Counting the Cost

AW Tozer wrote, “A whole new generation of Christians has come up believing that it is possible to ‘accept Christ’ without forsaking the world.” Can it be? Hmm … Let's think about grace a bit. In the Biblical context it refers to undeserved favor. As in, our sins merited the wrath of God but because of Jesus’ free gift of salvation, we do not have to bear the punishment due us. Instead we get a free ride into the Kingdom of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). It’s Biblical. It’s true. But it’s not the whole enchilada. One of my great-aunt's ministry co-laborers resigned her commission when she entered into the state of matrimony. Her husband? A new convert, an erstwhile musician who made his living mainly by playing in bars. Aside from the great divide in the Christian world (a division that gets smaller and smaller as more believers slide into the belief that there is nothing wrong with drinking) as to whether spirits are something of which a follower of Jesus should partake, there is another question believers should address: does a bar glorify Jesus?

Let's think about it … what, pray tell, are the stand-out characteristics of a bar? Overindulgence, foul language, raucous behavior … Somehow those characteristics don’t shout “Jesus“ to me. Not to mention the dim lighting. (I’m sorry, but this is a pet peeve of mine. John 3:19 says, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” I am NOT a fan of dim lighting! Don’t even get me started on the “cutting edge” dim lighting now popular in churches. Of COURSE we should copy club atmospheres! Not!!!!) So, being a new believer, this young man began to pray about the way in which he made a living. Somehow, the club environment didn’t spell “glorify Jesus“ to him. Living in the suburbs of a not-too-big city, the only viable job he could come up with was taxi driving. It made a lot less than playing in “iffy” environments, but he had peace that this was the answer to his spiritual dilemma. With his wife in complete agreement, he chose a path in which his decision to follow Jesus took a career turn that, while less lucrative, showed his willingness to follow where Jesus led. Kind of like Matthew the tax collector. Knowing Jesus is wonderful. It is joy in the midst of a darkening world. It is hope in the face of devastating problems. It is peace in the midst of a roiling storm. It is having something worth living for. But it doesn’t mean perpetual tiptoeing through the tulips with utter abandon. Somewhere along the line when I was young, I am ashamed to admit that I picked up the notion that being a Christian meant repeating the sinner’s prayer and voilá—instant perfect Christian. Well … the truth is a little more complicated. Yes, it is Uber easy to come to Jesus. All it takes is a yearning for Him, a belief in His deity, and a reaching out to Him. Easy-peasy. But there’s more to the story. When Jesus gave his disciples the Great Commission, He didn’t say, ”Go to all the world and have people repeat the sinners’ prayer.” Nope. He said,”Go ye therefore and TEACH all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: TEACHING them TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS, whatsoever I have commanded you“ (Matthew 28:19-20). What???? Being a believer is more than just saying, "I love Jesus"—it’s following in His footsteps! If there is a sincere confession of faith, there should follow a corresponding change of life choices. My very first Christian friend told me of a teaching she had heard that blew her away. It was about the fruit of the spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. “Does an apple have to strain and stress to grow? No! It just grows!” she gushed. I was totally captivated by her words—and then flummoxed when I didn’t “just grow“ the fruits of the Spirit. What was wrong with me? It was many years before I realized how incomplete my friend's teaching had been.

When we moved into our new Tennessee home, Dennis started planting fruit trees and bushes like a house-afire. But guess what. Two years down the road we are still waiting for the fruit. The trees have to mature before they start producing hand over fist. Meanwhile, Dennis faithfully fertilizes, waters, prunes, sprays for bugs. Yes, there will come a time when the fruit will grow seemingly "effortlessly"—but only after years of investing into the plant or tree itself. A beautiful Christian doesn’t just “happen“. He/she is the product of faithful Christian discipline, following the words of Jesus year in, year out, until that time when the plant is deemed mature by its Master. Is this legalistic? No, it’s Jesus’ own words. If our life choices are left at will, with no regard to what would please our new Master, we end up with a hodgepodge of lifestyles that, sadly, look just like the world. Clothes that do not glorify Jesus, places that glorify sin, unbiblical lifestyle choices that are contrary to God’s Word. Addressing this with a loved one, I was looked at scornfully and told with a dismissive tone, “That’s so not cool.” I laud that young man who chose financial loss in order to follow Jesus. I laud the many women I have known who gave up financial security as a man's well-kept mistress in order to honor their newfound Lord with their lifestyle. I laud those in China who refuse to deny their Savior even though it means a loss of rights. I laud those in North Korea who face deprivation, jail time, and even death in their pursuit of Jesus.

Discipleship is not a little prayer and "Okay, we're done." It is much more than that. Defined as "the lifelong process of becoming a person who not only lives a certain way," but also "shows others how to do it," it is exemplified by our Lord. Jesus ate with sinners, but He didn't become a sinner to "be cool" with them. He ate with them to show them His willingness to accept and love them, despite their warts, while He Himself lived a sinless life, a life that showed them to what they should aspire. Disciples were not people who just said a little prayer and went on about their business like nothing. They were--and are--those who follow Jesus with every aspect of their lives, no matter the cost. Can it be financially costly? I think Zacchaeus, he who after his encounter with Jesus gave half of his goods to the poor and vowed to make restitution to those whom he had cheated, would answer with a resounding,"Yes!" ... but He is worth the cost. May each of us, as I am sure those in the examples given will, hear Jesus say in the not so distant future, ”Well done, thou good and faithful servant… Enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matthew 25:23).

"And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch" (Acts 11:26).