Are You a Believer or a Follower?

by David Neal

The use of the words "believe" and "follow" in the Bible have
essentially the same meaning. This is referring to a living faith in
God, which is an unreserved (unconditional) surrender of your will
to God in full love and obedience to Him, yielding to His purposes.
This is seeing Christ as worthy of your full trust and confidence
and following in His example. This is allowing God to rule in your
heart (Col 3:15).

We develop a very real and personal relationship with Jesus.

Questioning God or His purposes simply reveals that you have not
totally died to self and there is still some rebellion within you –
this is your judgment upon God’s purposes. You do not have any
authority to judge God. The only one who has presumed to do
such is Satan and this is the nature of his followers. To most the
word "believe" is applied as a mere mental acknowledgement,
agreement and acceptance of Jesus Christ and what He did, but
not necessarily full commitment and submission to Him. This may
be evidenced in a desire for a Savior, but not necessarily a Lord.
However, anything short of full faith and commitment is hollow,
unacceptable and just plain lukewarm.

Christ made a distinction between professing with your mouth and

living with your heart: Matthew 15:8, "This people draweth nigh
unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but
their heart is far from me." He said such worship was in vain (v.
9). Jesus said we must die to our old lives and be "born again."
Until we die to our old way, there can be no conversion (newness
of life, new creature, Rm 6:4, 2 Cor 5:17, Gal 6:15, Col 3:10).
Most just want to incorporate being a Christian into their existing
life. Sort of like a membership with a get out of hell free card
benefit.

Jesus either becomes your life or you have no life in Him. To

mentally acknowledge Jesus is equivalent to what the devils do.
James 2:19, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest
well: the devils also believe, and tremble." If you have not totally
surrendered to Him then you are in rebellion just as the devils
are. The devils believe, because Christ’s existence is a fact (Mk
1:34). The devils do not follow because they are in rebellion to
Him and His purposes. You cannot live for self and just have
Christian aspects to your life. You are either a whole-hearted
follower or you are deceived. Self seeking (careers, possessions,
entertainments, money, etc.) is just that and is the opposite of
seeking God. This is a broad, yet temporal outlook that will never
be satisfying or fulfilling (2 Cor 4:18). You're either one or the
other and you are what you are – you decide. When you truly
become converted, your desire will be for your Lord and not
yourself.

If your belief does not fully manifest in your actions, then for what
purpose is it? Being a member at a religious institution does not
necessarily qualify you to be a follower. When you follow, Christ is
your life twenty-four hours a day (Col 3:4, Lk 20:38). He is in
your thoughts, prayers, motives, decisions and actions. Your life
is not separable from Christ, for they are one in the same – this is
a mystery (Eph 5:25-32). Your life revolves around Him and not
you. Your actions will be weighed based upon His light. Your life is
found in Christ and that relationship and not in religious activities
and works. Your heart should always be to please Him and seek
His will – for this you do voluntarily out of love as you seek to
glorify God.

A believer’s faith will be tested and tried (1 Thess 2:4). This

process will draw us closer to God or push us away. The heart will
reveal itself under pressure and must be purified. Impurities are
identified and burnt away (removed) as the purifying flame (trials
and tribulations) is put to one’s life. This is a denial of the flesh
and is not necessarily pleasant, but is spiritually necessary. By
nature of the act, to "follow" is to submit, yield and obey.

Mark 8:34, "And when he had called the people unto him with his
disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Jesus
said, "Whosoever will." What hinders you? The narrow path is not
crowded; the invitation is open to all. What is the cost? - Trading
your love of self for the love of another (Jesus). John 3:30, "He
must increase, but I must decrease." What about those who will
not "come after" or "follow?" Mark 8:35-36, "For whosoever will
save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my
sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it
profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own
soul?" Job 27:8, "For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he
hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?" To gain self will
and supposed control is to lose the life of Christ and ultimately
your soul. After a life of doing what is right in your own eyes,
what will you exchange for your soul (v. 37)? You have nothing to
offer God nor will you take anything with you beyond the grave
(Job 1:21). Will you shame Christ by rejecting Him? What goes
around comes around (v. 38).

excerpt from Jesus said Come, Follow Me! by David Neal

Also see: A Tremendous Idol