All True Christians are FOLLOWERS

Biblically, there is ONE LEADER: God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

God through Jesus Christ commands his people to be FOLLOWERS or DISCIPLES.

1. The early disciples of Jesus FOLLOWED him. Matthew 4:18-22. Jesus' call is: FOLLOW me. See Matthew 8:22; 9:9.
Great crowds "followed" Jesus. Matthew 4:25; 8:1, 10; 12:15; 19:2; 20:29.
A scribe "followed" Jesus. Matthew 8:19.
Jesus' DISCIPLES "followed" him. Matthew 8:23.
Matthew "followed" Jesus. Matthew 9:9.
Two blind men "followed" Jesus. Matthew 9:27.
Jesus commands all people who wish to serve him is to take up their cross and "follow" him. Matthew 10:38; 16:24.
Jesus commanded the rich young ruler to "follow" him. Matthew 19:21.
Many women "followed" Jesus. Matthew 27:55.
[Parallel examples appear in Mark, Luke, and John].

2. The Greek word "disciple" is mathetes, which means "learner."
God through Jesus Christ is the great teacher. All of us are learners, and always will be learners. Here are some significant texts about this concept.
Matthew 10:24-25a: "A DISCIPLE is not above his TEACHER, nor a SLAVE above his MASTER. It is enough for the DISCIPLE to be LIKE the TEACHER, and the SLAVE like the MASTER."
Matthew 16:24: "Then Jesus told his DISCIPLES, 'If anyone wants to become my FOLLOWERS, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and FOLLOW me.'"
Mark 4:34--After Jesus taught several parables, the Bible says: "He did not speak to them [the public] except in parables, but he EXPLAINED everything in private to his DISCIPLES."
Mark 9:30-32: "They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was TEACHING his DISCIPLES, saying to them, 'The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.' But they did NOT UNDERSTAND what he was SAYING and were afraid to ASK him."
Luke 6:40: "A DISCIPLE is not above the TEACHER, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the TEACHER."
Luke 11:1: "He [Jesus] was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his DISCIPLES said to him, 'Lord, TEACH us to pray, as John TAUGHT his DISCIPLES.'"

The ROLE of ALL of God's children is to be FOLLOWERS, LEARNERS, DISCIPLES. When we assume a different role, we are no longer subservient to our God, our King, our Lord, our Master, our Teacher, our Savior.

May we understand and accept the role which God through Jesus Christ has given all of us. We are God's slaves, God's children, God's followers. We are subservient to the Creator and Sustainer of all life.

Share YOUR ideas and thoughts with others. Let me hear from YOU.

John Willis


God is our Creator, and thus our Master, our Lord, our King, our LEADER.