The Cost of Discipleship

There is a deadly poison permeating the Church these days. The Gospel of Christ has been replaced and its power has been removed from the churches around the globe. Where Jesus called his people to abandon this world, love God, and love one another, we now declare that one must simply pray a prayer or join a church. Where Jesus’ message demanded the entirety of one’s life, today’s gospel demands nothing. Unfortunately, where Jesus’ Gospel had the power to save us from sin and death, today’s gospel is only a candy-coated trip to Hell.

Jesus often warned his disciples of the cost associated with following Him. “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Mt. 16:24-25). Again in Luke 14, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters — yes, even his own life — he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Lk. 14:25-27). What does it cost to follow Jesus? Everything. How does faith play into this? Only he who truly believes Jesus’ words will abandon everything, knowing full well that Jesus will fulfill his promise. But any faith that doesn’t abandon everything is not really faith at all.

Jesus illustrates this in Matthew 19:16-29 when a young man comes asking about the Kingdom. The young man makes a profession of faith, but when Jesus shows him the cost of His Way, the young man leaves saddened that he cannot gain the Kingdom. His great wealth here on earth was worth more to him than new life.

But what is the gospel we preach today? We have watered down the true Gospel, hoping that many people will sign on the dotted line and we’ll have “one more” to brag about among our Christian friends. We’re afraid that if we tell our friends, “Following Jesus will give you life, but it will cost you everything you have,” then they will simply walk away, unwilling to give up what they have.

And rightfully so, as most people will refuse the Way of our Lord (Mt. 7:13-14). The problem, I’m afraid, is that we don’t really want to believe this cost either. We want to secure the Kingdom in one hand while holding onto our selfish desires and possessions in the other. But in doing so, we deny Jesus’ words that man cannot serve two masters (Mt. 6:24). Which are we truly serving then? Ourselves. Whoever wants proof of this simply needs to set out to sell his possessions and give the money to the poor. Very quickly it will become evident that there are many things he isn’t willing to part with.

Our solution to this problem is startling. We decide that grace is not merely cheap, it’s absolutely free. Granted, salvation from sin and death is something that only God can do (Mt. 19:23-28). But note carefully what the disciples say of themselves: that they are those who abandoned everything to follow Christ! This is not the best way to follow Christ, as if the elite members abandon all and the average Joe is “just saved”. This is the only way! This is Jesus’ way — the way of the cross. Whoever does not abandon this life, take up his cross, and follow Jesus humbly will not be saved.

Does this make Jesus a horrible dictator who simply wants to torture his subjects? God forbid. This is the only way of salvation because it is the only cure for the disease. Our sin-ridden flesh must die! But because God has given us wills, we can choose to rebel against Him. He is not willing to take our wills away from us, so we must choose on our own to take up our crosses and be put to death. Jesus didn’t only go to the cross to pay our debt, he went in order to show us the Way.

Who are Jesus’ followers? They are those who follow Jesus! This isn’t simply a play on words but a clear statement of the Gospel. There is no cost for coming to Jesus. The way is open to anyone who will come. But realize that salvation comes to him who voluntarily gives up his own life just as Jesus did before us. Salvation is not the fruit of a simple prayer in Sunday School or Bible Camp, but a process of moment by moment surrender until all of our life is given up. And then salvation isn’t just rewarded to us; we find we’ve already taken hold of it!

Once more, yes, salvation is free to any and all who want it. But please don’t think for a moment that you can horde both the riches of this world and the riches of the next. For whoever wishes to keep his life here and now will lose it. But to the few who willingly lay on the altar their whole self, new life and sonship with the Father are an incredible gift, bought wholly with the blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.