Now that we have discussed the Gospel and what it means, we must also discuss the cost.

“Cost? I thought salvation is a free gift of God!” It is indeed a free gift of God; one can never earn it by doing good deeds or keeping the law. But there is a cost that those who follow Christ must be willing to pay. Over the last 150 years, we have cheapened the Gospel, you see. Today we talk about, “If you died tonight, are you sure you would go to heaven?” As important as that question is, it is actually not what Jesus focused on. He focused on having life (there’s that word again). Life here and now. Salvation is not the end; it is only the beginning. He calls us to more than just waiting for our ticket to heaven to be punched.

Christ gave specific requirements for those who would be His disciple. Read His words here carefully.

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few (Matt. 7:13-14).

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. . . . If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. . . . [And] any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple (Luke 9:23-24, 14:26-27 and 33).

Christ calls us to first “enter” by the narrow gate and walk the Narrow Road. He classifies all of humanity on one of two roads: the Wide Easy Road (that leads to destruction) and the Narrow Hard Road (that leads to life). Why is the Narrow Road described as the hard way? Because of the cost involved.

What is the cost to follow Christ? My life. Jesus calls any who would follow Him to give up all they own. Why is this required? Because holding onto anything or anyone else will cause our loyalty to be divided. Christ did not give us a middle ground. The phrase, “Hold things loosely” does not apply here. Christ calls us to not hold onto it at all! God promises that we will find Him, “When you seek Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). One cannot seek the Lord with all his heart if his heart is divided. Let our heart be undivided.

In the next and succeeding posts, we will look closer at these passages to learn what they mean for us of the 21st century.