Nuggets from "An Urgent Call to a Serious Faith" by Dave Hunt - Followers of Christ | thebereancall.org

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Nuggets from “An Urgent Call to a Serious Faith” by Dave Hunt – Followers of Christ

To those whom He called into a saving relationship with Himself, Christ said, “Follow me” (Matthew:4:19; 8:22; 9:9; 16:24). This simple command, which our Lord repeated after His resurrection (John:21:19,22), is as applicable to Christians today as it was when He called the first disciples.

What does it mean to follow Christ? Did He promise His followers that they would be successful, wealthy, and esteemed in this world?

God may grant earthly success to a few for His own purposes. On the whole, however, our Lord declared that those who were true to Him would follow in His path of rejection and suffering: “If the world hate you, ye know that I hated me before it hated you….The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you…for my name’s sake” (John:15:18-21).

Such was the lot of the early church. Yet today Christianity is popularized as the key to “the good life.” We try to attract youth to Christ by persuading them that it’s “cool” to be a Christian. The idea of suffering for Christ doesn’t suit a worldly church. How strange such verses as the following seem to Christians in America: “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake” (Philippians:1:29). Suffering is given to us? Paul speaks as though it were a precious privilege to suffer for His sake! After being imprisoned and beaten, the early disciples rejoiced “that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” (Acts:5:41). Such is the commitment to which the gospel actually calls us.

Christ told His disciples after His resurrection, “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (John:20:21). The Father sent the Son as a lamb to the slaughter into a world that would hate and crucify Him. And as the Father sent Him, so Christ sends us into a world that He promises will treat His followers as it did Him. Are we willing? Is this your idea of Christianity? If not, then think again and check it out against the Scriptures. Today’s popularized ”Christianity” is further from Him and His truth than most of those who call themselves “Christian” realize.