Following Jesus: The Question That Matters

A long time ago now, my father and I had of those late-night conversations that can occur between adult child and mature parent.  As we talked, it became obvious that he was struggling with something very foundational to his life.  He asked the question often raised in our peculiar theological circles:  “How do I know that I am really saved?”

I admit to being taken aback.  Surely, my parent had lived long enough to be past that question.  Even though I knew something of what he had been like as a youth, that early self wasn’t the father that I experienced as his child.

Since hearing that question from him, though, I’ve thought about it.  Slowly, I began to realize that the question was wrong.  The real question is this:  “Am I following Jesus?”  

That version of the question comes in response to Jesus himself.  When he encountered a potential disciple, he issued the invitation “Follow me”.  Sometimes the person did; sometimes the person did not.  Seen in that context, Jesus’ teaching was all about how to be a good follower.

But what does that actually mean?  Maybe it’s time to put away the books on leadership development and write a book a book on “follower-ship” development.  

To make a case for such a book, here is a potential overview of its contents.

Some of those who came to Jesus ended up not following him because their values didn’t match the values that were integral to Jesus’ leadership.  The rich young ruler, for example, decided not to become a follower because he held his wealth as a core value.  Following Jesus required that he change his value system and, consequently, his lifestyle.  That was asking too much.

Annanias and Saphira show a similar kind of follower-ship with regard to the Holy Spirit after Pentecost.  Like the rich young ruler, their priority was wealth.  But their example illustrates something deeper:  a desire to appear to follow Jesus’ values while disguising their preferred “master”.  Again, Jesus’ teaching is clear:  one cannot serve both money and God.

Others rejected his leadership because he interpreted their shared values in ways that contradicted their own.  The Pharisees are prime examples here.  Like Jesus, they believed in the resurrection and had a very high regard for Moses and the Old Testament law.  Jesus did too, to the point where he explained that the law would not pass away.  So why didn’t the Pharisees become Jesus followers?

Over and over again, Jesus re-interprets the very law that was central to their identity.  They understood it legalistically; Jesus understood its intentionality.  The Sermon on the Mount exposes that difference clearly.  Jesus says that adultery is not just refraining from sleeping with the wrong person; it’s lusting in one’s heart.  Loving one’s neighbor means loving one’s enemy.  Keeping the Sabbath means providing food for hungry people, even when “work” happens.   

Much harder to reckon with is the kind of people Jesus followers become when they really follow him.  Integrity in follower-ship means clothing the Rabbi’s values in personal and collective lifestyle choices.  Biblical descriptions, particularly those given by the apostle Paul in his letters, give some fairly clear parameters.  Combine the list of spiritual gifts to the list of spiritual fruits for a start.  Jesus followers are those who embody those fruits and respond to the Spirit’s work of growing those characteristics in themselves and in every space they occupy.  

A good contrast on this issue of integrity comes from the Old Testament stories of  King Saul and King David.  Saul neither listened to Samuel nor accepted the critique that Samuel provided; both Saul and the people suffered.  On the other hand, David recognized Nathan’s condemnation of his lust and resulting actions, knew that it was deserved, repented, and understood that he was responsible for the results of his sin.

In today’s culture being a Christian is pretty easy:  go to church and give some money to places with the right creed.  My dad did all those things.  And still, at the end of his life, he realized that being a Jesus follower is a different matter altogether.  Transformation by the Spirit from the inside out is an ongoing process, without a final attainable goal, and with constant revelations of immaturity and failure.

So, after listening long and hard, I finally asked a question of my own:  “When you look back on your life, have you grown?”

Neither of us verbalized an answer.  We left the answer to the great Arbitrator of follower-ship.

But maybe all of Jesus followers should ask themselves that question whenever the calendar suggests that an ending is also turning into a beginning.