What does it mean to be a fully devoted follower of Christ?  I prefer the phrase “fully devoted follower of Christ” over “being a Christian” for two reasons.  One is that the concept of “being a Christian” has become very confused in our culture.  The other is “fully devoted follower” spells out what the Bible expects of every Christian.

Keith M. Bailey wrote that to be a fully devoted follower of Christ means to have Christ dwelling within us, taking complete control. 

“What is it that makes us different from the world?  It is the fact that God indwells us, that He has come to take up residence in us.  If we are going to manifest any difference that will shake the world and speak to the world around us, then we are going to have to have this spiritual reality of the indwelling Christ within us.”  For Christ to dwell within you, you need to make room for Him in your life.  “You need to open up your life for His indwelling.  It will not do to offer Him the guest room.  He wants all the rooms.  He wants all the keys.  He wants full access to everything in our lives.  That is the condition for the incoming of the Spirit – total surrender of every faculty of our God-created personality so He can make His home in us and feel comfortable there.  …It is that which will make us holy.  It is that which will make us different.  It is that which will give us joy unspeakable and full of glory.” 

That “…has to start with a full surrender.  It starts with death.  It starts with the old rugged cross.  When we come to the foot of the cross and lay all at His feet, He is going to move into our lives in a manner that will thrill the soul and lift us up and give us the joy we need.  He will work holiness in our lives we never dreamed possible and take us through the most difficult circumstances.  To be holy is not an easy life.  To be holy is an abundant life in the midst of the most difficult circumstances, where we demonstrate the love of God every day.”

What does it mean to be a fully devoted follower of Christ?  It means to have Christ indwelling every aspect of your life.  It means giving Him an all access pass to everything you have, everything you are, everything you think, everything you love, and everything you do.  It means to surrender fully to His control.  It means to be filled with the Holy Spirit.