Contrary to what some people might thing, becoming a Christian and living a true Christian life is not always easy or simple; in fact, it can be a challenge!
Nothing in life is free and that’s no exception when you accept salvation and begin to follow Jesus:
This life is going to cost you!
There’s some cost and terms that you should know and be warned of before you completely decided to become a Christian.
“So, what the terms and what’s it going to cost?”
Well, Jesus tells the answer to this when he asks everyone wanting to become disciples (in this case Christians/you) to consider if you can commit to the Christian life, he has called you to:
He compares this careful consideration to this costly decision in a parable:
One about a construction project and another about king going to war
Luke 14:28-32
“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? Otherwise( If he does not consider if he has enough money, time, and material to complete the tower), when he has laid a foundation (floor of a building: has decided he is going to do it without first considering ) and is not able to finish (He cannot finish the building), all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’ (what an idiot!).
Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and decide carefully whether he is able with ten thousand men to fight his enemy who has twenty thousand? And if he can, while the other king is yet a great way off (Plans this before the war), he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.”
Jesus concludes the point of the parables and what he wants us to think about by saying to the crowd:
Luke 14:33
“In the same way (the construction worker and king decided if it was worth it), those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples (his followers=Christians!!).”
The Answer is everything; it is going to cost you everything!
That is the cost to being a Christian!
And it only makes sense: If Jesus is going to be the Lord of your life, he is going have to own everything in your life!
This is the tradeoff for Jesus saving you: you give up your sins AND give up everything! And receive Jesus and God’s Gift(s)
“But how do I give everything to Jesus though?”
Another important question is how do you give everything you have to Jesus if he is in heaven? How do you even start? And what does that even mean?
This is where the terms come in:
Jesus doesn’t leave you to guess how to do this; he tells you in his own words what he means. In it he defines several things that this “everything” includes and how to even give them up to him:
Luke 9:23
“Whoever wants to be my disciple (a Christian) must deny themselves…”
So, Jesus says one thing you must give up is yourself: but what does “deny self” mean?
The original word for “Deny self” is the Greek phrase “ἀρνέομαι ἑαυτὸν” (ar-neh'-om-ahee heh-ow-too') it means the same thing in English “ἀρνέομαι” (ar-neh'-om-ahee) means “deny” “reject” or “say no” and “ἑαυτὸν” (heh-ow-too') means “self” (in this case yourself).[1]
This phrase means you are to say no to yourself and refers to yourself symbolically as the things YOU want to do and passions YOU desire to do. Jesus wants you to be willing to say NO to YOUR desires and passions; be willing to SAY NO to YOURSELF!
So, what would that mean?
That means you must not only be willing to give up your sin in your life (saying NO to wrong desires and passions: which you are going to do already) but also be willing to give up your sinless personal plans, dreams, and desires you have/wanted to do! Ultimately this means you need to give up your time!
This is some of the “everything” Jesus wants from you!
What else does Jesus want?
Well for one he wants all your relationships even with yourself: in order to give this to him you had to hate any relationship you have even yourself!
Luke 14:26
“If anyone comes to me (Jesus) 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(A Christian).”
“Wait you have to hate yourself and those you love to be a Christian?!?”
I realize why you would be concerned about the hate part; that’s a strong word! Really in this context the original word “Hate” here was the Greek word “μισέω” (mis-eh'-o) meaning “hate” OR “love less than something else”[2].
In this case, it seems to mean not actually hating your relationships but really means loving your relationships less than something else, what is that something else?
Jesus confirms this is what “hate” means and what that something else is in another verse:
Matthew 10:37
“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
So, Jesus is not saying you have to hate your family and life BUT you DO have to be willing to love them less compared to how you love Jesus and God and put Jesus first over your family and even your own life!
So, you will have to love your family and life less than God and put Jesus will/needs first BEFORE your families and your needs/will.
And if you love your family more than him you do not deserve to follow him! (That’s some serious words!)
Sadly, your new love/commitment to Jesus/God (being a Christian) might cause some arguments, strife’s, and you may even end up being totally disowned and being treated as an outsider in your family.
Jesus also warns this might be another way it will cost you/be uncomfortable:
Matthew 10:34-36
“…I did not come to bring peace, but a sword(War). For I have come to turn:
(Micah 7:6)
‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ ”
Because you now choose to believe and follow your family might become your worst enemies!
And you will have to be willing to become enemies with them and be rejected by them because you love Jesus and choose him OVER THEM!
This is costly!
But that’s not all you have to be willing to give up:
Luke 9:57-58
“As they [Jesus and his disciples] were walking along the road, a man said to him, 'I will follow you wherever you go.' Jesus replied, 'Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man (Jesus) has no place to lay his head.' ”
Jesus did not have a cozy bed to sleep in all the time nor a permanent home, so if you are following him, you might not have a cozy bed to sleep in or a home either!
You will have to be willing to forsake your comfy bed (You won’t be guaranteed you will have a place to lay your head at when night comes)
You will have to be willing to forsake your home (You won’t have a permanent home you can call your own)
Luke 9:59-62
"He said to another man, 'Follow me.' But he replied, 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father.' Jesus said to him, 'Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.' Still another said, 'I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.' Jesus replied, 'No one who puts a hand to the plow (Get ready to do something) and looks back (but doesn’t want to leave the spot there in) is fit for service in the kingdom of God.' ”
You have to be willing to immediately stop what you’re doing in your life at this point in your conversion and do what Jesus wants you to do instead.
You have to be willing to forsake your family (You might have to say goodbye forever to those you dearly love)
This is REALLY costly!
But that’s still not all:
In Mark 10:19-22 when the ruler was talking to Jesus about inheriting eternal life (as mentioned earlier) Jesus mentions an extra command to this man and also tells another thing you will have to give:
" 'Teacher,' he declared, 'all these I have kept since I was a boy.'
Jesus looked at him and loved him. 'One thing you lack,' he said. 'Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor,... Then come, follow me(Be my Disciple).’
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.”
So, Jesus wants all your physical possessions as well! This would include money, property, and possessions.
Jesus wants you to be willing to give it all away and have nothing!
This is Extremely Costly!
But that’s not all!
Because you are living for Jesus the world will want to persecute you!
2 Timothy 3:10-12
“…everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus (be a Christian) will be persecuted,…”
So not only do you have to give Jesus everything, but you will be persecuted by society and mocked for your new Christian life. And you still have to be willing to stand with Jesus and not began to agree with society to fit in again.
But the final sacrifice you must be willing to give is the costliest of all:
YOU’RE LIFE!
Jesus says:
Revelation 2:10
“…Be faithful, even to the point of death,...”
The persecution might get so bad that you might be killed for what you believe if this is the case (and you can’t get away) you must be willing to die for what you believe!
This is what it means to Love Jesus more than your life means:
Luke 14:26
“If anyone comes to me (Jesus) and does not hate…his own life also, he cannot be my disciple (A Christian).”
Revelation 12:11
“They (His followers/Christians) did not love their lives so much
as to shrink (Shy Away) from death.”
So you have to be willing to die for Jesus!
This is THE MOST costly decision in the world!
This is the BIGGIEST COSTLY DESCISION you will ever have to make!
Jesus at this point Just Asks you to consider the cost of being a Christian and what you’re committing to: he wants you to be aware of what it might cost you and what you will be giving up by making him Lord of your life!
“What you never told me I have to give up everything! I had to give up sin in my life now this?”
Now you might be panicking and your thinking:
“I’m going to lose everything being a Christian! I going to have to leave my job, my college class, my dreams, my family, be homeless, be poor, have nothing and no place to go, be hated, and even die! I don’t want to be a Christian; this is too much!”
ALL This is NOT TO DETER YOU from being a Christian or STOP YOU from being a Christian in any way!
Being a Christian and thus completing the process of salvation is far more important than fearing giving everything you have!
So, while it’s still your choice (you can choose to stop responding right now to Jesus calling on your life and go back to your old life) I ask you to please reconsider!
Giving everything to Jesus IS the right response!
Jesus commands you to be obedient to him even to the threat of death:
Revelation 2:10
“…Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life(eternal life)...”
"So, I'm going to lose everything if I become saved/ a Christian?"
Let me say, yes, in a sense you will have to give it all, you will have to be willing to say everything you have belongs to Jesus. BUT at the same time, it’s not a guarantee you will have to part with TOTALLY ALL your dreams, passions, possessions, family, loved ones, home, bed, and even life. Not everyone that follows Christ, because of the certain situations they're in and specific things he wants them to do, will have to give up all this.
It's possible for a truly saved Christian to give everything to Jesus and at the same time still pursue your passions/dreams, live with, agree with, and spend time with your family, keep your home, bed, possessions, and not have to be persecuted to death.
HOWEVER, if God does call you to go or do something that specifically requires you to give one or all these things up, you must!
To be considered worthy for service. You will have to forsake different levels of comfort in your life ranging from simple things to your entire comfort in life.
Though this costly decision is something for you to consider:
salvation/Christianhood is not some game, Jesus is serious about being your Lord when you become saved and commit to following him!
Even if you don’t know if you could possibly give up all this stuff as of right now, please don’t give up!
Like repentance, it might not happen for you overnight it might take a while of maturing until you can confidently give up something and that’s okay!
Jesus will help you to do it when the time because:
Philippians 4:13
“…I can do all this through him (Jesus) who gives me strength.”
Jesus Just wants you to understand and count the cost very carefully!
Because in fact, as said before, it is THE BIGGEST DESCISION OF YOUR LIFE and it will cost you EVERYTHING!
Ask yourself this: If you desire to be saved and want to live this new life in obedience to Jesus then you should want to give everything you have to him. Even if you don’t know if you could actually do that right now.
If you answered yes, then that is good enough (for now)! And don’t be afraid to ask Jesus/God for help Jesus will help you through these hard decisions!
Sources
[1]
[A] Luke 9:23 Greek Interlinear Bible hub
Website:
https://biblehub.com/text/luke/9-23.htm
{B] Strong’s Greek 720. ἀρνέομαι (arneomai)-- to deny, say no Biblehub
Website:
https://biblehub.com/greek/720.htm
[C] Strong’s Greek 1438. ἑαυτοῦ (heautou)-- of himself, herself, itself Biblehub
Website:
https://biblehub.com/greek/1438.htm
[2]
[A] Luke 14:26 Greek Interlinear Biblehub
Website:
https://biblehub.com/text/luke/14-26.htm
[B] Strong’s Greek 3404 μισέω (miseó)-- to hate from BibleHub
Website:
https://biblehub.com/greek/3404.htm