Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” John 831

 Years ago there was a slogan that went like this: “What Would Jesus Do”.  That messaged encouraged Christians to live out their faith and life modeled after Jesus Christ. Whenever faced with a decision, that person would ask, What Would Jesus Do, and they had the choice to either follow in Christ’s footsteps or pursue their own path. Still today, many Christians use this slogan in their everyday decision-making process.

 In my personal opinion, today’s verse removes the choice to follow Jesus, but is clear cut by saying, if you are My disciples, you will do what I say. Some of you reading this might take offense to this directive, but if you are truly a child of God, there should be NO choice, you SHOULD follow Christ in strict obedience. There are several reasons I say this:

 1 God knows what’s best for HIS children, that’s why He set boundaries for us to live within. Anything outside of God’s instructions will weaken your faith and make you vulnerable to accepting the ways of the world. James 4:4 makes it clear, that if you are living by the world’s standards, you are an enemy of God.  

 2 As a child of God, you have the responsibility to reflect His character in your everyday life. By doing so, you provide an example for others to follow. Many non-believers might only be exposed to what the Christian life looks like by how you live your life. If you live in the gray, you send mixed messages to those who have the potential to receive Christ. Wouldn’t you hate to know your neighbor, co-worker, friend, or family member went to Hell because the way you lived your life?

 3 When you adhere to God’s standards for spiritual living, you align yourself with His plan for your life and you grow closer to Him. Over time living a Godly life becomes a routine, leaving NO choice but to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.

How you live your life effects your relationship with God, and those around you. Let there be NO choice who you’ll follow. If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.