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Not All who Claim to Follow Christ are Actually Following Christ
Throughout the book of John, we are repeatedly reminded that not all who follow Jesus and claim to be disciples of Jesus truly are. Nowhere does this truth shine brighter than in the sixth chapter of John. He opens the chapter by letting us know that thousands of people were so intent on following Jesus that they followed Him to a faraway, desolate area. John says there were 5,000 men, but if we added the family members, there could have easily been 20,000 people following Jesus! That is a lot of followers. Jesus then feeds them all through the supernatural multiplication of 2 small fish and 5 tiny loaves of bread. The people were so impressed that they desired to make Jesus the King of Israel and refer to Him as The Prophet that Moses had prophesied was to come. Later, the crowd even follows Jesus across the sea to the city of Capernaum, where they refer to Him as Rabbi, which means teacher.
Looking at the tenaciousness with which this crowd followed Jesus, we might assume that these were true followers and disciples of Christ. Yet, as Jesus began to teach them about His deity and that He was exclusively the only way to heaven, these “diehard followers of Christ” began to grumble, reject His teaching, and finally abandoned Him.
What happened?
The people were willing to follow Jesus as long as He was giving them what they wanted: supernatural signs, food for their bellies, and political power. They were willing to be His disciples as long as He taught only what they wanted to hear. But after Jesus claimed deity and exclusivity, John recorded that “many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.”[1]
Well, of the thousands that chapter 6 began with, how many followers and disciples of Christ remained? It appears that over 99% of the people stopped following Jesus. John only records 11 men who were true followers and disciples of Christ.
What’s the difference between a true and false follower and disciple of Christ?
Read Peter’s reply to Jesus after all the people had abandoned Jesus, and I believe you will have a good idea:
67So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:67-69)
Peter, as a true disciple, acknowledged that he was there for the teaching of Christ, unlike those who called Him Rabbi but rejected His teaching. Peter also agreed that Jesus was the Holy One of God and not just a man. Peter, as a true follower of Christ, realized that there was no one else to follow who had the “words of eternal life.”
John 6 is a great reminder that not all who claim to “follow” Christ truly follow Christ, and not all who claim to be “disciples” of Christ truly want to be discipled by Christ. False followers and disciples of Christ pick and choose what they want to believe about the person of Jesus as well as what teachings they would like to follow. A true follower of Christ continues to follow Christ and does not turn back when he does not get his way. A true disciple of Christ acknowledges that Jesus is God the Son incarnate, honors all of His teaching, and continues to follow even if he does not get his way.
[1] John 6:66
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Strengthening relationships and the church
What Does Your Love of Others Reveal About You?
John 13:34-35 “34A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Comment: The command of Christ to love one another is so high that it becomes THE identifying mark of true Christianity.
Christ says that this love is so categorically different from the way the world loves that it reveals to you that you are not one of them.
So, what is it that differentiates the way the world loves and the way Christians love?
Question: Did you deserve Christ’ love?
Answer: No.
Question: So how should Christians apply this to others?
Answer: People should not have to earn your love either.
Question: Did you love Christ first, which caused Christ to love you?
Answer: No, in fact, Christ loves you first.
Question: How do you apply this aspect of Christ’s love to others?
Answer: Don’t wait to be loved before you will love. Be the first to initiate.
Question: Does Christ’s love for you change based on the reciprocation of your love?
Answer: No. It is immutable/unchanging, even when our love for Him fluctuates.
Question: What requirements do you demand of others before you will love them as Christ loved you?
Answer: If anything comes to mind, you may find that the way that you are loving others is not revealing Christianity to the world around you.
Apply this to all of your Christian relationships:
Are you loving your spouse as Christ loved you?
Are you loving your friends as Christ loved you?
Are you loving fellow church members as Christ loved you?
Forgiveness and Love Strengthen One Another:
Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
Comment: Similar to Christ’s command for us to love one another as He has loved us, in this passage Paul says that we are to forgive as Christ has forgiven us.
Question: Why would you need to forgive someone?
Answer: Because they have done something unloving to you.
Question: What are you supposed to do when this happens? Retaliate, withhold love, gossip, slander, malign, or stonewall?
Answer: No, you are to forgive as Christ has forgiven you.
This is where your Christlike love will really be tested. Most often, Christlike love is not revealed to the world when you are being loved perfectly. It is easy to love others when they love you perfectly. Even the world can do that.
How Love and Forgiveness Keep Relationships Going:
1 Peter 4:8 “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”
Comment: In this passage, Peter does not say that because they are all Christians, they will never do or say anything wrong to one another. In fact, he says the opposite.
Question: How should being sinned against affect your love for a fellow Christian?
Answer: Peter says to keep loving earnestly despite the wrongdoing. The more you love, the more you will forgive, and the more you forgive, the more you will love.
Author of Sticks, Stones, Sabbaths, and Sundays
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What is your love of fellow believers revealing?
Christ’s high calling of love, which Christians are to show fellow believers, is meant to reveal authentic Christianity to the world.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34-35)
The command of Christ to love one another is so high, that it becomes the identifying mark of true Christianity. It is so categorically different than the way the world loves that they know that you are not one of them. It is no small thing to love others as Christ has loved you. Did you deserve His love? Did you love Him first? No, in fact, you did nothing to deserve or earn His love.
What requirements do you demand of others before you will love them as Christ loved you? If anything comes to mind, you may be loving like the world loves, not as Christ. His love for you is unconditional.
Author of The Missing Gospel of Modern Christianity
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