What Does It Mean
to Follow Jesus?

God loves you and wants you to experience peace and eternal life. His desire is for you to live in relationship with Him. 

In the Bible, John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” 

And in John 10:10 you will find, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” 

But what keeps us from having the life God planned for us?

This goes back to The Garden of Eden, when sin entered the world. God created us in His image. He gave us the freedom of choice; we chose to disobey God’s instruction – this is considered sin. 

Sin separates us from God. 

In Romans 3:23, the Bible states, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” And in Isaiah 59:2 you will discover, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you.” 

We, as humans, we're all born with a sin nature. Because of our sin, we are in need of a Savior who gives grace and forgiveness. God sacrificed his Son as an eternal gift to us.

God sent His son Jesus down to this earth to live a perfect life. Jesus Christ dies on the cross and rose from the grave. When He did, He paid the penalty for our sins and bridged the gap between us and God. 

In 1 Peter 3:18 you will read, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.” Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice so that we could live in freedom. It is up to us to accept the gift of salvation.!

When we trust and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we commit every aspect of our lives to Him. 

John 1:12 says, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” And in Romans 10:9 you find, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” 

Here is a guideline for how you can accept Christ into your life: 

Admit your need for a Savior. (I am a sinner)  Be willing to turn away from your sins. (Repent)  Believe that Jesus Christ died for you and rose from the grave. (Be saved by faith)  Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to take control of your life through the Holy Spirit. (Receive Him as Lord and Savior) 

This is a basic prayer you can pray: “God, thank you for your grace. I know I’m a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe Jesus Christ died for my sin and that You raised Him back to life. Today I choose to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord. From this day forward, help me to walk in step with You. Guide my life, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”