Penned by a man from India, the old hymn I Have Decided to Follow Jesus correlates with the scriptures Matthew 16:24, Matthew 10:38, Luke 14:27, Luke 9:23, Mark 8:35, and Luke 17:33. The essence of these Scriptures is explained in the following manner.
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Matthew 16:24-28
This passage commands us to deny our flesh and take up our cross daily. Christ told us in His Word that if we follow Him we will be persecuted. We have to take up the cross of persecution if we are to truly follow and trust in Him. Verses 25-26 explain the process. If we want to live our lives for ourselves and ourselves alone, we will indeed lose them. Why? Because the whole purpose of our existence is to follow Him and to bring Him Glory. For if we gain the whole world, fleshly, spiritually, or even physically, it won’t amount to anything. Jesus is the true prize and only thing we should be focused on.
We need to live our lives fully for Him. He died a brutal death. Will we be thankful by just proclaiming it or are we going to strive our best to give to Him what He, the perfect slain Lamb of God deserves?
The very words of that hymn remain a resounding call for us today:
I have decided to follow Jesus (3x)
no turning back, no turning back.
Though none go with me, I still will follow (3x)
no turning back, no turning back.
The world behind me, the cross before me (3x)
no turning back, no turning back.
Are we that dedicated to our Messiah? Or will we pursue our own interests?

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