We are seated with Him in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). He is our brother (Romans 8:29). More than following Him, we walk in Him (Romans 8:4, Colossians 2:6). When we understand our relationship with Him, it is less about following and more about experiencing real life with Him. We have His life and presence all the time. Our actions are the outcome or fruit of His Spirit within us.

The second issue with identifying ourselves as Jesus-followers is that His apostles, Peter, James (the brother of Jesus, not the James of the inner circle), and John, along with the apostle Paul, never refer to Christians as Christ-followers in their letters to the church. They refer to following their example, following God’s words, or even following Jesus in specific ways. Still, these are actions, not an identification. So how do the Apostles refer to Christians? Most often, they address the church as saints, brethren, and believers. I can’t definitively say why they use these terms, but they seem to convey so much more than the idea of being a follower.

 The word saint means set apart as holy to God. It is from the same Greek root word, hagios, as the word sanctified. We are set apart as different from the world at the time of our salvation. Being saints is our identity through what Christ alone has done in us. We are holy because Christ is holy. We are different from the world through Christ’s work. We have been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Jesus and in the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:11). By comparison, being Jesus-followers identifies us by something we do, we are following. The question is, are we better identified in Christ by what we do or by what He has done?

The apostles also refer to Christians as brothers or brethren, and this term is used more often than the word saint. Jesus was the firstborn of many brothers and sisters* (Romans 8:29). This connotes a closeness to Christ that is more than a follower experiences. Jesus said whoever does the will of the Father is His brother and sister (Matthew 12:50). Our bond with Jesus also creates a bond with other Christians who are considered brothers and sisters (John 17). When we understand that we are children of God (Romans 8:14-15) and have a kinship to Jesus, it reveals so much about our identity. We are no longer estranged from God, and through Christ’s work, we have become part of His family.

We are saints, we are Jesus’ brothers and sisters, and we are believers. Most of the time, the word believer used to identify the saints is actually the same Greek word for brother. However, to believe is often another Greek word, pisteuo, meaning to trust or have confidence. Our belief gave us the right to become children of God and Jesus’ brothers and sisters (John 1:12-13). Believing not only qualifies us to join the Kingdom but is also how Jesus wants us to relate to Him.

At one point in Jesus’ ministry, the people asked Him what they must do to accomplish the works of God. Jesus answered that the work of God was to believe in Him (John 6:29). Jesus wants us to live a life of faith by trusting Him. When we believe in Him and what He has done for us and in us, we have new and true life (John 1:12-13, John 10:9-10). Our behavior is then oriented by our relationship with Him and our new identity. We are more than followers.

I realize that this discussion may seem like mere semantics. I also recognize that many saints who refer to themselves or others as Jesus-followers live as saints. Again, I am not saying it is wrong to refer to ourselves as Jesus or Christ-followers. However, from my experience, the church often focuses more on trying to “accomplish the works of God” than trusting Jesus, knowing Him, and being with Him. Yes, we are created in Christ Jesus for good works (Ephesians 2:1-10). We walk in these good works because we are redeemed and purified by Jesus (Titus 2:14, Ephesians 4:1-6), and we live by faith in the Son of God (Galatians 2:20).

Do you consider yourself a Jesus follower? What does that mean to you? Do you know you are a saint? Do you understand the implications of that identity? The two terms are not mutually exclusive. However, they are not synonymous either. Anyone can follow Jesus by following His example; they can imitate His care for others and try to keep His commands. But if they are not also saints, they cannot please God (Romans 8:1-9). When you believe and receive Jesus you are reborn and become a new creation; you have followed Jesus into His death and resurrection, and you are a saint. You are empowered to imitate Jesus and to walk in good works. This is possible because of the real change in you and the Holy Spirit's presence. We shall be holy, for He is holy (1 Peter 1:14-16).

I believe many of the evangelical church's problems are primarily due to saints not understanding their identity. We talk about following Jesus, but we often deny that we can do so consistently and faithfully. The next post on “denying self” will examine this topic further. I’m sorry that I couldn’t continue the discussion here, but this article would carry on too long. This topic is intimately related to how we view ourselves as Jesus-followers. I hope this writing has been helpful. God bless you as you live and walk in Christ.

 * The Greek word is adelphos and most commonly means brother. However, the word is also translated as believer, brethren, and family. In modern translations, the term is often translated, brother and sister.