WHAT IT COSTS TO LIVE AS A CHRISTIAN
By W. G. Guy
Becoming a born-again Christian is easy and costs nothing. It is referred to as “salvation” or becoming “saved” from the penalty of sin and being forgiven.
Acts 2:21 – and it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Acts 4:12 – Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Salvation is a free gift. However, from that point on, living the Christian life, or the Christ-like (or Christ-filled) life, requires a significant price that many do not, or refuse to pay: mostly because they are not taught that this is necessary. This price that we pay is the cost of “separation” from this world, the flesh, and the sinful and wicked wiles of the devil.
1 John 2:15-16 – Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
This separation is referred to as “sanctification” or “holiness”, which is not being taught in most churches. Jesus requires this to be a follower of Him, and it will cost you your life: as least your old way of living before you can walk with Jesus as His follower.
Luke 9:23-24 – And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. (Note: the cross is the symbol of death: dyeing to self.)
True Christians are to be conformed to His image and His likeness; which is why believers were originally called “Christians” back in Antioch.
Acts 11:26c – ……And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
Being a Christian should be evident by the way you live; by what you are; by what you do; and by what you say! This means being transformed from this evil and perverse world and transformed into the image of Christ.
Galatians 4:19 – My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
Colossians 1:27 – to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
This transformation even requires changing the way we think:
Romans 12:1-3 – I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Leadership in Christ’s church are ordained and commissioned to mature believers into the fullness of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-13 – And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
The purpose of the God gifted, and Jesus ordained, ministers is the maturing the believers to be like Jesus.
1 John 3:2-3 – Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
The work of the church is to root out the old nature and encourage us to form His new nature in us. Again, this tends to be costly, and too few are willing to pay that price. Even worse, there are those who claim to be His servants (ministers) that fail to do this work as Jesus commands. Jesus declares that He doesn’t even recognize them because they were never intimate enough with Him to know what He wants them to do. They did the work of the ministry in their own way, not His.
Matthew 7:21-23 – Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity, (or doing your own thing).
The result of those in the ministry what are referred to in this passage is that the people are not properly taught what Jesus wants them to know. Thus they are misled and become as those on the broad way, as Jesus said:
Matthew 7:13-14 – Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
The Lord’s true ministers hear Him and do things His way, following His commands. Thus the house they are building is His house and dwelling place, (called the Body of Christ). Building His way means that house will stand when the storms of life hit. Failure to build by His directions means the house is built on sand, and not on rock. Thus it will collapse when the trials of life hit – and they will hit!
Such ministers He called “wolves in sheep’s clothing” and “false prophets” (preachers).
Matthew 7:15 – Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
True ministers are to be known by their “fruits”, not by their “gifts”. These “fruits” are the Fruits of the Spirit, (as listed in Galatians 5:22-23 and are also referred to in John 15:1-5). The reason to identify by the fruit is because the supernatural gifts, (as listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10), can be duplicated by Satan and his ministers. But Satan cannot duplicate the “Fruit of the Spirit” because that Fruit is the character and nature of God, and was fully manifested in Jesus Christ, and is supposed to be formed in us. Satan can only reproduce his vile character and nature.
As we draw close to the end of this age and the return of Christ, the church must get serious about our relationship and obedience to Him.
Romans 13:11-14 – And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Note that this passage was written to the church in Rome; not to the unsaved. This is a call for repentance in and throughout the church to prepare to receive Him. Consider the warnings that Jesus issued to some of the churches in Revelation chapters two and three. For example – The Church at Ephesus:
Revelation 2:5 – Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Jesus said He would remove them as a church if they did not repent. Then He gave a warning to the Church at Laodicea:
Revelation 3:19 – As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Is God going to have to bring a chastising judgment on the church today in order to get it in shape for His Son to return.
1 Peter 4:17 – For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
What will God have to do to correct the errant who claim to be Christians but are going down the wrong pathway. He does chasten those whom He loves according to Hebrews 12.
Yes there is a price that we believers need to pay: that price is to eliminate our personal and corporate (church-wide) attachment to this vile world and its ways, and fully identify with our Lord Jesus Christ so we are equipped to properly represent Him while on this earth. This also prepares us to rule and reign with Him when He establishes His kingdom here on earth when He returns.
Jesus repeated this theme of what is required of true discipleship as in Luke 9:23 for a second time in Luke 14: (the following is copied from The Passion Translation):
Luke 14:25-29 – As massive crowds followed Jesus, he turned to them and said, “When you follow me as my disciple, you must put aside your father, your mother, your wife, your sisters, your brothers – yes, you will even seem as though you hate your own life. This is the price you’ll pay to be considered one of my followers. And anyone who comes to me must be willing to share my cross and experience it as his own, or he cannot be considered to be my disciple. So don’t follow me without considering what it will cost you.”
The price we pay as we mature in Christ is for our sanctification. Sanctification is also called “holiness”, which means being set apart unto God as His own.
1 Peter 1:14-16 – as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Isn’t it time that we give the Lord what He wants, instead of always asking of Him what we want? Repentance is in order these days; and He is giving us time to do so! The true prophets are speaking out, but does the church hear?
Revelation 2:7 – He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
