What Does It Mean to Be Different for Jesus?

Are you different for Jesus? In what ways are you different? A life with Jesus is a life of separation unto God that grows into union with Christ. Every Christian is expected to be different for God. This post explains what it means to be different for Christ.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me – Matthew 16:24 (NKJV)

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple – Luke 14:26-27 (NKJV)

To follow Christ is the best decision anyone can make, but it is not a light decision. It involves counting the cost (Luke 14:28) and signing for a life of total surrender to Jesus. Many people want the glory but not the cost; unfortunately it does not work like that.

Jesus said that unless you hate your loved ones and even your own life, you cannot be His disciple. You are either for Him or you are not for Him, there is no in-between for Jesus. Christ is not saying you should literally hate yourself or your loved ones but that as a Christian they should become secondary in your life. Jesus becomes number one in your life. Abraham was tested for this by God and he passed the test in Genesis 22:1-19. He had to prove that Isaac, the promised child was secondary in His life and God was number one!

What it means to be different for Christ

• It means to be sold out for Jesus. Nothing is to matter to you more than Jesus. Jesus wants all of you not some parts of you. This includes your attention, time, energy and resources. Paul was totally sold out to God, to the point that he said that to live is to live for Christ – Philippians 1:21. Read more...