Follower of Christ is more than a confession—it’s a lifestyle. It means walking as Jesus walked, loving as He loved, forgiving as He forgave, and surrendering as He surrendered.
There are many verses in the Bible that speak directly to the heart of what it means to follow Jesus Christ, but one verse stands out with striking clarity.
In 1 John 2:6, the word of God declares, "Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did."
There is no ambiguity here.
The standard is set.
If you call yourself a Christian, then you are called to walk as Christ walked. Called to live as he lived. Call to let your life reflect his life in the way you speak.
The way you think, the way you act, and the way you love.
This verse reminds us that true Christianity is not just a title we wear or a confession we make with our lips. It is a life we live.
To belong to Christ is to imitate Christ.
It is to look at his example and make it our pursuit.
And when we look at the life of Jesus, we see that he lived a life rooted in prayer, overflowing with love, filled with mercy, and entirely surrendered to the Father's will.
To walk like Jesus means we must become people of prayer, people of love, people of obedience, and people who forgive even when forgiveness is hard.
So let this be the prayer of our hearts.
Lord, teach me to walk like you.
Teach me to love like you loved.
Teach me to obey like you obeyed.
Teach me to forgive like you forgave.
And teach me to pray like you prayed.
Because if our lives are to reflect his, we must learn to follow the pattern he left for us.
The Apostle Paul echoes this truth in Ephesians 4: verses 20-24.
But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard him and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, that you put off concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness*¹ and holiness.
In other words, when you come to Christ, something has to change.
The old ways of living must be left behind.
The deceitful desires of the flesh must be put off.
The spirit of God renews the mind.
And in that renewal, a new nature is born, one created in righteousness and holiness.
You cannot claim to walk with Jesus while still clinging to the sinful patterns of the past.
Christ calls us to be new, to live different, to shine as lights in a darkened world.
The Bible is clear in Romans 6. Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
The cross of Jesus Christ did not simply purchase forgiveness.
It also purchased freedom.
The old self (man) that once was enslaved to sin was nailed to the cross with Christ.
And now as believers, we are no longer bound by the chains of sin.
We are no longer slaves to the flesh.
We belong to God and by his spirit, we are set free.
But freedom does not mean living however we please.
Freedom means living by the spirit.
That is why Paul writes in Galatians 5 verses 16 to 18: So I say walk by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit and the spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
This passage reveals an important truth.
There is a battle happening within us.
The flesh pulls us one way away from God, but the spirit pulls us another way towards God.
The desires of the flesh are contrary to the desires of God.
And unless we learn to walk in the spirit, we will find ourselves constantly pulled into sin.
But the good news is that when we are led by the Spirit, we are given strength to overcome the flesh.
When the Spirit leads, he empowers us to say no to sin and to say yes to God.
This is why the Bible also reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 *².
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; The old has gone, the new has come.
To live in Christ is to live as a new creation.
It is to let the old ways die and to embrace the life of Christ within you.
It is to walk not according to sight but by faith.
It is to depend not on your own wisdom but on the leading of the Spirit.
Beloved, this is the call of every Christian.
To imitate Jesus is not easy.
It requires dying to self daily, carrying your cross and choosing the narrow road instead of the broad one.
Jesus himself said in Matthew 16 24. Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
That means surrendering pride, surrendering comfort and surrendering control.
It means saying, "Lord, not my will but yours be done."
And the reward of living like Jesus is greater than the cost.
For as we walk like him, we walk into his peace, his joy, his strength, and his eternal promises.
We walk in the assurance of his love and the hope of his glory.
We walk in victory over sin and in freedom from fear.
We walk not as slaves to the world but as sons and daughters of the most high God.
So today take this verse from 1 John 2 verse 6 to heart.*³
Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.
Let this truth challenge you.
Let it shape you.
Let it stir within you a holy desire to live differently.
To be prayerful like Jesus was.
To be merciful like he was.
To be obedient like he was.
And to love others with the same love that he poured out on the cross.
This is the life we are called to.
This is the standard of our faith.
And with the help of the Holy Spirit, it is possible.
May we all live in such a way that when the world looks at us, they see the reflection of Jesus Christ shining through.
Now, let's take amoment to pray 🙏 together.
Dear King Jesus, thank you for your goodness that never fails and for your mercy that is new every morning.
Thank you that in you, Lord Jesus, we have redemption through the power of your blood.
Thank you that through your sacrifice, our sins are forgiven and our lives are made new.
Your word in Ephesians 1:7 reminds us, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace.
What a blessing it is to know that grace has covered me and mercy has lifted me up from the pit of sin.
Lord, I pray that sin would no longer reign in my mortal body.
I ask for strength to resist the temptations of the flesh and its lusts.
Purify me, O Lord, with your blood, so that I may not be an instrument of unrighteousness or a slave to sin.
Instead, let my life be used as a vessel of honor, a living sacrifice that brings glory to your name.
In Romans 6:13, your word says, "Do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. "
May this truth guide my life every single day.
Help me, Lord Jesus, to present myself before you as an instrument of righteousness.
May I not come half-heartedly, but with full surrender
Let my hands serve you, my mouth speak truth, my mind meditate on your word, and my heart overflow with your love.
I desire to be a vessel ready and willing to be used for your kingdom. For your glory.
Your word promises that sin has no dominion over us because we are under grace.
I declare this over my life.
Sin has no power, no authority, and no claim on me in Jesus' name.
Your word in 1 Corinthians 1:30 tells us it is because of him (Jesus) that you are in Christ Jesus who has become for us wisdom from God.
That is our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
Lord I receive this as my portion today.
In you I have wisdom when I feel lost.
In you I have righteousness when I feel unworthy.
In you I have holiness when l feel weak.
And in you I have redemption that secures my eternity.
Father, help me to set aside the old self with its evil practices.
The old ways of bitterness, anger, pride, and selfishness have no place in my life anymore.
Strengthen me, Holy Spirit, so that I may walk daily in your renewing power.
Help me to be strong in prayer, steadfast in faith, and loving toward others just as Christ has loved me.
May I be renewed in my mind, my soul, and my spirit so that I may reflect more of Jesus Christ and less of myself.
Your word says in Colossians 3: verses 9 to 10, "Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him."
Lord, I put on this new man today.
I choose to walk in the identity you have given me as a child of God.
I confess and declare according to Romans 6:6 that my old self was crucified with Christ so that the body of sin might be done away with and that I should no longer be a slave to sin.
I boldly declare l am no longer a slave to fear.
I am no longer a slave to unrighteousness.
l am no longer a slave to the desires of the flesh.
In Christ, I walk in freedom.
In Christ, I walk in the light of God's word.
In Christ, I live in truth and not in lies.
In Christ, I live by faith and not by sight.
Lord, you have called me not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of my mind.
Romans 12:2 reminds me, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, his good, pleasing, and perfect will."
So today, I choose transformation.
I choose to set my heart and affections on things above, not on earthly desires.
Your word in 1 Peter 1: verses 5-7 instructs us to grow in character.
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence⁰, add to your faith¹, virtue,
add to virtue², knowledge,
add to knowledge³, self-control,
add to self-control⁴, perseverance,
add to perseverance⁵, godliness,
add to godliness⁶, brotherly kindness,
and add to brotherly kindness⁷, love⁸.
Lord, help me to add these virtues to my life.
Help me to walk in self-control when my flesh is tempted.
Help me to persevere when trials come.
Help me to show kindness even when l am wronged.
And above all, help me to walk in love.
For love is the fulfillment of the law.
Rule my mind, Lord Jesus.
Rule my heart.
Rule my thoughts, my words, and my actions.
Let every part of my life be surrendered to you.
My affection belongs to you alone.
My devotion belongs to you alone.
My desire is not to build treasures on earth but to store up treasures in heaven where moth and rust cannot destroy.
Thank you Lord for making me a new creation.
As your word in 2 Corinthians 5: 17 declares, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here."
Thank you for this newness of life.
Thank you for the joy of salvation.
Thank you for the assurance that l am yours forever.
And so all glory, honor, and praise belong to you, my king and my redeemer.
Thank you for listening to this prayer.
In the powerful name of Jesus Christ, I pray.
Amen.
Notes:
*¹ . In summary, self-righteousness is a reliance on one's own perceived moral superiority, often leading to pride and hypocrisy, while true righteousness is a gift from God.
*² 2 Corinthians 5:17 states that anyone who is in Christ is a new creation; the old has passed away, and the new has come. This verse emphasizes the transformative power of faith in Christ, indicating a fresh start and a new identity for believers.
*³ . 1 John 2:6 states that anyone who claims to abide in Christ must walk as Jesus did, emphasizing the importance of living according to His example. This verse highlights the connection between faith and actions in a believer's life.
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