When we talk about salvation I think Christians in our modern era do a disservice to people by not telling them the whole of what it is to be a Christian. Often times we will talk to them about their need for Christ as a savior. They will talk about how through His death burial and ressurection He saved them from an eternity in the lake of fire. We are quick to tell people Romans 10:9 "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." We also like to tell people about Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is everlasting life." we may even throw in there an Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved, through faith and that not of youselves it is the gift of God." Some people will even throw in there the free gift of God, but we so often fail to talk about the cost associated with accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior. Some scholars even argue that you do not need to accept Him as your Lord, just your savior. Christ however was adamant that people should count the cost of following Him, and then make a decision if they believed or not.
Luke 14:28-33 "For which of you intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it. Lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'this man began to build and was not able to finish?' or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks condition of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciples." Christ clearly lays out a cost to following Him, and that is to be willing to forsake all he has. When coming to Christ we are asked to count the cost and decide if it is worth it. This is not the only instance where Christ makes a comment about being willing to give everything up for Him either. When the rich young ruler comes to Christ asking what he must do to inherit eternal life, Christ responds first by telling him to keep the commandments. The ruler claims to do so. So Jesus says "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow me."
The cost of following Christ is to have a willingness to give everything up for him. I think this is most poignantly seen in Luke 14:25-27 and Matthew 10:34-39 "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; and a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will loose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." We are to be willing to give everything up for Him, not just our material goods but our families even our own lives. That's hard, to be willing to walk away from everything you know and understand and are comfortable with. In my life my family is my support. I do not know how I would get by without them. Yet Christ says if you want to be mine, you will be willing to give that all up. Not only does He say you must be willing to give up your family, but you must be willing to give up your life in the most excruciating manner History has ever known by taking up your Cross and following Him.
I do not know about you, but I have counted the cost in my life. I know He is worth it. Following Him may mean a willingess to give it all up, but compared to Him nothing is worth it. I would rather loose it all, than to not have Him.
Luke 14:28-33 "For which of you intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it. Lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'this man began to build and was not able to finish?' or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks condition of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciples." Christ clearly lays out a cost to following Him, and that is to be willing to forsake all he has. When coming to Christ we are asked to count the cost and decide if it is worth it. This is not the only instance where Christ makes a comment about being willing to give everything up for Him either. When the rich young ruler comes to Christ asking what he must do to inherit eternal life, Christ responds first by telling him to keep the commandments. The ruler claims to do so. So Jesus says "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow me."
The cost of following Christ is to have a willingness to give everything up for him. I think this is most poignantly seen in Luke 14:25-27 and Matthew 10:34-39 "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; and a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will loose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." We are to be willing to give everything up for Him, not just our material goods but our families even our own lives. That's hard, to be willing to walk away from everything you know and understand and are comfortable with. In my life my family is my support. I do not know how I would get by without them. Yet Christ says if you want to be mine, you will be willing to give that all up. Not only does He say you must be willing to give up your family, but you must be willing to give up your life in the most excruciating manner History has ever known by taking up your Cross and following Him.
I do not know about you, but I have counted the cost in my life. I know He is worth it. Following Him may mean a willingess to give it all up, but compared to Him nothing is worth it. I would rather loose it all, than to not have Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment