Count the Cost

What does it cost to become a Christian? Jesus said, “ If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 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 conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:25-33).

To become a Christian, you must make a commitment to be an apprentice of Jesus if you are going to become a Christian. This will most likely mean losing the favor of the world and sometimes even those close to you like family. However, we will experience the favor of God, especially as it means to walk in his love, presence and peace and joy. When I became a Christian, many years ago, I lost most of my old friends. They didn’t want to hear about Jesus and now, I didn’t do what they practised, so we drifted apart. I developed new friends and with friends that I didn’t just have a social connection but a spiritual connection, with in Christ.

However, what will it cost you not to become a Christian? You will lose what is most valuable in this life and in the life to come in eternity. The Apostle Paul although he went through much persecution for declaring the gospel and teaching and preaching said, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8). Compared to experientially knowing Christ Paul stated that the world was garbage. The peace and joy of God’s presence is much more valuable. He didn’t really lose; he had gained what is most desirable and valuable in this life, in his life in God.

Also, when we die the Bible says there will be an eternity. We will either end up in heaven or hell. What will separate those who go to heaven and hell is whether they have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and been born again of God’s Spirit. (John 3:3) Some say when we die, we just cease to exist. Others say only those who didn’t receive Christ as Savior and Lord will cease to exist and those in Christ will go to heaven. On what authority does man come to his opinions and beliefs? Jesus spoke more about hell than heaven and stated that hell was real and was for eternity. You don’t want to go there. It will be awful. This is stated by Jesus who was God in the flesh and the one who also rose from the dead.

Jesus and the rest of the New Testament also spoke of rewards in heaven. Even those in Christ will give an account of their life and what they have done with so great a salvation. (2 Corinthians 5:10) We don’t primarily serve him for reward; we serve him because we love him and we don’t know exactly what these rewards will look like. (Revelation 4:10-11) Those who don’t serve him with love will truly miss out on what is most valuable in this life and also in eternity. The Christian may have great regrets for a moment at the judgement seat of Christ but God will take away that regret and then they enter in to glory with Jesus. In hell in spite of what people say there will be enormous regret.

What have you done with the gift of God in and through Jesus? This will be the sort of question God will ask of you in judgement. (Revelation 20:11-15). Have you received Jesus Christ in repentance of sin and faith in him as Savior and as the prime authority in your life? Have you turned from your love of sin to the love of God? Are you willing to not try any longer to be God similar to Satan and recognize God’s authority in your life? What than have you done with his grace. Have you shared it? Have you abused it and just used it?

Count the cost of being a co-worker together with Jesus and count the cost of not being his disciple. Bring at least one person with you to heaven. Not that you can save anyone or convert anyone, but Jesus will and can. How have you contributed to the kingdom of God and the local church. The church is a team to evangelize, apprentice, pray especially for the lost, to teach and minister together in a love commune with Jesus and each other.

Legalism also has a great cost. The corrupted religious leaders of Jesus day missed the Spirit’s work because they were caught up in legalism. Rightly interpretating the word of God and walking in the Spirit is of great importance. Not walking in the Spirit and you will greatly miss out.

It is also expensive to love and it is expensive not to love. If you guard your life, so well that you do not love, it can result in selfishness, anxiety, cynicism and bitterness. Jesus said, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25) John Powell wrote an interesting book called, Why I am afraid to love.

Mother’s Teresa who ministered to the poor in Calcutta wrote this poem.

“People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.”

It will cost us a great deal not to forgive and love. It will cost us a great deal in heaven not to be an apprentice of Jesus and receive the gift of salvation in his sacrifice of love on the cross. Your and my life count for eternity. Make it count