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"Christians"
Followers of Jesus

Christians are Followers of Jesus and have been born again. They pattern their lives after Jesus, are filled with God's Holy Spirit, and will spend Eternity in Heaven.

The first Followers of Jesus were the twelve Disciples, handpicked by Jesus when He began His ministry on earth.

The Twelve Disciples:

• Simon whom Jesus renamed Peter
• James, the son of Zebedee and his brother,
• John, Jesus renamed them Boanerges
• Andrew
• Philip
• Bartholomew
• Matthew
• Thomas
• James son of Alphaeus
• Thaddaeus
• Simon, the Zealot
• Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus

"He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him," (John 1:10-11).

It is sad that Israel was the only nation expecting the Messiah, (Jesus), and yet rejected Him when He arrived:

To be a Follower of Christ, One Must:

• Believe in God.
• Believe that Jesus is the Son of God
• Believe that Jesus is the Savior who died for the sins of the world?

Those who follow the Christian Faith are to pattern their lives after Jesus. They are to be baptized and then love, serve and take the Gospel to the world. They must trust in God's promises, and prayerfully abide in Jesus.

Jesus Forewarns His followers:

According to Jesus, His followers may face rejection and persecution for their faith in Him.  If so, they are not to be discouraged.

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.

That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also" (John 16:18-21).

Persecution During Jesus Time:

During Jesus life, the world showed its opposition in the form of harsh words, hostile plots, and violent torture. Many of the early Christians experienced rejection, exclusion, ridicule and even death.

Persecution Today:

We must not make the mistake of thinking the hatred of the world toward the Followers of Christ has disappeared. Today there are Christians imprisoned in over 40 countries for practicing their Faith.

In America, Christians are often ridiculed and rejected. An example, in the movies it is not uncommon to see well-dressed cowboys riding expensive horses, alongside a poorly dressed preacher portrayed as an inept bungler, riding a mule or donkey.

In truth, our early preachers were intelligent, often well-educated, robust individuals who loved the Lord, and were fearless in their pursuit of spreading the Gospel.

The Holy Spirit;

The good news is that God did not abandon the Followers of Jesus to struggle on their own. The Child of God, living according to God's plan and guidance, can have the most fulfilling life there is.

After Jesus' death and resurrection, He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell, comfort and counsel each of His followers. The Holy Spirit brought them peace, joy, and hope, and enabled them to be strong and faithful, despite the world's hostility.

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him or knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you," (John 14:16-17).

Hope and Joy for the Followers of Christ;

Paul said, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what unseen is eternal, (2 Cor 4:16-18).

Paul encouraged the Followers of Jesus not to lose heart or give up on their eternal reward. This world is not all there is; f you are a Christian, you are a Child of God, and will inherit eternal life!

Christians can confidently look beyond this brief life with the promise that because Jesus shed His blood on the cross, we will spend a glorious eternity with Him, in a place where there is unspeakable joy, no suffering, and no tears. 

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Salvation Information

Trusting in Jesus, Home Page

Samuel L. Mills

Christians

"Lets Teach Our Children to Love"

Why is it so difficult for our educators and society, in general, to understand that love and respect for one another taught from a young age can solve much of the world's hostility and social problems!

"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it" (Prov 22:6).

Love is the answer!

Loyalty and Faithfulness

True loyalty springs from the heart and is wrapped in love. It is often in our most private moments that true loyalty, or the lack of it, is made known.