March 29th, 2026
by Albert Cross
by Albert Cross
The Movement in Faith: Understanding Discipleship
There's a profound difference between believing in Jesus and following Jesus—a distinction that transforms how we understand our Christian walk. While salvation is a moment of divine grace, discipleship is a daily choice that shapes our spiritual journey.
The Call to Follow
In Luke 9:23, we encounter one of Jesus' most challenging statements: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." At first glance, this might sound like a condition for salvation, but a closer look reveals something different entirely. Jesus isn't explaining how to be saved; He's describing how saved people should live.
The Greek word for "come after me" means to deliberately align yourself behind someone—to get in line with their direction and purpose. It's a conscious decision, indicated by Jesus' use of "if." This isn't automatic; it's a choice we make after we've already believed.
Three Components of Following
Jesus outlines three distinct parts to discipleship:
First, align yourself. Coming after Jesus means making a deliberate decision to follow His path rather than our own.
Second, deny yourself. The word "deny" here means to renounce or disown—not in anger, but in priority. It's about putting Christ first, above even our own desires and habits. This doesn't mean we hate ourselves or our families, but that we prioritize differently. We can't become more like Christ without actually becoming more like Christ. There's no shortcut that allows us to keep all our worldly habits while claiming to follow Jesus.
Third, take up your cross daily. In the first century, everyone understood what the cross meant: death. No one carried a cross and lived to tell about it. Jesus uses this powerful imagery to communicate the cost of discipleship—a daily death to self, a daily surrender. As Paul wrote in Galatians, "I am crucified with Christ," and in Romans, we're called to be "living sacrifices."
Two Separate Realities
Here's the crucial distinction we must grasp: Salvation is God's move toward us in Christ. Discipleship is us in Christ moving toward God.
Salvation is free, immediate, and received. It happens the moment we believe—when we place our trust and confidence in Jesus Christ. Acts 16:31 reminds us, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." John 6 records Jesus saying, "He that believeth on me hath everlasting life"—not future life, but present, immediate life.
Discipleship, however, is costly, progressive, and chosen. It requires something of our own will. It's not about attendance; it's about alignment. It's not about performance; it's about process.
The Ancient Understanding
First-century audiences understood discipleship well. It wasn't a uniquely Christian concept—philosophers like Socrates and Plato had disciples. Being a disciple meant rearranging your entire life around learning. Disciples often lived with their teachers, followed them everywhere, and sought to become like them in every way.
This is why throughout the Gospels we see Jesus constantly with His disciples. They weren't just attending weekly meetings; they were living in close proximity, learning not just His words but His ways. Paul captured this when he wrote, "Be followers of me even as I also am of Christ."
Biblical Examples of the Distinction
Scripture is filled with people who illustrate the difference between salvation and discipleship:
The Corinthian church was saved but carnal, struggling with immorality and division. In 2 Peter, Lot is called "righteous" despite living in Sodom—saved, but not exactly a model disciple. Paul pressed forward, content in all circumstances, following Christ with abandon. Young Timothy was both saved and faithful in his following.
But perhaps the clearest example is Peter. In Matthew 16, Peter confessed, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Jesus affirmed this revelation, confirming Peter's salvation. Yet shortly after, Peter denied Jesus three times, saying "I know him not." Same man. Saved, but not walking faithfully in that moment.
The story doesn't end there. After the resurrection, Jesus restored Peter, asking "Do you love me?" three times. On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood and boldly proclaimed Jesus as Messiah. Peter's path wasn't straight or easy—he had dramatic ups and downs. But his salvation was never in question; only his behavior wavered.
Living in Grace
This distinction changes everything about how we approach the Christian life. If we think we must follow perfectly to be saved or stay saved, we'll live in constant fear and frustration. Every stumble will feel like potential damnation. Every failure will breed despair.
But when we understand that our salvation is secure—that we're sealed by the Holy Spirit, loved unconditionally, and positioned as children of God—we can pursue discipleship from a place of grace rather than fear. We can try, fail, and try again, knowing that our position never changes even when our performance falters.
Grace is unearned favor. Our spiritual birth certificate, signed the day we believed, never gets erased. Just as a child might disappoint their parents but never stops being their child, we may disappoint our Heavenly Father but never stop being His children. Discipline may come, relationships may fluctuate, but position remains secure.
The Motivation to Follow
Here's the beautiful paradox: we don't follow to earn life; we follow because we already have life. We're already secure (Romans 8), already loved (1 John 4:10). God loved us first, before we did anything to deserve it.
This love motivates us. Romans 6 speaks of obeying "from the heart"—not from obligation or fear, but from gratitude and love. We take up our cross daily not to earn something, but because we've already received everything.
Not Perfection, But Direction
Progressive sanctification isn't about perfection; it's about direction. Some days will be better than others. You might struggle with three things today and only two tomorrow. The point isn't flawless performance but consistent movement toward Christ.
His mercies are new every morning. His grace is sufficient. When we stumble, we acknowledge it, receive grace, and start again. The things we struggled with years ago may no longer trip us up, though new challenges arise. That's growth. That's the process.
As Colossians 2:6 says, "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him." We conduct our lives around Jesus, looking unto Him, learning from Him, and being transformed into His image from glory to glory.
The journey of discipleship is ongoing, but the destination of salvation is already secured. Walk freely in that grace today.
Sermon with Notes: https://tri-citybaptistchurch.subspla.sh/9vzfbgp
Albert
There's a profound difference between believing in Jesus and following Jesus—a distinction that transforms how we understand our Christian walk. While salvation is a moment of divine grace, discipleship is a daily choice that shapes our spiritual journey.
The Call to Follow
In Luke 9:23, we encounter one of Jesus' most challenging statements: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." At first glance, this might sound like a condition for salvation, but a closer look reveals something different entirely. Jesus isn't explaining how to be saved; He's describing how saved people should live.
The Greek word for "come after me" means to deliberately align yourself behind someone—to get in line with their direction and purpose. It's a conscious decision, indicated by Jesus' use of "if." This isn't automatic; it's a choice we make after we've already believed.
Three Components of Following
Jesus outlines three distinct parts to discipleship:
First, align yourself. Coming after Jesus means making a deliberate decision to follow His path rather than our own.
Second, deny yourself. The word "deny" here means to renounce or disown—not in anger, but in priority. It's about putting Christ first, above even our own desires and habits. This doesn't mean we hate ourselves or our families, but that we prioritize differently. We can't become more like Christ without actually becoming more like Christ. There's no shortcut that allows us to keep all our worldly habits while claiming to follow Jesus.
Third, take up your cross daily. In the first century, everyone understood what the cross meant: death. No one carried a cross and lived to tell about it. Jesus uses this powerful imagery to communicate the cost of discipleship—a daily death to self, a daily surrender. As Paul wrote in Galatians, "I am crucified with Christ," and in Romans, we're called to be "living sacrifices."
Two Separate Realities
Here's the crucial distinction we must grasp: Salvation is God's move toward us in Christ. Discipleship is us in Christ moving toward God.
Salvation is free, immediate, and received. It happens the moment we believe—when we place our trust and confidence in Jesus Christ. Acts 16:31 reminds us, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." John 6 records Jesus saying, "He that believeth on me hath everlasting life"—not future life, but present, immediate life.
Discipleship, however, is costly, progressive, and chosen. It requires something of our own will. It's not about attendance; it's about alignment. It's not about performance; it's about process.
The Ancient Understanding
First-century audiences understood discipleship well. It wasn't a uniquely Christian concept—philosophers like Socrates and Plato had disciples. Being a disciple meant rearranging your entire life around learning. Disciples often lived with their teachers, followed them everywhere, and sought to become like them in every way.
This is why throughout the Gospels we see Jesus constantly with His disciples. They weren't just attending weekly meetings; they were living in close proximity, learning not just His words but His ways. Paul captured this when he wrote, "Be followers of me even as I also am of Christ."
Biblical Examples of the Distinction
Scripture is filled with people who illustrate the difference between salvation and discipleship:
The Corinthian church was saved but carnal, struggling with immorality and division. In 2 Peter, Lot is called "righteous" despite living in Sodom—saved, but not exactly a model disciple. Paul pressed forward, content in all circumstances, following Christ with abandon. Young Timothy was both saved and faithful in his following.
But perhaps the clearest example is Peter. In Matthew 16, Peter confessed, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Jesus affirmed this revelation, confirming Peter's salvation. Yet shortly after, Peter denied Jesus three times, saying "I know him not." Same man. Saved, but not walking faithfully in that moment.
The story doesn't end there. After the resurrection, Jesus restored Peter, asking "Do you love me?" three times. On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood and boldly proclaimed Jesus as Messiah. Peter's path wasn't straight or easy—he had dramatic ups and downs. But his salvation was never in question; only his behavior wavered.
Living in Grace
This distinction changes everything about how we approach the Christian life. If we think we must follow perfectly to be saved or stay saved, we'll live in constant fear and frustration. Every stumble will feel like potential damnation. Every failure will breed despair.
But when we understand that our salvation is secure—that we're sealed by the Holy Spirit, loved unconditionally, and positioned as children of God—we can pursue discipleship from a place of grace rather than fear. We can try, fail, and try again, knowing that our position never changes even when our performance falters.
Grace is unearned favor. Our spiritual birth certificate, signed the day we believed, never gets erased. Just as a child might disappoint their parents but never stops being their child, we may disappoint our Heavenly Father but never stop being His children. Discipline may come, relationships may fluctuate, but position remains secure.
The Motivation to Follow
Here's the beautiful paradox: we don't follow to earn life; we follow because we already have life. We're already secure (Romans 8), already loved (1 John 4:10). God loved us first, before we did anything to deserve it.
This love motivates us. Romans 6 speaks of obeying "from the heart"—not from obligation or fear, but from gratitude and love. We take up our cross daily not to earn something, but because we've already received everything.
Not Perfection, But Direction
Progressive sanctification isn't about perfection; it's about direction. Some days will be better than others. You might struggle with three things today and only two tomorrow. The point isn't flawless performance but consistent movement toward Christ.
His mercies are new every morning. His grace is sufficient. When we stumble, we acknowledge it, receive grace, and start again. The things we struggled with years ago may no longer trip us up, though new challenges arise. That's growth. That's the process.
As Colossians 2:6 says, "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him." We conduct our lives around Jesus, looking unto Him, learning from Him, and being transformed into His image from glory to glory.
The journey of discipleship is ongoing, but the destination of salvation is already secured. Walk freely in that grace today.
Sermon with Notes: https://tri-citybaptistchurch.subspla.sh/9vzfbgp
Albert
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