first importance

There are three types of people that will read this book. The first is the person who knows they don’t believe in Jesus. Jesus is a myth, a story, a person that people made up in order to help them through life’s problems and give them hope in something that isn’t real. You’ve probably heard of Jesus, but for one reason or another, you decided that following Him was neither worthwhile nor realistic. If this is you, I’m so glad you picked up this book, as it will hopefully open your eyes to the real Jesus Christ and the incredibly important things He has to offer you and the rest of mankind. The second type of person is the most dangerous person reading this book. This is the person who thinks they know Jesus and are following Him, but really they’re not. This person probably grew up in a Christian home and went to church regularly as a kid. This person may have been baptized, confirmed, or maybe even walked down the aisle at the end of the church service. However, this person never really made a commitment to follow Christ. They never really understood the importance of all Jesus did and in turn never formally committed their lives to Him and never entered into an intimate relationship with the Savior. These are the people in Matthew chapter 7 of whom Jesus will say, “I never knew you. Away from Me you evildoers!” There are many ways you can determine if you are this person. First, think back. Was there ever a time in your life or day you can remember when everything changed? I’m not saying you need to be able to recall the exact date and hour of your salvation, but be honest with yourself. Can you remember a time in your life when you turned everything over to Jesus and decided to follow Him? Next, step back and truly make an honest assessment of how you are living your life. Is Jesus even in it? Are you wrapped up in some habitual sin that you refuse to let go of? This can be a pre-marital sexual relationship, an addiction to drugs or alcohol, or any number of things. Do you make time for Jesus in your daily routine, or is Jesus the “lifeline” you use when you are in trouble? I say this is the most dangerous type of person because some, and I would even say a lot of, “Christians” believe that going to church and enduring some religious ceremony makes you a follower of Christ. The fact is, Jesus didn’t say any of that. As we will discuss in this book, being a Christian means turning your life over to Him. It means a personal, intimate relationship with the one, true Savior of the world. If this is you, please read this book with care and leave anything you thought about Jesus behind you. Take a fresh look at who the real Jesus is and what His word has to say about Him. Finally, there’s the person reading this book that is a true follower of Christ. You have a personal, intimate relationship with the one God of the universe. You came to a point where you recognized your sins and trusted Jesus to wipe them away with His work on the cross. You are a person sure of the fact that Jesus has saved you from a life of sin and wretchedness, and one day you will be with Him. If this is you, I pray that you are encouraged and strengthened by reading this book. I pray this book draws you closer in your relationship with Jesus and He is more real to you than ever.

I say all this to ask multiple questions. Who is Jesus? What did He do? Why did He show up on Earth? Why is He so famous? Most importantly, we must ask the questions: what does it mean to follow Jesus and why is it so paramount that I do so? The purpose of this book is not to provide an apologetic thesis to the life of Christ. I will not attempt to prove God’s existence or give scientific evidence to the resurrection of Jesus. There are plenty of other books written by smarter people that can do that much better than I can. What this book will attempt to do is provide a biblical and sound answer to the question of “How do I follow Jesus?” It will explain what someone means when they tell you they are a follower of Christ. There are many human views to answer these ancient questions, but the Bible only has one. It is important that we leave what we think we know about Christ and focus on what the Bible says about Him.