Followers
Follow means – to be guided by; to copy; to imitate. The Bible tells us who to follow
(Ephesians 5:1-8) “be you therefore followers of God as dear children. And walk in
love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given Himself for us an offering and a
sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or
covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becomes saints. Neither
filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting which are not fitting, but rather giving of
thanks. For this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor
covetous man who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and
of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things
comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not you therefore
partakers with them. For you were sometimes darkness, but now are you light of
the Lord, walk as children of light”; and (I Peter 2:21) which says “for even hereunto
were you called because Christ also suffered for us leaving an example that you
should follow His steps”.
Following Christ means leaving everything else behind and devoting ourselves to
Him (Matthew 16:24) “then said Jesus to His disciples, if any man will come after Me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me”. To follow Christ we
need a willing heart. Jesus answers the rich man to came to Him, seeking eternal
life (Matthew 19:16-22) “and behold one came and said to Him, Good Master, what
good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And He said to him, why call you
Me good, there is none god but One that is God, but if you will enter into life, keep
the commandments. He says to Him, which? Jesus said, you shall do no murder,
you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness.
Honor your father and your mother, and, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The young man said to Him, all these things have I kept from my youth up, what lack
I yet? Jesus said to him, if you will be perfect, go and sell that you have, and give to
the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven, and come and follow Me. But,
when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful for he had great
possession”.
Then He said to His disciples, verily, I say to you, that rich man shall hardly enter
into the kingdom of heaven. And as His disciples heard this, they were exceedingly
amazed, saying, who then can be saved? And as Peter said to Him, behold, we
have forsaken all and followed You, what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said
to them, verily, I say to you, that you which have followed Me, in the regenerating
when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory, you also shall sit, upon
twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one, that has forsaken
houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands,
for My name’s sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life
(Matthews 10:23-29).
Following Christ involves radical change. Jesus choose His disciples (Matthews 4:
18-22; 9:9) walking by the sea of Galilee, He saw Simon Peter and his brother
Andrew casting their net into the sea, for they were fisherman. And He says to
them, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they immediately left their
nets, and followed Him. Then going on further He saw James and John Zebedee in
a ship with their father mending their nets, and He called them. And they
immediately left the ship and their father, and followed Him. And as Jesus passed
forth from there, He saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom;
and He says to him, follow Me, and he arose and followed Him.
Jesus said to the disciples, if any of you want to be My followers, you must put aside
your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow Me (Matthew 16:24). Jesus
wants us to choose to follow Him rather than to lead a life of sin and self-
satisfaction. He wants us to stop trying to control our own destiny and to let Him
direct us. This makes good sense because as the Creator, Christ knows us better
than we know ourselves. He knows the plan He has for our life. He asks us for
submission, He asks us to lose our self centered determination to be in charge.
Psalms 100:3 says “know you that the Lord Yahweh, He is God, it is He that has
made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture”;
(John 10-4-5,27-28) says “and when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before
them, and the sheep follow him for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not
follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of strangers”. Jesus says
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them
eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My
hand”.
We have to be careful who we follow (Numbers 13-27-14:4); Moses sent out twelve
spies to spy out the promise land, and ten spies came back with an evil report and
caused all the Israelites to spend the next 40 years wandering in the wilderness,
because they believed the ten spies and were afraid to go in as God had told
them. Joshua and Caleb were the only two of the twelve who believed God and
wanted to go in, and the Bible says they had a different spirit and they wholly
followed the Lord Yahweh their God (Deuteronomy 1:36).
How do you know if you are following after the wrong things? The Israelites were
warned (Exodus 34:12-13) “take heed to your self, les you make a covenant with
the inhabitants of the land where you go, less it be a snare in the mind of you. But
you shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves”;
(Deuteronomy 4:3,18:9) “your eyes have seen what the Lord Yahweh did because
of Baal-peor , for all the men that followed Baal-peor, the Lord Yahweh your God
has destroyed them from among you”; “when you are come into the land which the
Lord Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not learn to do after the abominations
of those nations”. Peter followed Jesus afar off, and He was being questioned, and
because he was afar off, the devil was able to get in and Peter denied Jesus three
times.
Following God’s word is the best way to live a godly life (Psalms 119:9-11)
“wherewithal shall a young man cleans his way? By taking heed thereto according
to Your word. With my whole heart have I sought you, O let me not wander from
Your commandments. Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against
You”.
The Bible is our guide, Proverbs 4:20-27 says “my son, attend to my words, incline
you ear to my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes, keep them in the midst
of your heart. For they are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from
you a forward mouth, and perverse lips put far from you. Let your eyes look right
on, and let your eyelids look straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and
let all your ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left, remove
your foot from evil”. Proverbs 21:21 says “he that follows after righteousness and
mercy finds life, righteousness and honor”. Isaiah 51:1 God says “hearken to Me
you that follow after righteousness, you that seek the Lord Yahweh; look to the
Rock where you are hewn”.
Christians in the early church were called “followers of the way” (Acts 9:2, 19:9, 22:
14, and 24:22).
Paul tells us to follow him as he followers Christ (I Corinthians 11:1) “be you
followers of me, even as I also am of Christ”. Again in I Corinthians 4:16 he says
“wherefore I beseech you, be you followers of me”. And in I Thessalonians 1:6 the
Paul says “and you became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the
word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit”.
Paul tells us to withdraw from evil (II Thessalonians 3:6-7) “now we command you,
brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from
every brother that walks disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of
us. For yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we behaved not ourselves
disorderly among you”.
John commends us in III John 11 “beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that
which is good. He that does good is of God, but he that do evil has not seen God”.
There are rewards to following that which is good (I Peter 3:11-13) “let him turn from
evil, and do good, let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are
over the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers, but the face of the Lord
is against them that do evil. And who is he that will hurt you, if you be followers of
that which is good”.
Remember that Jesus is our example (John 8:12) says “then spoke Jesus again to
them saying, I am the light of the world; he that follows Me shall not walk in
darkness, but shall have the light of life”. When in question about what to follow,
look at what Jesus did, and you will know what Jesus would do. Then do what Jesus
did.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: September 23, 2008
Follow means – to be guided by; to copy; to imitate. The Bible tells us who to follow
(Ephesians 5:1-8) “be you therefore followers of God as dear children. And walk in
love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given Himself for us an offering and a
sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or
covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becomes saints. Neither
filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting which are not fitting, but rather giving of
thanks. For this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor
covetous man who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and
of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things
comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not you therefore
partakers with them. For you were sometimes darkness, but now are you light of
the Lord, walk as children of light”; and (I Peter 2:21) which says “for even hereunto
were you called because Christ also suffered for us leaving an example that you
should follow His steps”.
Following Christ means leaving everything else behind and devoting ourselves to
Him (Matthew 16:24) “then said Jesus to His disciples, if any man will come after Me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me”. To follow Christ we
need a willing heart. Jesus answers the rich man to came to Him, seeking eternal
life (Matthew 19:16-22) “and behold one came and said to Him, Good Master, what
good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And He said to him, why call you
Me good, there is none god but One that is God, but if you will enter into life, keep
the commandments. He says to Him, which? Jesus said, you shall do no murder,
you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness.
Honor your father and your mother, and, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The young man said to Him, all these things have I kept from my youth up, what lack
I yet? Jesus said to him, if you will be perfect, go and sell that you have, and give to
the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven, and come and follow Me. But,
when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful for he had great
possession”.
Then He said to His disciples, verily, I say to you, that rich man shall hardly enter
into the kingdom of heaven. And as His disciples heard this, they were exceedingly
amazed, saying, who then can be saved? And as Peter said to Him, behold, we
have forsaken all and followed You, what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said
to them, verily, I say to you, that you which have followed Me, in the regenerating
when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory, you also shall sit, upon
twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one, that has forsaken
houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands,
for My name’s sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life
(Matthews 10:23-29).
Following Christ involves radical change. Jesus choose His disciples (Matthews 4:
18-22; 9:9) walking by the sea of Galilee, He saw Simon Peter and his brother
Andrew casting their net into the sea, for they were fisherman. And He says to
them, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they immediately left their
nets, and followed Him. Then going on further He saw James and John Zebedee in
a ship with their father mending their nets, and He called them. And they
immediately left the ship and their father, and followed Him. And as Jesus passed
forth from there, He saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom;
and He says to him, follow Me, and he arose and followed Him.
Jesus said to the disciples, if any of you want to be My followers, you must put aside
your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow Me (Matthew 16:24). Jesus
wants us to choose to follow Him rather than to lead a life of sin and self-
satisfaction. He wants us to stop trying to control our own destiny and to let Him
direct us. This makes good sense because as the Creator, Christ knows us better
than we know ourselves. He knows the plan He has for our life. He asks us for
submission, He asks us to lose our self centered determination to be in charge.
Psalms 100:3 says “know you that the Lord Yahweh, He is God, it is He that has
made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture”;
(John 10-4-5,27-28) says “and when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before
them, and the sheep follow him for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not
follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of strangers”. Jesus says
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them
eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My
hand”.
We have to be careful who we follow (Numbers 13-27-14:4); Moses sent out twelve
spies to spy out the promise land, and ten spies came back with an evil report and
caused all the Israelites to spend the next 40 years wandering in the wilderness,
because they believed the ten spies and were afraid to go in as God had told
them. Joshua and Caleb were the only two of the twelve who believed God and
wanted to go in, and the Bible says they had a different spirit and they wholly
followed the Lord Yahweh their God (Deuteronomy 1:36).
How do you know if you are following after the wrong things? The Israelites were
warned (Exodus 34:12-13) “take heed to your self, les you make a covenant with
the inhabitants of the land where you go, less it be a snare in the mind of you. But
you shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves”;
(Deuteronomy 4:3,18:9) “your eyes have seen what the Lord Yahweh did because
of Baal-peor , for all the men that followed Baal-peor, the Lord Yahweh your God
has destroyed them from among you”; “when you are come into the land which the
Lord Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not learn to do after the abominations
of those nations”. Peter followed Jesus afar off, and He was being questioned, and
because he was afar off, the devil was able to get in and Peter denied Jesus three
times.
Following God’s word is the best way to live a godly life (Psalms 119:9-11)
“wherewithal shall a young man cleans his way? By taking heed thereto according
to Your word. With my whole heart have I sought you, O let me not wander from
Your commandments. Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against
You”.
The Bible is our guide, Proverbs 4:20-27 says “my son, attend to my words, incline
you ear to my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes, keep them in the midst
of your heart. For they are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from
you a forward mouth, and perverse lips put far from you. Let your eyes look right
on, and let your eyelids look straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and
let all your ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left, remove
your foot from evil”. Proverbs 21:21 says “he that follows after righteousness and
mercy finds life, righteousness and honor”. Isaiah 51:1 God says “hearken to Me
you that follow after righteousness, you that seek the Lord Yahweh; look to the
Rock where you are hewn”.
Christians in the early church were called “followers of the way” (Acts 9:2, 19:9, 22:
14, and 24:22).
Paul tells us to follow him as he followers Christ (I Corinthians 11:1) “be you
followers of me, even as I also am of Christ”. Again in I Corinthians 4:16 he says
“wherefore I beseech you, be you followers of me”. And in I Thessalonians 1:6 the
Paul says “and you became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the
word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit”.
Paul tells us to withdraw from evil (II Thessalonians 3:6-7) “now we command you,
brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from
every brother that walks disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of
us. For yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we behaved not ourselves
disorderly among you”.
John commends us in III John 11 “beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that
which is good. He that does good is of God, but he that do evil has not seen God”.
There are rewards to following that which is good (I Peter 3:11-13) “let him turn from
evil, and do good, let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are
over the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers, but the face of the Lord
is against them that do evil. And who is he that will hurt you, if you be followers of
that which is good”.
Remember that Jesus is our example (John 8:12) says “then spoke Jesus again to
them saying, I am the light of the world; he that follows Me shall not walk in
darkness, but shall have the light of life”. When in question about what to follow,
look at what Jesus did, and you will know what Jesus would do. Then do what Jesus
did.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: September 23, 2008
