Are you a follower of Jesus?
When you are baptized, you are marked with the sign of the cross and become a follower of Jesus.
Don’t deny Him. Don’t apologize or try to downplay your principles or abandon them. What you say publicly — more than what you say privately — reveals who you truly are.
It is easy to harshly judge the apostle Peter for denying that he knew Jesus. But think of the times you didn’t want people to know that you were a follower of Jesus Christ.
Think of when you avoided giving an honest answer to a moral question. You were afraid to lose a friendship. You didn’t want to be unpopular. Yet your silence signals, “I do not know this Man, Jesus.”
Our failure to publicly acknowledge Christ is understandable. Stating your position as a Christian is not easy. It takes courage to go against the crowd in our secular society.
If you tell people that premarital sex, adultery, abortion and the practice of homosexuality are contrary to Christ’s teachings, you will be unpopular. If you say that only Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, you will be considered intolerant.
If you are with the Nazarene, expect some conflict with the system. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the courage to tell the truth, to make your voice heard and to be the person you claim to be... a follower of Jesus Christ.
From Follower of Jesus to Basis of Our Faith
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