Have you ever counted the cost? Did you find your “faith” in one of the following ways?
- I grew up in the Church so I have known God and loved Jesus since I was a child.
- I gave my life to Christ in Junior High at a camp. It was very emotional and a wonderful “mountain top” experience.
- I prayed the “sinner’s prayer” with someone to have Jesus come into my heart.
- I was baptized as a child so I’m covered.
- I raised my hand at the end of a sermon when the pastor did a call to salvation.
- I walked the isle at a church when I was in college and gave my life to Christ.
- I had hands laid on me and was prayed over to receive salvation.
These are just a few ways people in the 21st century tend to “find” Jesus. Your salvation may, in fact, be true and you have lived a change life ever since. However if you fall into the category of “I gave my life to Christ but never really saw a change because I’ve always been a good person” you may want to do some digging or even just a simple look into how you live your life. Here is a list of what the cost is to follow Jesus as it states in the Bible. The gift of salvation is free, we do not have to pay a penalty or work to get salvation, however there is a worldly cost, or rather loss to us if we are true followers of Jesus.
- You must deny yourself. (Mark 8:34)
- You must be emphatically, overwhelmingly, and fully in love with Yahweh (God). (Matthew 22:37-38)
- You must love Jesus more than you do your kids. (Matthew 10:37)
- You must love Jesus more than you do yourself. (Luke 14:26-27)
- You must consider what you spend your money on. (Luke 9:56–62)
- You must consider your comfort compared to the comfort of others. (Luke 9:56–62)
- Do you look like everyone else on the planet? Could anyone look at your life who is not a Christian and say, “Now there is a follower of Jesus!”? (Romans 12:2) (James 4:4)
- Does anyone literally hate you because you are outspoken for Jesus? (John 15:18-21) (2 Timothy 3:12)
- When we sin as a child of Yahweh (God) we will get disciplined. (Revelation 3:19) (Hebrews 10:31)
- Do you suffer more now that you are a Christian than when you were not? THIS IS BIG FOR TODAY’S “CHRISTIANS” AND IS OFTEN WHY THE COST IS TOO HIGH. (1 Peter 1:6-9) (2 Corinthians 1:8-10) (James 1:2-4) (Romans 5:3-5)
Below are some great articles for further reading:
Holy. Just. Love. 