How Do We Follow Christ?
To follow Christ, we receive Him as Lord and listen to His voice above every other voice, hearing, obeying, and remaining faithful because He first loved us.
On This Lesson
Prepare for This Lesson Purpose, learning goals, key Scriptures, and preparation
What You Will Learn
- What it means to confess and receive Jesus Christ as Lord of your life
- Why hearing Christ's word means building your life on it, not merely knowing it
- What it means to "put on Christ" through repentance, baptism, and walking by the Spirit
- What it means to deny yourself and take up the cross daily
- Why Christ is not divided, and why no tradition or title should be greater than Him
Key Scriptures
- Romans 10:9; John 10:27; Luke 6:46
- Matthew 7:24; John 8:31–32; John 14:15; 1 John 4:19
- Romans 6:3–4; Romans 13:14; Galatians 5:16; 1 John 1:9; John 13:34
- Luke 9:23; 1 Peter 2:21; Matthew 10:22; Hebrews 12:1–2
- 1 Corinthians 1:13
1. Christ Must Be Lord of Our Lives
"If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."Romans 10:9
To confess Jesus as Lord means trusting Him and submitting our lives to His authority. He is not merely someone we believe in; He is the One we hear and follow.
"Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?"Luke 6:46
"My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."John 10:27
Christ alone is the Shepherd and Savior. Faithful teachers may help us, but no person or group may replace His voice, contradict His word, or demand the loyalty that belongs to Him.
"There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved."Acts 4:12
One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Therefore, we willingly submit our lives to Him now.
"At the name of Jesus every knee will bow… and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."Philippians 2:10–11
2. We Hear Him and Obey Him in Love
"Everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts on them, will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock."Matthew 7:24
The storm reveals the foundation. Hearing Christ is not merely knowing His words; it is building our lives upon them. All His disciples are called to build upon the same foundation.
"If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."John 8:31–32
"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."John 14:15
We do not obey in order to earn His love or grace. We obey because He first loved us:
"We love, because He first loved us."1 John 4:19
"His commandments are not burdensome."1 John 5:3
3. We Put On Christ
Through repentance and baptism, we are joined to Christ's death and resurrection and called to walk in newness of life:
"All of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death. We have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life."Romans 6:3–4
"Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts."Romans 13:14
To put on Christ means allowing His character to shape our thoughts, desires, words, and actions. This life cannot be lived by human strength alone:
"Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh."Galatians 5:16
When we sin, we do not hide from God. We return to Him with confession and repentance:
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous… to forgive us."1 John 1:9
Putting on Christ also means learning to love as He loved:
"I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you."John 13:34
His love reaches even those who oppose us. It refuses hatred, revenge, and bitterness.
Those who put on Christ also desire to help others know and follow Him:
"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations… teaching them to follow all that I commanded you."Matthew 28:19–20
4. We Deny Ourselves and Take Up the Cross
"If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me."Luke 9:23
To follow Christ means that we no longer live only for ourselves. We belong to the One who loved us and gave Himself for us.
Denying ourselves does not mean believing that our lives have no value. It means surrendering our pride, selfish desires, and personal will when they stand against Christ.
Following Him may bring sacrifice, rejection, or persecution:
"Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in His steps."1 Peter 2:21
Following Christ is not a brief emotional experience. It is a lifelong walk of faithfulness:
"The one who has endured to the end is the one who will be saved."Matthew 10:22
"Let's run with endurance… looking only at Jesus."Hebrews 12:1–2
5. We Remember That Christ Is Not Divided
"Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?"1 Corinthians 1:13
No tradition, title, group, or Christian identity should become greater than the Lord who died for us.
Key Truth
To follow Christ, we receive Him as Lord and listen to His voice above every other voice.
We hear His word and obey Him because He first loved us.
Through repentance and baptism, we are joined to Christ and called to walk in newness of life.
We put on Christ, walk by the Spirit, love as He loved, and reflect Him in the world.
We deny ourselves, take up the cross, and remain faithful even when following Him is costly.
In a divided Christian world, we remember that Christ is not divided. We belong first to Him and are members of one body under Him as Head.
We follow because Christ is Lord.
Check Your Understanding
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Multiple choice: According to Matthew 7:24, who is compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock?
Show suggested answer
B. Jesus says "everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts on them" is like the wise builder. Hearing Christ is not merely knowing His words; it is building our lives on them.
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True or false: According to 1 John 4:19, we obey Christ's commandments in order to earn His love.
Show suggested answer
False. "We love, because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Obedience flows from a love already received, not from a debt we are trying to pay off.
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Scripture connection: What does Romans 6:3–4 say happens through baptism, and what are we called to do as a result?
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We are baptized into Christ's death and buried with Him, so that just as Christ was raised, we too may "walk in newness of life." Baptism is joined to a whole new way of living, not only a past event.
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In your own words: What does it mean to "deny yourself and take up your cross daily" (Luke 9:23), and what does it not mean?
Show suggested answer
It means surrendering pride, selfish desires, and personal will when they stand against Christ, and being willing to face sacrifice or rejection for following Him. It does not mean believing our lives have no value — Christ died because He values us.
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Personal response: 1 Corinthians 1:13 asks, "Has Christ been divided?" Is there any tradition, title, or group loyalty in your life that has quietly become more important to you than Christ Himself?
Show suggested answer
There is no single correct answer. This question invites honest self-examination about whether any human loyalty — denominational, cultural, or personal — has taken a place that belongs only to Christ as Lord.
Review
- What does it mean to confess Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9)?
- According to John 10:27, what do Christ's sheep do?
- How does Romans 6:3–4 connect baptism with "walking in newness of life"?
- What does it mean to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:14)?
- What does 1 Corinthians 1:13 teach about Christian loyalty and division?
Reflection Questions
- What does it practically mean for Christ to be Lord of your life — not just your beliefs, but your decisions?
- Where is God asking you to hear His word more closely and build your life on it?
- What would it look like this week to "put on Christ" in a specific relationship or situation?
- What is one area where following Christ has cost you something, and how did you respond?
- How can you guard against letting any tradition, title, or group become greater in your heart than Christ Himself?
After This Lesson
Read Luke 9:23–25 and ask God to show you one specific way to deny yourself and follow Him this week.
Before you close this study, pause. Pray. Ask the Father, in the name of Jesus, to make Christ truly Lord of your life — not in word only, but in the way you listen, obey, love, and remain faithful, day by day.
"Lord Jesus, be Lord of my whole life. Teach me to hear You and follow You."