What is a follower of Christ?

[kogseeker]

There is alot of debate here about what constitutes a real Christian and what does not.

For a slightly different aspect, what would you say constitutes a follower or disciple of Jesus Christ? How might you order this list?

1. Someone who has said a "sinner's prayer"
2. Someone who adheres to a particular creed or statement of faith
3. Someone who tries to follow all of the Bible
4. Someone who learns from Jesus and desires to become Christlike
5. Someone who wants to learn to love God and others
6. Someone who believes that Jesus lived, died, and rose again
7. Someone who adheres to a social gospel
8. Someone who tries to obey all the teachings of the church
9. Someone who has truly repented and stopped sinning
10. Other (fill in the blank) - Submit your opinion
11. Someone who has accepted grace and is committed to Jesus' example
12. Someone who has a personal covenant with Jesus and has accepting the Holy Spirit
13. Someone who has been born again, living with Christ as their life

 

[JulySheMustFly]

I think you made being a follower/disciple of Christ more complex than it is.

A follower of Christ is a person who has wholey accepted the grace that Christ's death has provided and is committed to living their life in accordance with the example that Jesus has given us. My statements assume the diety of Christ.

 

[HumbleUnderdog]

Under 10. Other I would put: someone who has a personal covenant with Jesus, or someone who has accepted the Holy Spirit into his/her life.

 

[christianmomof3]

There are different definitions of what a "real Christian" is varying by different religious group's definitions and people's personal definitions.

I consider a Christian to be one who is born again with the life of Christ. A person who is born again has Christ Himself living within him or her. That is a Christian.

These people may or may not live by Christ's life at any given moment. Most of the time we all live by our own lives following our own leading. But, the more we exercise our spirits and turn our hearts to the Lord, the more of His will we will follow and the more He will grow in us and transform us into His image.

 

[HumbleUnderdog]

Born again....I think those are the two best words to describe a follower of christ, as mentioned above.

 

[kogseeker]

I appreciate everyone's responses so far.

To Tryinghard: I wasn't really trying to make this complex, I was just trying to reflect the broad diversity of opinions that I've heard about what it means to be a follower of Christ. So far, the list is updated with: accepting grace and committing to Jesus' example (by you), having a personal covenant with Jesus and accepting the Holy Spirit (by HumbleUnderdog), and being born again (by christianmomof3). These are three things that I didn't mention in the orginal list but that I will add.

Thanks to HumbleUnderdog and christianmomof3 for their contributions. I'm not trying to find the "right" answer as much as taking a poll to see what the "best" answers might be.

 

[JulySheMustFly]

I appreciate everyone's responses so far.

To Tryinghard: I wasn't really trying to make this complex, I was just trying to reflect the broad diversity of opinions that I've heard about what it means to be a follower of Christ. So far, the list is updated with: accepting grace and committing to Jesus' example (by you), having a personal covenant with Jesus and accepting the Holy Spirit (by HumbleUnderdog), and being born again (by christianmomof3). These are three things that I didn't mention in the orginal list but that I will add.

Thanks to HumbleUnderdog and christianmomof3 for their contributions. I'm not trying to find the "right" answer as much as taking a poll to see what the "best" answers might be.

I see now. I misunderstood the list. Thank you for your clarification.

 

[malckiah]

Hello friend, indeed being a Christian is different than being a follower or disciple....however a disciple can be a Christian. this is somewhat complex, but in order to explain i would like to explain how someone becomes a disciple. Let's go back in time about 2000 years......but please forgive my spelling......Back in Jesus days on earth the primary schooling that children got (at least for the jews) was to study the scriptures. The children at around the age of 6 would go to what was called BateSafair- during the time from age 6 to age around 10 these kids (the ones that were able) would memorize the first 5 books of The Bible. WoW! those kids that were the best of that class would have a chane to go on to what was called Batetalmood- during this time these kids would continue till around age 15 where they would (if they were able) memorize all of the old testament! At this point there was 2 choices: If you didnt make the cut and couldnt get it memorized you would take on the family work. But if you were one of the best of the best you could go onto what was called BateMidrash were you would go and find a rabbi and ask if he would take you in and teach you everything he knew....you would be ultimately be trying to be exactly like the rabbi and you would become his disciple. Well to make a long story short you were either good enough or not....and the rabbi would only accept you if he felt you could do what he does and that you were good enough, then you would become his disciple. So therefore, since Jesus accepts all people who come to Him, if a person has come to Him, they then become His disciple! Though that doesnt mean that they will continue in that path. Hopefully this was helpful to you! God Bless!

 

[SilverWings]

I would say that we could simplify what a follower of Christ is by saying:

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father" (John 14:12).

The Christian life is not a matter of speaking, but of doing.

To follow Christ means to selflessly live to bring about the things Jesus wanted while he was here. To the greatest extent, this means even being willing to face death, if need be, to accomplish GOOD.

"Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23).

So to follow Christ, we:

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (James 1:22).

And here is faith in action - Saving Faith compared with dead, useless, demonic faith.

"18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." (James 2:18-26).

 

[Nadiine]

I appreciate everyone's responses so far.

To Tryinghard: I wasn't really trying to make this complex, I was just trying to reflect the broad diversity of opinions that I've heard about what it means to be a follower of Christ. So far, the list is updated with: accepting grace and committing to Jesus' example (by you), having a personal covenant with Jesus and accepting the Holy Spirit (by HumbleUnderdog), and being born again (by christianmomof3). These are three things that I didn't mention in the orginal list but that I will add.

Thanks to HumbleUnderdog and christianmomof3 for their contributions. I'm not trying to find the "right" answer as much as taking a poll to see what the "best" answers might be.

As I see it, the bible takes thousands of pages to convey what a true believer is and what a true believer does & doesn't do...

I think it's hard to just use a 'one liner' in this format to say "a Christian loves".... well, that's true. but DEFINE what GODLY love is & you'll get 300 different replies as to what they consider love to be.
(i say, look at the OT & NT. GOD is love & love constitutes gentleness, mercy, grace, patience, truth & rescue... it ALSO involves judgment (justice), chastisement, rebuke, wrath & discipline -- many prefer to leave those out of the mix).
It's only 1/2 of what Real love is.

These are the problems with this type of question. PARTIAL truths aren't the whole picture.

I like to just say that a GENUINE Christian will be living in constant willful practice of all God's commands: seeking to Please Him while having a genuine relationship w/ Him... in constant repentance and humility before God, accepting His word as truth while sharing the good news w/ others in servitude.

GOD knows who are genuinely His own & who are merely paying Him lip service, or who are secretly wolves in Sheep's clothing.

Nothing gets by God & nothing goes 'unrewarded'.​

May He be praised!!!

 

[rosiecotton]

I think we all need to remember though that the Christian life is a journey. We are always learning and being transformed into the person God wants us to be. We have not 'arrived' yet.
And, we also have our own individual walk with God. My walk with God may not look like your walk with God...but that doesn't mean I'm not a disciple of Christ.

 

[JulySheMustFly]

I think we all need to remember though that the Christian life is a journey. We are always learning and being transformed into the person God wants us to be. We have not 'arrived' yet.
And, we also have our own individual walk with God. My walk with God may not look like your walk with God...but that doesn't mean I'm not a disciple of Christ.

 

[Nadiine]

I think we all need to remember though that the Christian life is a journey. We are always learning and being transformed into the person God wants us to be. We have not 'arrived' yet.
And, we also have our own individual walk with God. My walk with God may not look like your walk with God...but that doesn't mean I'm not a disciple of Christ.

Absolutely!

But even in our differences, the bible is clear what one is & what one is not...
We also have MANY portrayed in Mat. 7:21-23 as people who THOUGHT they were of God when they actually were not.

So, we need to be careful about the issue & do constant self examination 'whether be in the faith'.
While we aren't sinless, we are called to a higher standard by God.

Are we rebellious toward that? or are we submissive & willing to obey?

 

[Guitarpope]

To Be A Christian

To be a Christian, as I understand Christ, means the acceptance of the absolute authority of Jesus in all of my life. It means that in everything I am and do-when I eat and drink, when I buy and sell, when I work and play, when I read and think-that I look to Jesus as my Master. It means that I enthrone Him as King in my affections; that I subject my friendships to His dominion; that I conduct my business and my intellectual and social life under His inspection and direction. It means that my ruling passion-the passion that shall absorb all other interests shall be to live my whole life under the sovereignty of Jesus. It means that I honor His name above every other name, and place obedience to Him above every other obligation.
To be a Christian means that I am no more my own man, but Christ's man. It means the giving of myself away to Him, so that I have no more right or title to myself; so that I have no more claim upon myself, and no more at my own disposal. To be a Christian means to belong body and soul to Christ, now and evermore, for Him to do with me as He wills.
Hence, it means that in being Christ's man, I am set free from all fear. My joy must be in doing His will, in being His slave, in the confidence that whatever comes to me, when following Him, is His doing. In a real sense, I make Him responsible for my life. I am responsible for following, He is responsible for leading and keeping. It can be none of my business what happens to me, what I gain or lose, when I follow Him. That is Christ's business. It is His to command, mine to obey. I am sure He will not waste a fragment of my life if I let Him possess and direct it. i am also sure it will be mainly waste, friction, vain striving and misdirected effort, sickening failure and defeated ambition if I try to direct my own life.
My part as a Christian is not to find out the opinions of men, but to keep my eyes fixed on Christ, to let my mind dwell on Him, having a constant mental vision of His character; to make His life the food on which my soul shall live; to make His gospel the textbook and authority by which I stand or fall.

John Robert Stevens