What Does it Mean to be a Christ Follower: Part 2

Ten days ago, I gave you Part 1.  Here is Part 2.

If being a Christ Follower is NOT focusing on a list of do's and do not's, than what IS it.  Well, you may feel that this is a cheating, condescending, over-simplified, insulting answer, but here it is:  A Christ Follower is someone who...follows Christ.  When Jesus met people who wanted to be changed, transformed, start over, get into heaven, become better, get healed, gain forgiveness, etc., he usually said something like (or often exactly like) "follow me".   Let's break this down.

In Matthew 5:20, Jesus tells his listeners that unless they have a righteousness that exceeds the Pharisees and the religious leaders, they won't enter the Kingdom of heaven.  This is a serious problem, because nobody was considered more 'righteous' than the Pharisees.  They were perfect keepers of the law.  The checked off every one of the 10 commandments, every item in the Law of Moses, every ordinance and interpretation of Jewish code.  They were complete rule followers.  By human standards, they had attained perfection.  But Jesus said their righteousness was so inherently flawed it would prevent them from entering heaven unless it was improved upon.  Did anyone have hope?

Yes.  Jesus wasn't looking for 1000 more rules to keep.  He was looking one relationship to make.  The Pharisees had made a religion based on moral code - we call this legalism.  Jesus wanted people to build their lives based on a relationship with the one true God.  We call this 'being a Christ Follower'.  This is why I say I can't stand it when people call me a religious person.  Religious people are stigmatized as those who are focused on what a person is allowed to do and what he or she is not allowed to do.  Jesus was focused on God.

Does that mean there are no boundaries?  Of course not.

In Matthew 6:33, Jesus tells his followers to seek first the Kingdom of God and God's righteousness.   I believe that when we focus our lives on following Jesus Christ, our hearts are then open to what is right.  We are open to the truth of the Bible, the authority of the church, the care and respect we have of other Christ followers in our community of friends.  

Focus your life on Following Christ first and foremost, and let other things fall naturally into place.  That is the order that God intended.  Be less like a Pharisee and more like a Christ Follower and your life will be better for it.