Count the Cost
"For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?”—Luke 14:28
When following Christ, we must count the cost, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “When Jesus bids a man, He bids him come and die.” Following Christ means renouncing all we have, taking up His cross, and placing ourselves under His Lordship. Which means that we renounce “disgraceful, underhanded ways,” and refuse to “tamper with God’s word” (2 Corinthians 4:2). We refuse to lie, cheat, or steal to get ahead. We honor God in our relationships, business dealings, entertainment choices, and the like. There is no area of our life that escapes His sovereignty. Everything that we have, and all that we are and do, fall under His Lordship.
Following Christ means suffering for the kingdom of God, being misunderstood, enduring persecution, sacrificing comfort, prestige, and power. It may mean being forsaken by family and friends, misaligned at work or at home, and possibly dying. In order to follow Christ the cost must be considered—because it costs our life. It is not for the faint of heart, but it is for those who steadfastly love God and refuse to leave Him, because they know that in Him is the pathway to eternal life.
Have you counted the cost? Are you going through a time of persecution right now in your work or home? Are you being tempted to sacrifice your faith in order to get ahead? Don’t give in, or give up, but press on. The cost may be your life, but the reward is His resurrection life. Through our faith in Him, we receive His kingdom—a kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28) and “joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of [our] faith, the salvation of [our] souls”—2 Peter 1:8-9.
I pray that we may all be able to truly understand what it costs to follow Him, but more importantly I hope that we may understand what it cost Him to save us. Amen.
When following Christ, we must count the cost, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “When Jesus bids a man, He bids him come and die.” Following Christ means renouncing all we have, taking up His cross, and placing ourselves under His Lordship. Which means that we renounce “disgraceful, underhanded ways,” and refuse to “tamper with God’s word” (2 Corinthians 4:2). We refuse to lie, cheat, or steal to get ahead. We honor God in our relationships, business dealings, entertainment choices, and the like. There is no area of our life that escapes His sovereignty. Everything that we have, and all that we are and do, fall under His Lordship.
Following Christ means suffering for the kingdom of God, being misunderstood, enduring persecution, sacrificing comfort, prestige, and power. It may mean being forsaken by family and friends, misaligned at work or at home, and possibly dying. In order to follow Christ the cost must be considered—because it costs our life. It is not for the faint of heart, but it is for those who steadfastly love God and refuse to leave Him, because they know that in Him is the pathway to eternal life.
Have you counted the cost? Are you going through a time of persecution right now in your work or home? Are you being tempted to sacrifice your faith in order to get ahead? Don’t give in, or give up, but press on. The cost may be your life, but the reward is His resurrection life. Through our faith in Him, we receive His kingdom—a kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28) and “joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of [our] faith, the salvation of [our] souls”—2 Peter 1:8-9.
I pray that we may all be able to truly understand what it costs to follow Him, but more importantly I hope that we may understand what it cost Him to save us. Amen.
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