What Does it Mean to "Follow?"

                                                     by Lawrence Jackson

A pertinent question has existed for years in Christianity, "how to live the Christian life?" Answers abstractly vary throughout the over 40k denominations worldwide. However, generally accepted doctrine among most groups, states that the only way of assuring one is on the right path is to simply, "follow Jesus Christ."

This raises another important question, what does it mean to: "follow?"

Dictionary.com: (Follow)

4. to conform to, comply with, or act in accordance with; obey: to follow orders; to follow advice.

5. to imitate or copy; use as an exemplar: They follow the latest fads.

Strong's Concordance:

G190: "from 1 (as a particle of union) and keleuthos (a road); properly, to be in the same way with, i.e. to accompany (specially, as a disciple):--follow, reach."

Reference scripture:

Luke 9:59 (ESV) "To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

How many people today has grasp the true meaning of being a follower of ADONAI (LORD) Y'shua Messiah (Jesus Christ)?

Y'shua Messiah (Jesus Christ) came to internalize the Father's Divine Instructions (Torah) etching these instructions on the heart of His followers as a living example of The Father's will for each one of us. This can be understood from reading the closing segments of the Beatitudes. READ: (Matt 5:17-48).

The Brit Hadashah (New Testament) originate from the TaNaKh: Torah (Divine Instructions), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (writtings) [Old Testament], e.g., "The Beatitudes."

"You have heard it said" - found 11 times in the (ESV) 
"It is written" - found 78 times in the (ESV)

If there was no Old Testament, then there would not be a New Testament. Y'shua Messiah (Jesus Christ) taught the TaNaKh: Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim (Old Testament)

YHVH's Good News (Covenant) prophesied as an Internal promise:

Jeremiah 31:33-34 (ESV) "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord (ADONAI): I will put my law (Torah) within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God (ELOHIM), and they shall be my people.

34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know ADONAI,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the ADONAI. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Y'shua Messiah (Jesus Christ) did not come to start a new religion, but He came to redeem and declare the Oneness (Echad) of the Father's Kingdom to the lost sheep of Isra'el to make one (Echad) people:

John 10:25-30 (ESV) "Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name bear witness about Me,

26 but you do not believe because you are not among My sheep.

27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

30 I and the Father are One (Echad).”

YHVH Declares His Forever Covenant Purpose With His People:

Numbers 15:15-16 (ESV) "For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute FOREVER throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the Lord.

16 One law (Torah) and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.”"

Deuteronomy 4:8 (ESV) "And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law (Torah) that I set before you today?"

YHVH's Written Divine Instructions (Torah) Becomes the life giving Spoken (Rhema) Torah:

Psalms 40:6-8 (ESV) "In sacrifice and offering You have not delighted, but You have given Me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.

7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;in the scroll of the book it is written of Me:

8 I delight to do Your will, O My God;your law (Torah) is within My heart.”"

Romans 15:4 (ESV) "For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."

YHVH's Covenant Purpose Fulfilled Through Y'shua HaMashiyach (Jesus Messiah); The Living Torah of Righteousness:

Acts 3:22-24 "Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to Him in whatever He tells you.

23 And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that Prophet shall be destroyed from the people. ’

24 And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after Him, also proclaimed these days." {Deut. 18:15}

John 1:45 "Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law (Torah) and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

Y'shua Messiah (Jesus Christ) Fulfilling The Father's Covenant Purpose:

Luke 24:44-45 (ESV)"Then he said to them, “These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the Law (Torah) of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,"

John 12:49 (ESV) "For I have not spoken on My own authority, but the Father who sent Me has Himself given Me a commandment—what to say and what to speak."

Matthew 5:17-18 (ESV) “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law (Torah) or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law (Torah) until all is accomplished."

Y'shua Messiah (Jesus Christ) Empowers the Father's Will to Those Who Will Follow Him:

John 4:34 (ESV) "Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work."

1 Peter 2:21 (ESV) "For to this you have been called, because Christ (Messiah) also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS."

Psalms (Tehillim) 1:1-3 (CJB) "How blessed are those who reject the advice of the wicked, don't stand on the way of sinners or sit where scoffers sit!

2 Their delight is in ADONAI's Torah;on his Torah they meditate day and night.

3 They are like trees planted by streams-they bear their fruit in season, their leaves never wither,everything they do succeeds."

Without ELOHIM's Divine Instructions (Torah) it is impossible to follow Y'shua Messiah (Jesus Christ). RETURN TO TORAH!