The "Cost" of Salvation

As a figure of speach we say it will cost you everyting. While teaching, Jesus said to count the cost not pay the cost. (Luke 14:26-33) In v.33 He tells what He meant. Forsake all you have, not pay all you have! Nothing we have is acceptable to God for payment in any way. Precisely the opposite is demanded by Him, we are to admit that we are bankrupt and come empty handed for grace. The only thing He recieves from us in salvation is our sin.
Isa.55:1 "Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.

 

Amen and Amen.

 

I'm sorry, but here I disagree. There very definitely is a cost of decipleship. Jesus taught that we had tobe prepared to leave our family to follow Hi. He actually does ask us to give everything we have to Him, our talents, our money, our time, everything. This was what He taught the rich young ruler, that to become a Christian you must give up everything that you previously considered to be important. In the rich young ruler's case, this meant giving up his wealth. He wasn't willing to do this and he went away sorrowing. He wasn't willing to pay the price. This is exactly the danger of teaching the doctrine of "cheap Grace." People hear what they want to hear which is there is no need to sacrifice to become a Christian but folks it just isn't so.

 

"Anyone who comes after me must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Me."

Sounds like a cost to me. But it is one worth taking, I should think.

 

The cost of following compleatly, wholeheartedly .. NOT the cost of your salvation

Regards
Bob

 

Our salvation (deliverance from sin andentry into Heaven)on our part is absolutely free. But following Christ in full obedience in the meantime will cost. Let's not confuse the two.

 

Can we have one without the other?

 

What it "costs":

Galatians 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son oF God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Phillipians 3:7-8 - But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss complared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ.

Luke 14:25-34 - Anyone who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

No person can make Jesus Saviour without making him Lord! (Romans 10:9)

Salvation cannot be earned or merited. It was given freely. However, the COST of salvation is a surrendering of one's life for Jesus Christ.

 

Hey Scott, I agree with you - maybe!

What does "making him Lord," to quote you, include? I'll go first!

One thing I think it includes (and I'm not interested in trying to get exhaustive here) is that when sin is revealed to you in your life, you become an enemy to that sin! That doesn't necessarily mean you conquer it today, tomorrow, or sometimes even in this life. But it does mean you loathe your sin and work hard at overcoming it. You pray for God's help in overcoming it. That seems to be a far cry from the teaching of "tolerance" to certain lifestyles within the body of Christ!

 

Let me clarify my previous post.
Justification costs us nothing because it is the work of God.
Sanctification will cost us our life because we engage God's grace to fight, wrestle and battle the world the flesh and the Devil.
Justification will necessarily lead to Sanctification because they are both the work of grace and a result of the life of God that is within the true Christian. If Justification has happened, then Sanctification automatically is the result in varying degrees.
If Sanctification is not evident at all, then Paul has a recommendation:
2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you are disqualified.

 

Our salvation (deliverance from sin andentry into Heaven)on our part is absolutely free. But following Christ in full obedience in the meantime will cost. Let's not confuse the two. </font>[/QUOTE]There is no such thing as a half way Christian. Either you are a follower of Christ or you are not. Those that follow Him keep His commandments and pick up their cross and follow Him. Do you think Jesus wasn't being sincere when He made these commandments? Believe me, He meant it. What is said in Revelation about His treatment of those that are lukewarm?

 

Don't confuse the cost of becoming a Christian (none), with our responsibilities of being a disciple (all).
Joining the army is simple and easy, being a good soldier isn't. Being born an American citizen is simple and easy, being a good citizen isn't. Getting married is simple and easy, being a good husband isn't. No cost to become a Christian, no cost to stay one, no cost to get to heaven, BIG cost to doing the job right.

Eph 2:8 (Salvation) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Discipleship) 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

 

I agree. (Remember, I think homosexuality is a sin, too!) I also think that Lordship involves a surrendering of will. What I begin to want to do is what Christ wants me to do. I begin to give up the right of self-rule and allow Christ to rule my life.

 

Salvation - paid in full by Jesus
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus ourLord.

Discipleship - costs you your life!
2 Corinthians 5:15
He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised.

 

I agree with your statement but you cannot be a Christian without also being a deciple so it's a moot point. Anyone who believes that you can continue in your former life without dedicating everything to Jesus does not have a correct conception of salvation. There is no such thing as a "carnal Christian."

 

Ummmmm, so what about the time in my life when I was not being an active disciple?

 

Good question. If you went through an extended period in which you turned your back on the Lord and continued in your sin without repentance like I did (20 years) my belief is that you were in danger of losing your salvation. The Christian life is an ongoing personal relationship with Jesus Christ. There are many passages in the Bible which speak tothis in terms of cutting off the dead branch and casting it into the fire, persevering until the end, etc.

 

The Christian life is an eternal personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If it isn't, then YOU get part of the credit for keeping it going and I get the blame for not keeping it going.