People come to believe, become disciples, and follow the Lord Jesus for many reasons and backgrounds. The first is family background. When parents hold Christian convictions, their children tend to become Christians as well. For this first reason, a person does not need to struggle hard to become a Christian; one might say they become a Christian almost automatically.
The second reason is the environment—friends, schoolmates, college, or workplace. A person can observe Christians whose words and actions appear exceptional: polite in speech, gracious in behaviour, and marked by love. This kind of conduct can attract someone to share the same faith because it is calming and peaceful. On the other hand, there are also Christians whose behaviour is inappropriate, which can make others feel antipathy, suspicion, and even hatred toward Christianity.
The third reason a person believes, becomes a disciple, and follows Jesus is personal choice and decision. This third reason is rare because pressure, obstacles, and threats can be severe, especially when someone previously held a different faith. Generally, this background produces a sincere Christian. Thus, following Jesus is a choice, as He said in Matthew 10:34, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” When someone becomes a believer, a disciple, and follows Jesus, they must take a firm stance: the LORD alone or NOT AT ALL. This attitude shows no compromise with God. Jesus came bearing a “sword,” not to create riots, chaos, or murder, but as a means of separation.
That separation occurs between those who are truly His followers and those who are opportunistic believers—those who compromise with sin and are hypocrites. A true disciple must be sensitive and promptly separate themselves from false disciples. This matter is long and not easy to unravel because no Christian wants to be accused of being a false disciple. Everyone claims to be a genuine Christian. Yet God wields the “sword” and will separate the two in His way.
This becomes far more difficult when the separation happens within a family. This does not mean stirring up hatred, enmity, or conflict within the family. When someone chooses to be a true disciple of Christ, they will be separated from falseness—even within their own family. A wife who diligently seeks the Lord in prayer, Bible reading, and worship will certainly see changes in every area of her life. If her husband does not do the same, the difference will inevitably be noticeable. The wife becomes holier, and the husband may become more defiled. This separation cannot be avoided.
Husband and wife are not only separated by death, but they can also be separated forever in the dimension of eternity. Therefore, before the “sword” separates husband and wife, the husband should follow the wife’s example in becoming spiritual. Surely, even though death separates, love for God will reunite husband and wife in eternity. This way of thinking applies equally to parents and children, sons- or daughters-in-law and in-laws, friends, companions, siblings, and the congregation.
If God becomes the sole choice, that choice does not mean family disharmony, coldness in relationships, or hypocrisy in friendships. On the contrary, that choice brings purity and health to relationships. There is hope that, through such separation, believers will become a testimony that leads others to believe in the Lord and decide to become disciples and follow Jesus.