When we think about what it means to be a Christian, we often think about the free gift of salvation. And, yes, salvation is a free gift. It is an act of God’s grace, received through repentance and faith in Christ. This is clear from the following verses:
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
~Ephesians 2:8-9
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
~Romans 6:23
Given that salvation is a free gift, it might seem paradoxical to say that being a Christian has a cost, but Scripture teaches this as well.
Counting the cost.
In Luke 14:28-33, Jesus cautions anyone who wishes to be His disciple to carefully consider the cost. Just as a builder plans ahead for the cost of a new building, or a king carefully assesses the cost of going to war, so a follower of Christ must be prepared to pay a heavy price.
Let’s look at scripture to answer the following two questions:
1) What does it cost to be a follower of Christ?
2) Is the price worth paying?
It will cost you treasure.
To be a follower of Christ, you must be willing to part with your wealth. Don’t misunderstand. There’s nothing inherently wrong with having wealth, but if you love money more than you love God, you’re in trouble.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
~Mathew 19:23-24
For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
~I Timothy 6:10
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.“
~Mathew 6:24
In Mathew 19:16-22, a man comes to Jesus and asks, “what must I do to have eternal life?” The man seems sincere. He tells Jesus that he’s worked hard all his life to keep God’s commandments. But Jesus knows this man’s heart. He knows this man’s true love is his money, so He tells the man, “give up your material wealth and follow me.” Sadly, this man was unwilling to pay the cost.
It will cost you relationships.
“Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.
‘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. Your enemies will be right in your own household!’
If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.”
~Mathew 10:34-37
A follower of Christ must believe and proclaim that Jesus is the one and only way to Heaven. Many reject this truth, calling it intolerant, narrow-minded, etc., but this is exactly what Jesus taught (John 14:6). Don’t be surprised if friends and family members abandon you because of your faith. Some will. Love them, and pray that God will open their eyes to the Truth.
It will cost you comfort.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.“
~Mathew 16:24
Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.
~I Peter 4:12
There is nothing pleasant about taking up a cross or going through fiery trials, but this is the reality of the Christian life. The good news is, you don’t have to do it alone. All throughout scripture God promises to be with you, and to give you the strength you need to endure.
It will cost your life.
“If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.“
~Mathew 10:39
To be a Christian is to surrender your life to Christ. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll die for your faith, but it means you’re willing to. It means you recognize that your life is not your own. You have been bought with a price (I Corinthians 6:19-20), and your life belongs to God.
So what does it cost to be a follower of Christ? In a word: everything!
Is it worth the cost?
What happens when you decide to pay the price, and you fully surrender everything to Christ?
For starters, God promises to be at your side through good times and bad (Psalm 16:8), and to provide for all your needs (Philippians 4:19).
As you trust and obey Him, you will find hope, joy, and purpose in life. You will experience a peace beyond understanding (Philippians 4:7). You will store up treasures in Heaven, far more valuable than anything you could ever attain on earth (Mathew 6:19-21).
And someday, when you die, you will go to be with the Creator in Paradise (II Corinthians 5:1).
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.
Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!“
~Mathew 13:44-46
In the parables above, Jesus is promising that The Kingdom of Heaven, His Kingdom, is worth everything you own and more.
So, is it worth the price to be a follower of Jesus Christ? Absolutely! Are you willing to pay it?
I leave you with this quote from Jim Elliot, a man who literally gave his life in service to God:
~He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.
