Christian community! In the eyes of the years one wonders a lot about what it would mean to follow Christ. For many, following Christ would be totally related to our financial situation or our physical health. Therefore, being in good health would be the proof that one follows Christ, and being continually sick is proof that one does not follow him. Having material goods would be proof that one follows and living in misery would be an undeniable proof that one does not follow it. For others, it would be the fact of having publicly declared before an assembly, before a recognized pastor, that we want to follow it. Without that, we could not pretend to follow Christ. What if following Christ was none of this?
"Come on, follow me". (Matthew 19.21)
Jesus said to his disciples, "What is the use of a man to gain the whole world if he loses his soul?" (Mark 8.36) Everything one gains would be of little value if we lose our souls. "Jesus does not focus on appearances , but in the soul, that is, in what we are internally.
The law emphasizes appearances, but Jesus tells us that to covet a girl is to commit adultery. Jesus teaches us the heart of God, who does not look at appearances to man, but the heart. What if following Christ was simply a matter of heart?
But then, if everything is limited to the heart, then there are no practical things that would testify to our faith? Surely yes. A good tree can not bear bad fruit or bad fruit trees. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22) This is not a material virtue, but spiritual virtues and a transformation of the heart.
All our actions are the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit: to love others without seeking anything in return, to give without moderation according to one's heart, to control the body and even more the heart. All these things are but the fruits of a regenerated life and a heart transformed by the power of the cross. Baptism is also nothing more than the external manifestation of inner transformation. Following Christ is simply a matter of heart.
Christ said to his disciples, "If anyone persecutes me, who denies himself, let him take up his cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24) To follow Christ is to renounce oneself; take care of your cross every day and live identifying with the Master. Following Christ is simply living like Christ. And we can not do it if the cross has not been planted in our hearts to uproot sin and free us to walk after it. He frees himself from the prison of sin, the pride of self and all self-centeredness, we can walk after him and live each day and each moment as Jesus lived.
To follow Christ is to identify with Christ and live like Christ.