Christ's Terms

Over the past year God has radically redefined saving faith for me. It all began with the question, "When does true salvation take place?" During this journey I have found that so much of what I was taught as a child and believed even as an adult is not true. Salvation does not come with a prayer. It is not only believing that Christ is the Son of God and that He died for my sins. Salvation is not walking an aisle or raising a hand. It is not following the Romans road. It is not easy, partial, or half-hearted. I have come to firmly believe that the term Nominal Christian is an oxymoron. In our desire for God to make sense and be easily attained we have created a new law. We long for a checklist of behavior and words that will guarantee our successful translation into heaven. But salvation is surrender. We confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts, but that is not a checklist. It is an outward expression of an inward condition. Christ describes the inward condition for us several times in the Gospels.

In Luke 14:26-35 Christ addressed a group of people that were flirting with the idea of following Him. His divinity had been revealed in enough measure that they were enchanted with the idea of aligning themselves with such power. As they all walked along together, He turned around and defined discipleship for them. Although we consider discipleship a growth in our walk, here He spoke about what it would cost to walk alongside of Him. What it would mean to truly believe in Him.

He hit them with three raw propositions.

First, He explained that to believe in Him and walk with Him would require an all consuming love for Him that maked all other love look like hate in comparison. There was to be no list of God is first, family second... He wanted to be first, second, and last. The first cost was one of the heart. It would have to be turned totally toward Him, ready for total obedience out of a love that consumed. There could be nothing that would be given preference.

Second, Christ explained they were to carry their cross. This was the walk of a dead man. They were to live as if they were at the very end of their life, facing the humiliation of the cross. That would mean no dreams, hopes, plans or future. The second cost was of inalliable rights. They would have to be willing to put aside everything that defined them as an individual. To live as if they were already dead and to only accept what life Christ granted them in His wisdom and will.

Third, He maked it clear that the cost would be complete. There would be no possession left unsurrendered. He required everything to be given over into His complete control. The third cost was comfort. There could be no room for self-preservation or comforting. He required everything.

I can not imagine the horror of this crowd. Surely they were looking for fame, glory, or at least a good show. Christ begged them to not be flipant in following Him. He desperately wanted them to count the cost. He wanted to be very honest about the earthly ramifications of following Him. He did not want there to be any surprises when He did call on them to abandon their family to serve Him, or when His Father called for their prized possession to be sold to provide for the poor, or when He thwarted the dreams of their heart for a future that would bring His kingdom advance.

I feel this is why many people struggle with their faith. When times are much tougher than you could have ever believed possible, when God does not work according to your desires, when He requires the ultimate sacrifice you are only left to wonder where the Christ is that you signed up to follow. Where is the God of mercy that you were led to believe was waiting to do your bidding, if only you were holy enough? Where is the God that so many claim poured out financial prosperity on them? Where is the American God? And who is this Creator that is without relent in pursuing His glory, even to our perceived detriment?

Jesus is desperate for us to count the cost of coming to Him according to His terms. There is no other way to live for Him. There is no middle road. Salvation involves complete surrender. Death to all that you are and all that you have.

Please get on your face before Him and allow Him to help you count the cost. Beg Him to show you what you are holding back. Allow Him to comfort your heart with the understanding that there is no comparision between what you are asked to forfeit and what you are promised to recieve.




We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. C. S. Lewis