Back to the Basics 365Намуна

Have you ever wondered what makes someone a disciple of Jesus Christ? There are many answers to this question, but the first place we should look for this answer is directly from the mouth of Jesus.

Matthew 16:24 says, “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

Looking at each word helps us understand what Jesus meant: “if” leaves the decision up to the follower, “any man” shows that discipleship is no respecter of persons.

“Come after me” focuses on who the disciple is following. “Let him deny himself” means to deny our flesh, sinful desires, and parts that pull us away from Jesus, “take up his cross” means to accept the challenge and cost of following Him, and follow me” means to focus on Christ, to follow Christ.

This verse contains some of the core distinctives of what a disciple of Christ looks like. Though the context of when these words were uttered differs greatly from the world we currently live in, the message is still true today. For those of us who desire to be true disciples of our Savior Jesus Christ, do our lives show these steps?