Lately, I’ve been reflecting on what it really means to be a true follower of Jesus Christ. Not just in word, or in the label of “Christian,” but in the deep, costly sense that Jesus Himself described. I’m starting to think the true mark of a follower is simple, yet profound:
Are you willing to die for the cause of Christ?
That might sound extreme to some, but it’s exactly what Jesus said in Luke 9:23:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
That wasn’t a poetic metaphor. In Jesus’ time, the cross was not a symbol of inconvenience—it was an execution device. When He called people to carry their cross, He was saying, “Be ready to die for Me.”
That is what separates the crowd from the committed.
We live in a time when it’s easy to say we believe. It costs little to wear the name “Christian,” especially in cultures where following Jesus is still somewhat accepted. But Scripture paints a much different picture of discipleship.
Revelation 12:11 gives us a glimpse of the kind of believers who overcome in the end:
“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”
Let that sink in.
They did not just believe.
They did not just speak truth.
They were willing to die for it.
And this is not just about literal martyrdom—though many have paid that price and still do today. It’s about the heart posture. The kind of faith that says:
“Even if it costs me everything… I will not deny Him.”
That kind of faith isn’t born out of comfort. It’s forged in the fire of surrender. It’s not religious ritual—it’s real relationship, built on trust that this world is not our home, and that Jesus is worth more than life itself. Maybe this is why the road to heaven is very narrow and only a few find it.
We see this truth beautifully demonstrated in Peter’s life.
Before receiving the Holy Spirit, Peter claimed he was ready to die for Jesus—but when the moment of testing came, he denied Him three times.
But something changed after Pentecost.
Once Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, his heart was transformed. He no longer just spoke with boldness—he lived it. He held onto a faith so deep, he was willing to die for it.
And not only that—he refused to die in the same manner as Jesus, feeling unworthy to share in His exact death. According to tradition, Peter chose to be crucified upside down.
That’s the power of the Holy Spirit: it doesn’t just strengthen your faith—it gives you the courage to live and die for it.
Not all believers will be called to physically die for Christ. But every true follower must be willing. Could this be the reason Jesus asked us in Luke 14:25–33 to consider the cost before making the decision to follow him?
In a world rapidly turning darker, lukewarm faith won’t hold. Compromise won’t save us. Only radical, obedient, sold-out love for Jesus will endure what’s coming. That’s the kind of faith that shakes hell. That’s the kind of faith God calls us to.
So I’ll ask you the same question that’s been stirring in my heart:
Are you willing to die for the cause of Christ?
If the answer is yes… then you’re on the narrow road. And no matter what it costs, it leads to life.
Stay awake. Stay faithful. The time is short.