Sometimes it’s hard to be a Christ-follower. It’s hard to be a disciple, a student of Jesus; however, Jesus wants disciples, not just believers. Some people don’t even think it’s worth it to follow Jesus, and they walk away from Him. Others have developed a system where following and learning from Jesus is optional and not essential to their version of the faith. We call this nominal Christianity or one-day-a-week Christians, or practical atheists who believe in God but live as if He doesn’t exist. Why do people do this? Because following Jesus demands something and costs something. Jesus said as much in Luke 14:25-34.
But have you ever thought about the cost of not following Jesus as His student? What are the costs of non-discipleship?
- The soul-nourishing capacity of God’s Word is never learned; therefore, physical appetites dominate and enslave (Deuteronomy 8:3).
- The fear of the Lord is never learned; therefore, the fear of losing control and the fear of man remain pulling us away from God (Deuteronomy 31:12-13).
- The spirit of teachability is never learned; therefore, immaturity, pride, and a tendency to repeat mistakes remain in effect (Proverbs 1:1-7).
- The justice of God is not learned; therefore, either willingly or inadvertently injustice is tolerated and propagated (Isaiah 1:17).
- The gentle and easy yoke of Jesus is never learned (Matthew 11:28-30); therefore, there is no deliverance from stress, worry, anxiety, and the pressures of life (Matthew 6:27-34).
- The joy of having no merit and of receiving mercy is never learned; therefore, legalism, lifeless spiritual rituals, prideful judgementalism, and works-based religion remain in force (Matthew 9:12-13).
- The secret of contentment is never learned; therefore, the forces of greed, materialism, consumerism, and damning prosperity theology continue their deception (Philippians 4:11).
- The anchoring truths of Christianity are never learned; therefore, susceptibility to false teaching remains, and the soul is left unanchored in the storms of relativism, pluralism, and postmodernism (2 Timothy 3:13-18).
- The devotion to good works is never learned; therefore, a wasted and unproductive life results (Titus 3:14).
- The obedience of suffering is never learned; therefore, the example of Jesus is not followed, God’s refining fire is rejected and His method of producing greater perfection in us is denied (Hebrews 5:8-9).