Ozias
Member
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23
While Jesus told us to count the cost of following Him, there’s also a cost to not following Him. It can be a helpful exercise to count the cost of non-discipleship.
In the short term, the cost of a non-discipleship mentality short-changes us from the fullness of Christ and the meaning that He gives for this life. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Jesus is the source of life that is truly life—all other versions are counterfeit, sub-par, and not worthy of our original intent as being created in the image of God.
Ge 1:26 God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the [tame] beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth.
27 So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Even though sin has derailed our original purpose, Jesus’ invitation to Christian discipleship is His restorative project for our humanity. The only sacrifices He asks us to make are for our ultimate good — to be whole and holy, to be freed from the destructive nature of sin in our lives and to walk in step with the Spirit who gives life and freedom.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom).
18 And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:17–18
Failing to embrace this discipleship program to the Master leaves us exposed to the deceptive power of the enemy, who is the accuser and our adversary, prowling “like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour”.
While Jesus told us to count the cost of following Him, there’s also a cost to not following Him. It can be a helpful exercise to count the cost of non-discipleship.
In the short term, the cost of a non-discipleship mentality short-changes us from the fullness of Christ and the meaning that He gives for this life. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Jesus is the source of life that is truly life—all other versions are counterfeit, sub-par, and not worthy of our original intent as being created in the image of God.
Ge 1:26 God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the [tame] beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth.
27 So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Even though sin has derailed our original purpose, Jesus’ invitation to Christian discipleship is His restorative project for our humanity. The only sacrifices He asks us to make are for our ultimate good — to be whole and holy, to be freed from the destructive nature of sin in our lives and to walk in step with the Spirit who gives life and freedom.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom).
18 And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:17–18
Failing to embrace this discipleship program to the Master leaves us exposed to the deceptive power of the enemy, who is the accuser and our adversary, prowling “like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour”.
