Jesus Is the Forerunner; Those Who Believe Are His Followers

Jesus Is the Forerunner; Those Who Believe Are His Followers

“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matt. 3:17. This was the voice that came from heaven after Jesus’ baptism. Jesus honored the Father. Finally there was a son of man who honored God and in whom God was well pleased. This was something new in history, and as we know, heaven already rejoiced at Jesus’ birth, with a multitude of the heavenly host singing. Because He was also God’s Son, an exalted place in the Spirit was bestowed on Him. But the exaltation did not mean (as so many preach) that He was exempt from man’s struggles and he need to deny His self-will. We clearly realize from Jesus’ many statements that He had not come to do His own will: “Not as I will . . . .” On the contrary! He was tested in all points as we are, yet He was never defiled by sin in any way. His victory was perfect; therefore His Father was well-pleased with Him.

“From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” Matt. 4:17. The kingdom of heaven was within Jesus. He was the first Man who was fully submissive to God and perfectly obedient. The expression, “the kingdom of heaven” or “the kingdom of God” speaks of where God rules and exercises authority. This is precisely what took place and was accomplished in Jesus; it was a masterful accomplishment.

Jesus says, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matt. 28:18-20. All men were to be made into disciples. So we have to speak about what it means to follow Jesus Christ, which Jesus Himself did by saying to those whom He had chosen, “Follow Me!” At Pentecost the disciples and many with them received the Holy Spirit, and the church was made up of disciples. Then all those who believed could begin to follow Jesus Christ through the leading of the Holy Spirit. So it is also today: All those who believe in following Christ do that in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Everything happens by faith, and faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the [preaching] of the word of God. Rom. 10:17. Therefore if it is not preached that it is possible, none will believe it is possible to follow Christ. How blessed it is that the Word is preached correctly to us, leading to light and revelation in the mysteries of the Scriptures, such as the great mystery that Jesus consecrated a new and living way through the veil (that is, His flesh) for us. Because of this, we believe that we can and shall walk in the Master’s steps and be conformed to His image. 1 Pet. 2:21-24; Heb. 10:19-20; Rom. 8:29-30.

Because people do not believe that it is possible to follow Christ, the promises are preached without conditions and people fail to believe in Jesus as our forerunner. For example, preachers maintain that Jesus’ blood cleanses from all sin; but the condition: “If we walk in the light as He is in the light,” is omitted because they do not believe that it can be done.

Recently I heard, “Jesus has done everything and He requires nothing from us.” In this connection it may be in order to quote what the [Norwegian] Bible translators have written as a heading for Matthew 5: “Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. The right attitude of mind and blessed reward of Jesus’ disciples and citizens of God’s kingdom; Jesus’ disciples as the salt of the earth and the light of the world. The fulfillment of the law that is required by citizens of the kingdom of God.”