How important do you think it is to follow Jesus? Do you think it is a salvation issue? If you examine what the Lord Jesus taught you will notice he repeatedly told people to “Follow me.” Those two words are the most concise way of preaching the gospel.
For Jesus to say, Follow me implies:
- submission to Jesus
- trust in Jesus’ leadership
Two thousand years ago people did follow Jesus by walking behind him as he traveled along. Such followers also OBEYED his commands, as he sent them to do various things. Though a Christian can be defined in various ways, the Lord Jesus himself equated them to sheep and said “they follow me” (Jn. 10:27).
That same train of thought continues from John 10:27 down through John 10:28,29 which states the most wonderful salvation assurance verses in the Bible for those who qualify, that is, those who follow Jesus. Such blessed people alone will:
- continuously be given eternal life
- never perish
- never get plucked out of Jesus’ hands
- never get plucked out of the Father’s hands
Backsliders Used To Be Followers
Backsliders are people who used to follow Jesus, but are not doing so in the present time. 
They are NOT described in John 10:27-29. Somehow something led them astray. Backsliders have wandered from the truth and eternal life to:
- follow Satan (1 Tim. 5:15)
- follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons (1 Tim 4:1)
- They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness (2 Pet 2:15)
For them to cease following Jesus means they ceased having a spiritual relationship with the Father. They disqualified themselves from eternal life by turning away from Jesus to another, whom they are now submitting and listening to. The same message applies as Jesus told Peter, who returned to salvation after disowning him (Mt. 10:33) – Follow me (John 21:19,22).
