Many people sincerely say:
“I FOLLOW JESUS.”
That is exactly what every Christian should desire to do.
But sometimes another statement follows:
“I FOLLOW JESUS, NOT A BOOK.”
That raises an important question:
CAN WE SEPARATE FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST FROM FOLLOWING THE WORD HE REVEALED?
Jesus did not leave His disciples without instruction.
He gave them His Word.
And He repeatedly connected our relationship with Him to what we do with that Word.
JESUS SAID HIS DISCIPLES CONTINUE IN HIS WORD
Jesus spoke to people who believed on Him:
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;”
(John 8:31, KJV)
Notice the connection:
BELIEVE ON CHRIST
↓
CONTINUE IN CHRIST’S WORD
↓
DISCIPLES INDEED
Jesus did not separate:
FOLLOWING HIM
from:
CONTINUING IN HIS WORD.
According to Jesus, His Word identifies and directs His disciples.
JESUS CONNECTED LOVE WITH KEEPING HIS WORD
Jesus said:
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
(John 14:15, KJV)
Later He said:
“…If a man love me, he will keep my words…”
(John 14:23, KJV)
Then He gave the opposite:
“He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings…”
(John 14:24, KJV)
Notice the contrast:
LOVE CHRIST
↓
KEEP HIS WORD
but:
DO NOT KEEP CHRIST’S WORD
↓
CHRIST SAYS THAT IS NOT LOVE FOR HIM
Therefore, we cannot biblically say:
“I LOVE JESUS”
while dismissing what Jesus taught.
JESUS’ WORD WILL JUDGE US
Jesus said:
“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him…”
(John 12:48, KJV)
What will judge him?
Jesus continued:
“…the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”
(John 12:48, KJV)
Notice:
REJECT CHRIST
and:
RECEIVE NOT HIS WORDS
are connected.
Then:
CHRIST’S WORD
↓
WILL JUDGE
Jesus did not treat His teaching as something separate from allegiance to Him.
How we respond to His Word reveals how we respond to Him.
JESUS SENT THE APOSTLES TO TEACH HIS WORD
Someone might say:
“I will follow only the words Jesus personally spoke.”
But Jesus Himself authorized His apostles to teach.
He told them:
“He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me…”
(Luke 10:16, KJV)
Before His death, Jesus promised the apostles:
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth…”
(John 16:13, KJV)
Therefore:
CHRIST
↓
SENT THE APOSTLES
↓
THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDED THEM INTO TRUTH
↓
THE APOSTLES TAUGHT CHRIST’S WILL
↓
HEARING THEIR INSPIRED TEACHING WAS HEARING CHRIST
That means we cannot accept Jesus while rejecting the inspired teaching delivered through His apostles.
THE FIRST CHRISTIANS CONTINUED IN THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE
After approximately three thousand people obeyed the gospel on Pentecost:
“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
(Acts 2:42, KJV)
Notice what happened after conversion.
They did not say:
“WE HAVE JESUS NOW, SO DOCTRINE DOES NOT MATTER.”
They:
CONTINUED STEDFASTLY
↓
IN THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE.
Why?
Because the apostles were teaching the Word Christ authorized them to teach.
PAUL’S WRITINGS WERE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD
Paul wrote:
“If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.”
(1 Corinthians 14:37, KJV)
That statement is extremely important.
Paul did not say:
“These are merely my religious opinions.”
He said:
THE THINGS I WRITE
↓
ARE
↓
THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD.
Therefore, when inspired Scripture gives instruction concerning:
SALVATION
THE CHURCH
WORSHIP
CHRISTIAN LIVING
MORALITY
CHURCH ORGANIZATION
DOCTRINE
FAITHFULNESS
we are not choosing between:
JESUS
and:
THE BIBLE.
The inspired Word reveals the will of Jesus.
THE SCRIPTURES ARE GIVEN BY GOD
Paul wrote:
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God…”
(2 Timothy 3:16, KJV)
And Scripture is:
“…profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
(2 Timothy 3:16, KJV)
Why?
“That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
(2 Timothy 3:17, KJV)
Notice what God’s Word provides:
DOCTRINE
↓
REPROOF
↓
CORRECTION
↓
INSTRUCTION
↓
SPIRITUAL EQUIPMENT FOR EVERY GOOD WORK
If we want to know how Christ wants us to live, Scripture is not an obstacle between us and Jesus.
Scripture is the inspired revelation that teaches us His will.
FAITH ITSELF COMES THROUGH THE WORD
Paul wrote:
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
(Romans 10:17, KJV)
Think about that.
Someone says:
“I HAVE FAITH IN JESUS, BUT I DON’T NEED THE WORD.”
Yet Scripture says:
FAITH
↓
COMES BY HEARING
↓
THE WORD OF GOD.
The Word does not compete with faith in Christ.
The Word produces and directs biblical faith.
WE CANNOT CREATE OUR OWN VERSION OF JESUS
This is where the issue becomes especially important.
If we separate Jesus from His revealed Word, what prevents us from creating a Jesus who agrees with whatever we already believe?
One person may say:
“My Jesus would never require baptism.”
Another:
“My Jesus does not care how we worship.”
Another:
“My Jesus would never condemn this behavior.”
Another:
“My Jesus accepts every religious path.”
But the question is not:
“WHAT WOULD THE JESUS I IMAGINE DO?”
The question is:
WHAT DID JESUS ACTUALLY TEACH?
And:
WHAT DID JESUS AUTHORIZE HIS APOSTLES TO TEACH?
Without Scripture, we are no longer following the revealed Christ.
We risk following a Christ created according to our own preferences.
JESUS ASKED WHY PEOPLE CALLED HIM LORD WITHOUT OBEYING
Jesus asked:
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
(Luke 6:46, KJV)
That question exposes the contradiction.
CALL JESUS LORD
↓
BUT
↓
IGNORE WHAT JESUS SAYS
Jesus asks:
WHY?
If He is Lord, His Word has authority.
THE BIBLICAL PATTERN
CHRIST HAS ALL AUTHORITY
Matthew 28:18
↓
CHRIST SPEAKS
↓
HIS WORD IS TRUTH
John 17:17
↓
CHRIST SENDS HIS APOSTLES
↓
THE SPIRIT GUIDES THEM INTO ALL TRUTH
John 16:13
↓
THE CHURCH CONTINUES IN THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE
Acts 2:42
↓
THE INSPIRED WRITINGS ARE THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD
1 Corinthians 14:37
↓
FAITH COMES BY HEARING GOD’S WORD
Romans 10:17
↓
DISCIPLES CONTINUE IN CHRIST’S WORD
John 8:31
↓
LOVE FOR CHRIST KEEPS HIS WORD
John 14:23
↓
FOLLOW CHRIST
BY FOLLOWING THE WORD HE REVEALED
THAT IS THE PATTERN.
We should absolutely follow Jesus.
But how do we know:
WHO JESUS IS?
WHAT JESUS DID?
WHAT JESUS TAUGHT?
HOW JESUS SAVES?
HOW JESUS WANTS HIS CHURCH TO WORSHIP?
HOW JESUS WANTS HIS CHURCH TO BE ORGANIZED?
HOW JESUS WANTS CHRISTIANS TO LIVE?
HOW JESUS WANTS US TO REMAIN FAITHFUL?
Through:
THE WORD OF GOD.
Therefore, the choice is not:
JESUS OR THE BIBLE.
The biblical relationship is:
THE BIBLE REVEALS JESUS.
↓
JESUS’ WORD PRODUCES FAITH.
↓
JESUS’ WORD TEACHES US HOW TO FOLLOW HIM.
↓
JESUS’ WORD CORRECTS US WHEN WE ARE WRONG.
↓
JESUS’ WORD GUIDES US IN TRUTH.
↓
JESUS’ WORD WILL JUDGE US.
So perhaps the question is not merely:
“DO I CLAIM TO FOLLOW JESUS?”
We should ask:
“AM I WILLING TO FOLLOW JESUS WHEN HIS WORD DISAGREES WITH ME?”
That is where discipleship is tested.
When Scripture agrees with us, following it is easy.
But when Scripture challenges:
OUR TRADITIONS
OUR PREFERENCES
OUR RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND
OUR BEHAVIOR
OUR WORSHIP
OUR BELIEFS
OUR WAY OF LIFE
will we change ourselves?
Or will we attempt to change the meaning of God’s Word?
Jesus said:
“If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;”
(John 8:31, KJV)
Don’t accept this conclusion merely because it is written here.
Open your Bible.
Read John 8.
Read John 12.
Read John 14.
Read John 16.
Read Acts 2.
Read Romans 10.
Read 1 Corinthians 14.
Read 2 Timothy 3.
Compare Scripture with Scripture.
Then ask:
AM I FOLLOWING JESUS AS HE HAS REVEALED HIMSELF IN HIS WORD, OR A JESUS SHAPED BY MY OWN PREFERENCES?
FOLLOW CHRIST.
CONTINUE IN HIS WORD.
KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.
ABIDE IN THE TRUTH.
ALLOW SCRIPTURE TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE.
The Biblical Pattern
Biblical Studies & Books by Kevin L. Walker
TheBiblicalPattern.com
The Biblical Pattern 