Following Jesus – Fullerton Free (EvFree Fullerton)

FOLLOWING JESUS—

We’re excited that you’re interested in what it means to follow Jesus! In John 6:44 Jesus says, “No one can come to me unless the Father draws them.” That means that if you’re feeling drawn to follow Jesus, God is already doing a supernatural work within you!

Here at Fullerton Free we recognize that following Jesus begins with believing in Him. God draws us, we believe in Jesus and what He has done for us, and we are rescued from sin and death. This salvation is the miraculous work and gift of God for every person who believes. And this saving work is the beginning of ongoing life transformation that happens as we turn from our old ways to follow the lifestyle and teachings of Jesus.

Whether you’ve already trusted in Jesus or not, you probably still have a few questions about this new life. This guide will provide you with answers to the most common questions new Christ followers typically ask. If you have more questions, we encourage you to bring them to a pastor or a trusted friend who is also following Christ.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO "BELIEVE IN JESUS"?

We were created by God to know Him, worship Him, and enjoy a relationship with Him. Nonetheless, we have all fallen short of the purpose for which we were created by ignoring God and worshipping other things. The Bible calls this failure “sin,” and teaches us that our sin separates us from God, and renders us spiritually dead.

Even though there is a gap between us and God due to our sin, He still longs to be in a relationship with us. He still pursues us, and His love for people has never changed.

Look what the Bible says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son (Jesus), so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Out of love and obedience to His heavenly Father, Jesus willingly came to earth to bridge the divide between God and all humanity. There is no way for us to get to God other than through Jesus.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Jesus became the bridge when He was sent by God the Father to live on earth. He was fully God and fully human, yet had no sin. Jesus willingly laid down His life, and after three days, rose from the grave. In doing this, He paid the penalty for our debt of sin, and extends resurrection life to those who believe!

Romans 5:8 says: “God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” This act of love required Jesus to lay down His life, to suffer death on our behalf, so that we can freely enter in to a personal relationship with God.

Forgiveness cannot be earned. It is a gift. It says in Titus 3:5-7, “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior; so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having hope of eternal life.”

DO I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GOD LEAVING ME?

Because we have all experienced disappointments in life, we might at some point wonder if God will abandon us because we fall back into sin, or let Him down by making bad decisions.

But in Hebrews 13:5, Jesus says, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” and in John 10:27-30 He says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

That scripture passage assures us that Jesus will never allow us to slip through His fingers. We never did anything to earn salvation, so it makes sense that we can never do anything to lose it. It’s always been an unmerited gift. The blood of Jesus covers all our sins, even the ones still to come in our lives. When we trust in Christ we become a permanent part of the family of God.

CAN GOD FORGIVE ME OF EVERYTHING I'VE DONE?

Some people feel that they’ve done things that are too bad to be forgiven, that they’ve done too many wrong things for God to ever be able to forgive them. They feel guilty, ashamed, and stuck with their past.

But the Bible says that God has completely forgiven you. It says in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins, and purify us from all unrighteousness.

This passage tells us that no matter what we’ve done, God is both willing and able to forgive us of everything, and set us free from all our sin: past, present, and future.

DO I HAVE TO DO ANYTHING TO BE SAVED?

For many, salvation by grace through faith in Jesus seems too good to be true. Many people struggle with the thought that God must require more from us in order to be accepted as His sons and daughters, and to have a place in heaven.

But in Ephesians 2:8-9 it says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

We could never do anything that would merit God’s gracious gift of forgiveness. He chose to forgive us based on His abundant mercy. All He requires is that we accept His gift of life by surrendering our lives to Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

HOW CAN I BE SURE I'M SAVED?

Take a moment to answer these questions:

Do I know that God loves me?
Do I understand that I’ve sinned and my sin is separating me from a relationship with God?
Do I realize that Jesus is the only way to find forgiveness for my sins?
Have I surrendered my life to Jesus as my Lord and Savior by believing in Him and choosing to turn away from my old life to follow Him?

If you answered "yes" to these questions, you can be assured that you have been given eternal life and belong to the family of God.

NOW THAT I BELIEVE IN JESUS, WHAT DOES FOLLOWING HIM LOOK LIKE?

The Bible calls the process of following Jesus, “Discipleship.” A disciple is someone who abandons their own life and plans to follow the lifestyle and teaching of another. This following includes a public declaration of faith through Baptism, studying God’s word, and connecting with others in Christian community.

Hebrews 12:1-3 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”

At Fullerton Free we see following Jesus then, as working together to grow in the adoration and imitation of Christ, and to embrace freedom from anything that would impede or discourage us from this enduring goal.

Our hope is that every individual who calls this church home would actively seek to be engaged every week in four ways: Large Community Worship in one of our Sunday morning gatherings, a small group of some kind (adult fellowship, Bible study, men’s or women’s group, etc…), serving the body of Christ (usher, greeter, parking lot attendant, small group leader, kids ministry volunteer, etc…), and serving those in our city who do not know Christ (tutoring, neighboring, mentoring, OC United, personal evangelism, homelessness relief, etc...). We value a four-fold focus that includes big room, small room, inward service, and outward service.

For more information on additional ways to follow Jesus as a disciple, download our church app on your phone!

Next Steps in Following Jesus

Read the Bible. The Bible is God’s word to us and by engaging with the scriptures, we come to know the heart of God and path of following Jesus. If you are new to reading the Bible, consider starting in the Gospel of John.
Get baptized. While not a requirement for salvation, we believe that being baptized is a way for you to publicly and boldly proclaim your desire to be a follower of Jesus. Click here to learn more about baptism.
Join a community group. Being in community with others in pursuit of living like Christ is a great way to develop a life of discipleship. Click here to find a small group or adult fellowship to join.

Let's have a conversation.

If you have questions about what it means to follow Jesus, please send us an email and one of our Shepherds would love to buy you coffee and spend time together to discuss the good news of Jesus and what is means to live a life of faith.

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