[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Are You Truly Following Jesus Christ?

Over the last 2,000 years since it was first used, the word “Christian” has taken on many meanings. And, as it has done so, the word has become almost meaningless—to the point that many today who call themselves Christian would not be recognized as such by the founder of true Christianity Himself, Jesus Christ.

What about you and me? When Jesus looks at us, does He see someone who claims His name but isn’t actually following Him like a disciple?

If you have the courage to ask yourself this question—and the integrity and humility to answer it—it has the potential to completely change your life.

Our question today is whether Jesus would recognize you as a Christian—or, even, would He recognize me, for that matter. And before we jump into answering that question, I should warn you—some of the points we’re going to discuss today might make many of you uncomfortable, maybe even angry. They made me uncomfortable and angry the first time I heard them. The sort of truths that move us forward in life and in our relationship with God often do.

But I hope you’ll stick with me for the whole program and hear me out. It might take some courage on your part, but seeing the Bible’s own answer to this question may very well be the most important thing you’ve ever done in your life.

What Is a Christian?

At the heart of our discussion today is the word “Christian.” It’s an interesting word—a simple word that seems like it should be obvious in meaning, and yet a word that is the source of so much confusion today.

The Bible itself reports on the first time it was ever used in history. We see this in the book of Acts in chapter 11.

This was early enough in the Church’s existence that the Apostle Paul wasn’t even an apostle yet—and he still went by the name of Saul.

Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:25–26).

We see here that there were disciples of Jesus Christ in Antioch, and they numbered enough that people began calling them Christians—identifying them as disciples of someone named Christ.

Some have speculated that the name Christian might even have originally been meant as an insult. But whether it was intended as an insult or not, the early followers of Jesus seem to have accepted it.

In chapter 4 of Peter’s first letter, the Apostle uses the word to encourage his brothers and sisters in the faith who were being persecuted.

Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter (1 Peter 4:16).

In the New Testament letters, we see the disciples referring to each other as brothers and sisters.

Biblical Definition of Christian

But in contrast with the world, the word “Christian” helped to identify them as those who believe in, follow, and obey the teachings of Jesus Christ.

However, that was a long time ago. And things have changed a great deal since then.

Of the two billion people on earth claiming to be a Christian, there are a maddening number of different doctrines, different practices, different traditions, different beliefs about creation, different understandings of prophecy, different beliefs about the afterlife, different beliefs about what God is like and the purpose of man—even different understandings of who and what Jesus Christ really was. The list goes on and on.

Frankly, as the executive editor of the Tomorrow’s World magazine, I’ve seen how the word “Christian” is a real challenge. It’s come to mean so many different things that the word is a source of confusion. When we say the word “Christian,” many of our hundreds of thousands of subscribers think different things—just like our hundreds of thousands of viewers do.

How to Follow Jesus Christ: 5 Steps That Matter

So let’s get down to the basics and frame today’s question this way: If a TRUE Christian is a disciple and follower of Jesus Christ, then what does that mean? How can we know whether Jesus would recognize us as one of His disciples? And if He wouldn’t, how do we need to change?

We’ll cover five key points about being a real disciple of Jesus Christ that most do not understand.

Get to Know the Real Jesus Christ of the Bible

The first point might seem like the most obvious, but don’t be fooled.

1. A disciple of Jesus believes in and follows the real Jesus Christ.

Now, that might prompt you to think, “Excellent! That’s me. I believe in Jesus.”

But the Bible would push back on that conclusion and ask you: Which “Jesus” do you believe in?

Because many believe in a “Jesus Christ,” but it is not the real Jesus Christ. Don’t take my word for it—take the Apostle Paul’s.

In his second letter to the Corinthians in chapter 11, Paul discusses this very real possibility.

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it (2 Corinthians 11:3–4).

Yes, “another Jesus.” Jesus Himself warned His disciples that, right after His resurrection, many would come in His name, proclaiming Him as Christ, yet they would be false teachers who “deceive many” (Matthew 24:5). And they did.

Even in the first century, writers of the Bible were warning their readers to:

Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3).

While so-called “Christianity” is the largest religion on the planet, Jesus says that His true disciples would make up a “little flock” on the earth (Luke 12:32).

In fact, after someone asks Jesus if many or few would truly follow Him, He answers with a warning that we should all take seriously.

“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity’” (Luke 13:24–27).

Jesus is warning us not to take for granted that He even knows who we are. Many think they know Jesus Christ, but the “Jesus” they are following is, in Paul’s words, “another Jesus.”

So, how do we know we are following the REAL Jesus?

True Christians Repent and Turn Away from Sin

Our next points will give us some clarity. For instance:

2. A disciple of Jesus repents of sin.

You know, “Just as I Am” is one of the most popular Christian hymns in history. And yet, it is also a lie. One of the very first steps one takes to become a disciple of Jesus Christ is to repent of one’s sins—to turn away from disobeying God and to begin obeying Him.

Again, don’t take my word for it—take Jesus’.

Mark 1 records the beginning of His earthly ministry. Let’s see it there for ourselves.

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14–15).

Repentance and turning from sin is fundamental to being a true disciple of Jesus Christ. So much so that the need to repent was emphasized in the very first sermon of the Church Jesus founded. We read of that in Acts 2. There, we see that after being convicted by Peter’s sermon of their guilt in the death of the Messiah, the people are moved to take action.

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37–38).

Now, I’ve heard some so-called Christian preachers say that repentance was only for the Jews, and never a requirement made of the non-Jewish Gentiles.

Well, let’s just say that those preachers must have purchased a defective Bible, because such claims are deceptive hogwash. For instance, look at Paul’s statement to King Agrippa in Acts 26:19–20.

“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.”

In fact, in Athens Paul told the assembled Greeks that:

[God] now commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).

Far from saying we come to Christ like the old hymn says, “just as we are,” being a disciple requires repenting of our sins—a necessity for anyone to be a true follower of Christ.

But what does that mean, repenting of sin? Most people don’t understand the most basic definition of sin—even though it’s right there in the Bible under their noses.

Let’s look at it in 1 John 3:4. In the New King James Version, we read this:

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

The meaning is even plainer in the old King James Version.

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4).

Jesus Christ Said to Keep the Commandments

That brings us to the next point about being a true disciple of Jesus Christ.

3. A real disciple keeps God’s commandments.

Many so-called Christian teachers will tell you just the opposite—claiming that God’s law and commandments are not required of Christians. But if you want to be a true follower of Jesus Christ, ignore them and listen to Jesus.

In Matthew 19, we read of a rich young man who came to Jesus and asked Him what he needed to do to have eternal life. Jesus’ answer was simple.

“If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:7).

The young man asked Him which ones, and Jesus listed several of the Ten Commandments.

Many like to cast commandment-keeping and obedience as if it is somehow foreign to Christianity, claiming that you need only to believe—and cherry-picking verses here or there to prop up their ideas. But all such arguments always fail when the whole of God’s word is taken together.

For instance, how important did Jesus think obedience is? Let’s read it ourselves in Matthew 7:21–23.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

Notice that. Those who profess Christ’s name and even work wonders in His name—if they practice lawlessness and will not obey God’s law—are told by Jesus Christ Himself that He does not know them.

If Jesus HIMSELF does not recognize us as one of his followers, how does the word “Christian” apply to us?

John, the last of the Twelve Apostles, understood this. Let’s look in 1 John, which he wrote near the close of the first century.

John is often called the “Apostle of Love” because of his great emphasis on the need for Christians to love others. But He could also just as well be called the Apostle of Law, because he also emphasized obedience to God’s commands. Again, don’t just take my word for it, let’s look in 1 John 2:3–4.

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

My friends, read that in your own Bible as many times as you need to in order to take it in and believe it! If we believe that we know Jesus and are His followers, yet we do not seek to keep the Commandments, then the Apostle John, the Apostle of Love, says we are liars.

And those who say we do not need to keep the commandments to be Christians are liars, as well—lying in ignorance, perhaps, but lying all the same.

That lie is rooted in the doctrines and traditions of men, who have warped the truth of God for almost two millennia.

Be Doers of the Word, Not Substituting Man-Made Traditions

And understanding that leads us to our next point about true disciples.

4. A disciple of Jesus believes the Bible over traditions of men.

Many so-called Christian organizations will pay lip service to God’s word, but in practice they put their own human traditions and council decisions above Scripture time and time again. They do not keep the biblical festivals like Jesus, His apostles, and the first-century Church did. They keep holidays intermingled with pagan symbols and practices, which God condemns in multiple places in His word. They do not keep the seventh-day Sabbath—the only weekday set apart in Scripture for rest and worship, often choosing instead Sunday—a day taken from pagan worship practices and enforced by Roman decree, long after the Apostles’ deaths.

Yes, there is a real human, organized, and ordained authority in the REAL Church Jesus founded, which persists today. Many passages make this plain. Christianity is not a “lone wolf” religion, in which everyone interprets the Bible based on his own, individual ideas.

But did Jesus ever think human beings could OVERRULE the Bible with their own traditions? We see His own answer in Mark 7.

There, talking to the Pharisees, who had used their legitimate authority to make God’s word of no real effect through their traditions, Jesus had harsh words.

He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’” (Mark 7:6–7).

In verse 9, He continues His condemnation.

He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition” (Mark 7:9).

No, Jesus is not interested in all the fancy arguments and theological traditions that various denominations use to justify their commandment-breaking idols in their cathedrals, Sunday meetings instead of observing the biblical Sabbath, and pagan-tainted holidays instead of biblically-commanded Holy Days.

For the disciple of Jesus Christ, God’s word is just that: God’s word. And it outranks any traditions that effectively contradict it and make it of no effect.

Disciples of Jesus Put God First | Luke 14:26-33 Explained

The last point we’ll discuss today is this—and it’s a big one:

5. A disciple of Jesus yields his or her whole life to Christ.

This might seem like something obvious. But it is far from clear to most who call themselves Christian.

This requirement of Jesus’ disciples is probably best explained by Jesus Himself—like most of our points have been! We read His description of it in Luke 14. We don’t have much time, but let’s look at portions of that passage together. We can start in verse 26.

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.”

Now, don’t misunderstand. Jesus isn’t saying you must truly hate your family. If so, He’d be contradicting Himself, because He also says to love each other and to keep the commandment to honor your father and mother.

Rather, He is speaking of loving Him more than them. He must come first in the lives of His disciples—before their own parents, siblings, spouses, or children—yes, even before their own lives.

Note His words there. He doesn’t just say this priority is a “good idea.” He literally says that those who will not put Him first above all “cannot be [His] disciple.”

That means that if following Jesus, repenting of our sins, and beginning to obey God’s commandments and living according to the Bible means going against the wishes of our family, then that’s what we do. Even if it costs us our lives, Jesus expects us to do just that, to give up our lives. As He says toward the end of this passage:

“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33).

Those are powerful words, not to be taken lightly. “All that we have” literally means all that we have. Our work and business connections, our personal or political preferences, our hobbies and pastimes—all that we have must be laid at Christ’s feet and seen as tools for His purposes, sacrifices we are willing to make for the sake of His Kingdom and His righteousness.

Now, the good news is that, in many ways, the reward for doing so is often immediate. For instance, it’s remarkable how much better and happier a marriage can be when both husband and wife put Jesus Christ truly first in their lives, even over each other. Yet, I would be lying if I didn’t say that a commitment to Christ never entails instead the sacrifice of these things.

Yet being willing to go further than comforting, but ultimately confusing, labels like “Christian” and strive for the reality and commitment of true discipleship under Jesus Christ makes available rewards so much more profound than anything we would ever have to give up in this life:

• A real and living relationship with our Creator and our Savior
• The forgiveness of sins and the gift of God’s indwelling Spirit
• The power of divine purpose as we seek membership in the Family of God
• And the hope of unending glory, love, and joy, with our Father, the Son of God, and our fellow disciples, as we enter eternity at the return of Christ.