There’s a powerful distinction that often gets lost in modern Christianity—the difference between calling yourself a Christian and actually following Jesus. It’s a distinction that could determine your eternal destiny.

When Jesus Calls, He Says “Follow Me”

Think about the moment Jesus encountered Matthew, the despised tax collector. He didn’t hand him a membership card or invite him to attend services. He simply said, “Follow me.” The same words echoed to Peter, James, and John: “Follow me.”

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus never once commanded anyone to “be a Christian.” That term, when first used, was actually meant as mockery—a way to ridicule those crazy people who followed the teachings of Christ. Yet somehow, over two thousand years, we’ve turned it into a badge we wear without understanding its weight.

The uncomfortable truth is this: being a Christian has become easy. It’s a label anyone can claim. It requires no sacrifice, no change, no radical transformation. But following Jesus? That’s an entirely different matter.

The Problem with Wide Gates

In Matthew 7:13, Jesus warns us: “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction.”

Look around at the religious landscape today. There are thousands of churches, hundreds of denominations, and countless interpretations of what it means to follow God. Some affirm lifestyles the Bible clearly calls sin. Others add traditions that contradict Scripture entirely. Yet they all claim the Christian label.

The gate has become so wide that anyone can walk through while carrying whatever baggage they choose. We’ve watered down the gospel, afraid to offend, desperate to fill our pews. We’ve traded truth for tolerance and holiness for happiness.

But Jesus said the gate is narrow. Not everyone gets through. Not everyone who claims His name actually knows Him.

The Danger of Knowing About Jesus Without Knowing Him

Everyone knows who the President of the United States is, whether they like him or not. But knowing about someone and actually knowing them are vastly different things.

You can know all the Bible stories. You can attend church every Sunday. You can serve on committees, teach Sunday school, and even get baptized—multiple times. None of that guarantees you know Jesus or that He knows you.

The sobering reality comes in Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of the Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity.'”

Read that again. People who prophesied, cast out demons, and performed miracles—all in Jesus’ name—will be turned away. Why? Because Jesus never knew them.

What Does It Mean to Be Known by Jesus?

Being known by Jesus requires relationship, not religion. It demands surrender, not just Sunday attendance. It calls for transformation, not mere information.

When someone truly encounters Jesus, change is inevitable. You can’t spend time with the Son of God and remain the same. The disciples were uneducated fishermen, but after walking with Jesus, even their enemies had to admit: “These men have been with Jesus.”

Can people tell you’ve been with Jesus? Not because you wear a Christian t-shirt or have a fish symbol on your car. Not because you can quote Scripture or know all the hymns. But because your life has been radically transformed by His presence.

The Will of the Father

So what is God’s will for your life? Why did He leave you on this earth after you encountered Him?

If God’s only purpose was for you to attend church and sing worship songs, He would have taken you to heaven the moment you believed. In heaven, we’ll praise Him for eternity. But He left you here for a reason.

The Bible tells us that people are saved through the preaching of the gospel. God’s will, as Jesus stated clearly, is that none would perish but all would come to repentance. His desire is for the lost to be found, for the broken to be restored, for those walking the broad path to destruction to discover the narrow gate.

That means you have a job to do. You’re here to tell people about Jesus. You’re here to live in such a way that people wonder what makes you different. You’re here to love the unlovable, reach the unreachable, and speak truth even when it’s uncomfortable.

Today Is the Day

You woke up this morning. That means God gave you another day for a purpose. 150,000 people worldwide didn’t make it through the night, but you did. What will you do with this gift?

Today is the day the Lord has made. Not yesterday—that’s gone and can’t be changed. Not tomorrow—it will never actually arrive because when it comes, it will be today. Right now is all you have.

So the question becomes: What are you going to do for Jesus today?

Maybe you need to start by asking yourself the most important question of all: Does Jesus know me? Not “Do I know about Jesus?” but “Does He know me?”

Have you truly surrendered your life to Him? Have you walked through that narrow gate, leaving behind the baggage of sin and self? Or are you just playing church, hoping your Sunday attendance and good deeds will be enough?

The Choice Before You

The gate is narrow. The road is difficult. Following Jesus will cost you something—maybe everything. It might cost you relationships with family members who don’t understand. It might cost you popularity at work. It might mean standing alone when everyone else compromises.

But the alternative is far worse. The broad road looks easy and comfortable. It’s crowded with people who call themselves Christians, who attend services and know all the right words. But it leads to destruction. And at the end of that road, they’ll hear the most terrifying words imaginable: “I never knew you.”

Don’t let that be you.

Choose today to truly follow Jesus. Not just to be a Christian in name, but to be a follower in deed. Walk through the narrow gate. Take up your cross. Die to yourself. Let Him transform you from the inside out.

Because at the end of your life, only one thing will matter: Does Jesus know you?