Recognizing Christ as Our Forerunner

It is easy for me to announce that I follow Jesus. It is not so often that I think or talk of Him, as my Forerunner. We know a forerunner is a person who precedes the coming or development of someone. Recognizing the Lord Jesus as our forerunner means that we know there are others who follow after Him.

Scripture helps us to experience a sense of confidence in our faith, teaching how we have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain (cf. Hebrews 6:19). It is here that our Lord Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchiz′edek (cf. Hebrews 6:20). By following the Lord Jesus, it means that we are going the same way that He has gone in order to achieve the same result that He has. It, therefore, has to be clear to us what it is that the Lord Jesus accomplished on earth, and why it is that we want to follow Him as our forerunner.

The Bible reveals how the disciples eventually came to learn that they were following the promised Messiah. Indeed, it took time; but they did realize that the Lord Jesus was not just a mere rabbi. He was with them to teach them about Himself so that they would help establish His kingdom. We, too, must recognize the Lord Jesus as the great Teacher by:

1. Declaring Jesus as Lord

We acknowledge Jesus for who he really is – the Messiah. The Lord. The Son of God. The Saviour of the world. We must declare with our mouth, that Jesus is Lord; and we must believe in our heart, that the Lord God raised Him from the dead (cf. Romans 10:9). The first step of obedience in following Jesus is to declare Him as Lord and be baptized in His Name. Then the Holy Spirit empowers us to understand and live out the teaching of Christ (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:14-16).

2. Obeying His Teachings

No matter how much we desire it, today we cannot physically follow Jesus as the disciples did. Our following has to include the application of His teachings to our lives – in our relationships, in our families, in the workplace, in our positions, in the community, in the society and in the world at large. The Lord Jesus said it Himself, that we are truly His disciples if we hold to His teaching and continue in His word. Then we shall surely know the truth, and this truth will set us free (cf. John 8:31-32). St. Paul in his letters also emphasizes the need for us to follow and apply the teachings of the Lord Jesus in the Christian life.

3. Finding our place in the Body of Christ

St. Paul refers to the Church as the Body of Christ and explains how each one has a unique gift with which they fulfill a particular role in the community (cf. 1 Corinthians 12). This Body cannot perform its functions as intended except that each person does their bit. St. Paul places the image of Christ as the Head, who is in control of His body (the Church) to do His will. When we choose to follow the Lord Jesus, we inevitably become part of the Body (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:27). And St. Paul does his very best to help us understand that we each have a purpose within this Body. That every one of us bears unique gifts which are to be used in helping the Church to carry out its mission (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:15-20). The challenge lies in discovering our unique place within the Body of Christ so that we can play our role in building and equipping it up.

How Did Jesus Become our Forerunner?

The Lord Jesus was born into this world, not in a palace befitting the King that He truly; but as an ordinary baby, laid in a manger. He partook of the human flesh and blood, carrying in Him the entire body of sin, just like we, the children of Adam do (cf. Hebrews 2:14 &). Although He was the well-beloved Son, still He learned obedience by the things which He suffered (cf. Hebrews 5:8).

The Lord Jesus had to learn obedience because as a human, He had self will that was contrary to God’s will. To overcome this self-will, He had to undergo sufferings not to give in to self-will, so that He could obey His Father. The Lord Jesus faced temptation like we also do. And with every temptation was the fleshly demand for its right to commit sin (cf. Romans 7:18). However, with every temptation, the Lord God condemned the sin that dwelt in His flesh, and the Lord Jesus sacrificed Himself (cf. Romans 8:3-4).

Thus, He never committed sin. Instead, He found the sin that dwelt in Him and brought an eternal death over it by never giving in (cf. Hebrews 4:15). This is how He managed to put to death all sin and all self-will in His flesh, and divine nature came forth in His life. You and I are called to follow this example. To put on the person of Christ and likewise to defeat all sin and self-will, so that we can become one with Him.

When the Lord Jesus died on the Cross at Calvary, the veil of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom (cf. Matthew 27:51). This veil was used to block the entrance into the Holy of Holies in the temple. It symbolized the sin in the flesh which all people have inherited since the Fall. This is because it is sin which separates man from God and prevents us from entering into the holiest place.

With the tearing of the veil, we understand that all sin in the flesh of the Lord Jesus was condemned and brought to death. The Lord Jesus consecrated a new and living way through the flesh (the veil), right up to the Father’s throne (cf. Hebrews 10:19-22). The Lord Jesus had become the Forerunner. The Lord Jesus had made it fully possible for mankind to be able to partake of the divine nature. But only if they are also willing to go the same way – to put the sin dwelling in their flesh to death.

How Do We Follow Jesus?

St. Peter helps us to understand this call. He says that the Lord Jesus has shown us how, by first taking up the battle against sin in the days when He physically lived among us. So it is, He suffered for us in the flesh so that we could also arm ourselves with the same mind as Him, who suffered in the flesh and yet ceased from sin (cf. 1 Peter 4:1-2). In other words, it is possible for any of us to partake of the divine nature because the life and death of the Lord Jesus were not in vain. We must understand that coming to Jesus who is the Way is not the same as going on the way.

1. Condemn sin in the flesh

St. Paul acknowledged the weakness of the human being. He says that nothing good dwells in the flesh (cf. Romans 7:18). The Lord Jesus had this very flesh that He inherited as the Son of Man. In this flesh, we are tempted because the sin we inherited from the Fall dwells in it. However, with each temptation to sin, is an opportunity to put that sin to death. We must deny it, and not agree with the temptation. We must make the sacrifice of the self, in order to do that which is pleasing to God. This way, the sin which dwells in our flesh is gradually put to death, and it loses its power over us. This is how we condemn sin in the flesh (cf. Romans 8:3).

2. Surrender to God’s Will

In the time that the Lord Jesus was physically among us, He presented His body as a sacrifice so that He could do the will of the Father (cf. Hebrews 10:7). Even when the flesh was weak, still not His will but the Father’s was to be done (cf. Luke 22:42). Our desire should likewise be to do the will of the Lord God, whose law is within our hearts (cf. Psalm 40:8). To follow Jesus demands that we be surrendered to the same will – God’s Will.

3. Receive the Life of Jesus

We receive the forgiveness of sins by the blood of Jesus. And we have the boldness to enter the Holiest in the blood of Jesus. This is possible when we lay down our lives and surrender to the will of the Father as the Lord Jesus taught us. The blood of Jesus flows in our own life when we are able to hate our life (i.e. hate our own will), so that it dies. We then receive the life of Jesus, which leads us to eternal life.

4. Get personal help from the Forerunner

The Lord God reveals Himself to us and speaks to us in the holy of holies. When we are here, we get to learn the will of the Father. We find the throne of Grace, and receive mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (cf. Hebrews 4:16). This is where the Lord Jesus is, at the right hand of the Father. He always lives to make intercession for us. He is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through Him (cf. Hebrews 7:25).

The Lord Jesus Himself suffered by being tempted (probably with the worst of temptations); so He is able to help those who are tempted (cf. Hebrews 2:18). Having gone this way before us and having been tempted in every respect as we are, yet He did without sinning. This means that He understands what we are going through, and He can sympathize with our weaknesses (cf. Hebrews 4:15).

5. Recognize Him as our Mediator

Nonetheless, this sympathy does not allow us to remain in sin. It is true help that brings us out of the clutches of sin and helps us to defeat the misery and death that result from it. Therefore, when we pray to Him, He sees our need. Then He prays on our behalf to the Father because He is also our Mediator.

As a result, we can boldly approach the throne of grace, in order to receive grace and help to have the victory we want over sin. We need this help if we are to succeed as the Lord Jesus did. This is grace at the right time. It is not forgiveness after we have sinned. It grace and power in the time of temptation, so that we do not fall and commit sin.

We must recognize the Lord Jesus as the Forerunner. We must give up everything if we are to successfully go on the way of Discipleship. The Lord Jesus must become our closest and most personal friend. He will speak to us in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. He will give us precise, honest, and valuable guidance and advice at the moment we need them. He will offer comfort and strength when we are sorrow-filled and weak. He is the Truth, and He is not afraid to tell us the absolute truth about ourselves.

Once we learn this truth, we can really see ourselves and make the necessary changes. Then we experience the Lord Jesus, not as the one who paved the way for us, but the one who walks beside us. He journeys alongside us, with a heart full of care (cf. Psalm 121:3); full of love (cf. Psalm 115:12); full of hope (cf. Romans 15:13); full of mercy (cf. Psalm 145:8). All along He will guide and help us toward achieving our goal, which is to be set free from sin in the flesh. Then only can the virtues of the Lord Jesus Christ and the fruits of the Holy Spirit grow in us, and come forth in our deeds!