Are You a Fan or a Follower of Jesus?

In every sphere of life, there are fans and followers, devotees and disciples. Fans admire from a distance. Followers imitate until it gets uncomfortable. Devotees cling to rituals, while disciples surrender to a teacher.

When it comes to Jesus, the question is the same: Am I merely a fan of Jesus, or a true disciple?

The Greek word for disciple, μαθητής (mathētēs), means a learner, a student, an apprentice. A disciple doesn’t just agree with a teacher’s ideas but shapes his whole life around the teacher’s way.

So here’s a searching question: Can I be a good Christian without being a disciple? Many try. But Jesus never called anyone to be a “casual believer.” His call was always, “Follow Me.”

Discipleship and “Cheap Grace”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his classic The Cost of Discipleship, warned against what he called “cheap grace.” Cheap grace is the idea that you can say yes to Jesus’ forgiveness without saying yes to His Lordship. It’s like buying salvation as a discount product without letting it change your life.

But Scripture is clear: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith” (2 Cor. 13:5). To follow Christ is not to tick off a list of gospel facts and continue living as we please—it is a serious, costly decision.

And yet, here is the paradox: Jesus calls us to His yoke, and He says, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:28–30). The weight of His call may look heavy, but in reality, it frees us from the crushing burden of sin and self.

Sadly, many “unfollowed” Him when the cost was revealed. “From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him” (John 6:66).

The Cost of Discipleship (Luke 9:57–62)

In Luke 9, Jesus meets three would-be followers. Each encounter reveals something about the cost of discipleship:

• Not with vested interests. Following Jesus is not for personal gain or convenience.

• It is urgent and compelling. Jesus allows no excuses, not even socially respectable ones.

• Not “until my conditions are met.” Discipleship is not a contract where I dictate terms—it is total surrender.

• No half-hearted following. The call is radical commitment and radical detachment. Jesus demands everything.

  
  

Calculating the Cost

Jesus urged His hearers to count the cost before following Him. “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matt. 16:24–26). Discipleship is a call to self-denial—to carry the cross. Not a decorative cross around our necks, but the cross of dying to self daily.

• The price tag: Our very life.

• Is it easy? Not difficult—it is impossible on our own. Only God makes it possible.

• How demanding? It demands all. Not part of me, not Sunday mornings, but everything.

• What do I give up? My old sinful self. My old ways of worship. My obsession with self-rule.

Paul’s Discipleship and the Divine Economy

The apostle Paul shows us what this looks like in real life. He considered all his former profit—his education, heritage, achievements—as loss compared to knowing Christ (Phil. 3:7–8).

• His righteousness was not from the law but through faith in Jesus.

• His ambition was not comfort but “to know the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.”

• His strength never came from himself. God’s supply was always present and always equal to the need.

What Would It Cost You?

C.S. Lewis once said, “Christ does not ask everyone to give up everything to Him, but He does expect them to be willing to give up everything.” That is the essence of discipleship. For some, this may mean losing friends, facing rejection, humiliation, or isolation. For others, it may mean surrendering dreams, plans, or desires at the feet of Jesus. The question is not what do I have to lose, but who do I gain in return.

Discipleship is costly. It demands my soul, my life, my all. And yet—it is the best decision anyone can make.

Because while discipleship costs us everything, it also gives us everything. It is a forward-pressing journey of hope in God’s providence. The real question we must answer is: Am I just a fan of Jesus—or am I truly His disciple?