Counting the Cost of Discipleship

Many people call themselves "Christians", yet they live and act like the world. They regularly (often) commit and live in all kinds of habitual sins, such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, idolatry, selfish ambitions, hatred, contention, murders, drunkenness, heresies, lie, steal, cuss, envious, jealous, filled with pride, cussing and swearing. However, Christians are not to be like those "in and of the world" who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ. Rather, as authentic disciples, we are to come out from among them and be separate from those in the world (2 Cor. 6:14-18).

As Christians, authentic disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Cor. 7:1). The Word of God calls us to be separate, to be different from those in the world. As disciples of Christ we are to live a holy life and are to be perfecting our personal holiness out of the fear, reverence, and respect for God (1 Peter 1:13-17). It is time for those who call themselves "Christians" to get serious and count the cost of being a disciple of Christ by taking up their cross denying themselves and follow and obey the Lord and His Word.

Discipleship is about the willingness to counting the cost and following the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 14:25-35). We must take up our cross and die to ourselves (i.e. our fleshly nature and its lusts and desires) and instead choose to walk in obedience to the Lord and follow Him (Matt. 16:24). It is about growing in our relationship with the Lord with an ever deepening relationship and growing Spiritually into maturity, which will result in intimacy with the Lord. As we grow in the Lord, we will establish convictions according to the truth of the Word of God that will stand under the pressure of persecution and even the threat of death.

Now is the time for you to examine and test yourself, to examine your faith, to examine your own walk with the Lord Jesus Christ to see if you are truly in the faith and a authentic disciple of Christ (2 Cor. 13:5). It is time to lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted Word , which is able to save your soul (James 1:21). It is time to become a doer of God’s Word and live according to it by putting God’s Word into practice in your daily life; lest you fail to put God’s Word into practice, ending up a hearer only and deceiving yourself (James 1:22). It is your responsibility and duty to keep yourself unspotted, uncontaminated, and unstained by the world. We are instructed to keep ourselves free from all the defilements or pollutants of the world, both in our bodies (physically) and our spirits. We are in the world, but we are not to be a part of it!

We are in the world with all its sin, evil, and wickedness taking place all around us every day. It comes through the "unsaved" world, those who do not have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, that we allow into our homes, schools, government, and media. They speak lies in hypocrisy, having double standards, and are always trying to advance their ungodly agendas. Pushing all manner of sin such as homosexuality, transgender-ism, abortion, one religion, and globalization, leading toward a new world with the anti-Christ at the helm. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to stand and speak the truth found in God’s Word against those who would try to push their sinful and ungodly agendas upon us. We must always remember, the world’s system is under the influence and control of the devil. He uses those who are unsaved to push his agendas and promote sin in the world by using different forms media. By using common media, such as social media, news, TV shows, and movies, he is able to slowly desensitize people to sins such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, transgender identification, bestiality, and the murder of innocent babies through abortion. Homosexuality, transgender-ism, and bestiality are abominations to God and are loathsome and detestable acts (Deut. 22:5; Lev. 20:13, 15; 1 Kings 14:24). God has not changed His mind or view on the subject, but confirms it in the New Testament (Matt. 5:17-20; Luke 17:25-30; 1 Cor. 6:9; 1Tim. 1:8-11; 2 Pet. 2:6; Jude 1:3-7). In fact Jesus Christ is the Word of God and He does not change (John 1: 1-5; Col. 1:13-20; 2:9; Heb. 13:8; 1Pet. 1:25). As authentic disciples of Christ we must rise-up, standing against sin, and be counted as proclaiming God’s Word.

As Christian disciples of Christ we are to align ourselves with God’s Word through the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12: 1-2; Eph. 4:23 ; Col. 3:10). We must learn to discern, distinguish, between what sin is and what sin is not, between right and wrong, and good and evil (Heb. 5:12-14). Otherwise we may end up being easily confused and deceived, not knowing the difference between what is morally right or morally wrong, what is good and what is evil. As disciples of Christ we must continually seek to renew our minds with God’s Word in order to know and keep the truth. And, once we know the truth, we are to put it into practice and live it out in our daily lives. It is only then that we are changed and transformed from the inside out, developing the mind of Christ. As we develop the mind of Christ, we will learn to think and act like Him, but it is only to the degree our minds have been renewed. We are only able to develop the mind of Christ to the degree that we renew our minds in accordance with the truth of God’s Word (1 Cor. 2:16).

As we renew our minds, living out and obeying God’s Word in our daily lives and being doers and not hearers only, we will see change, transformation, and growth in our lives as we become more and more fruitful. We must first be doers of God’s Word to experience the good fruit of obedience. As we obey God’s Word, we will experience the consequences of obedience, which is life (a joyful and peaceful life). The opposite is true too, if we choose to sin and disobey God’s Word, we will experience the consequences of sin, which is spiritual death (separation from God), guilt, and shame, dying spiritually, emotionally, and physically. We must seek to avoid sin in all its forms, which results in spiritual death, destruction, dysfunction, and chaos in our lives and our families (Deut. 30:15-20). Instead, we should walk in obedience to God’s Word in order to receive the life and peace, and the blessings of obedience.

As authentic disciples of Jesus Christ, we must align ourselves with God and His Word and choose life, no longer condoning sin in any form. We must stop supporting and/or being complacent to the world’s lies and agenda’s that are contrary to God’s Word. It is time to stop being like the world, entertained by the entertainers with their works that are contrary to God’s Word; and instead develop the mind of Christ and learn to think according to God’s Word. We must learn to be a doer of God’s Word, and put it into practice in our daily lives on a consistent basis and grow-up into Him (Eph. 4:15).

Have you counted the cost of discipleship? Have you counted the cost of being a true follower of Jesus Christ? Are you taking up your cross daily to follow after Him denying yourself? Are you willing to pay the price?

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