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THE
NEW LIFE by
John Marshall
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Chapter
5 • COUNTING
THE COST
There could hardly be more pointed illustrations for us. But
would it be true to say of each of us that we have realistically
counted the cost of the new life we live? Or do we so aimlessly
pursue the spiritual life that at the judgment seat we shall
be forced to confess that we have failed to finish the work
given us, and never attempted to find out the strength of
the enemy we have to face?
Let Jesus help us to begin calculating the cost: "If
any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother and
wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his
own life also, he cannot be my disciple."3 This is a
hard saying! Can one hate so completely? Sacrifice, yes, but
of this kind?
The explanation of this verse is to be found in the varied
uses in Bible language of the word to "hate". Sometimes
it is used as a contrast to love; at other times it is of
hate in its fullest sense, such as hatred of all that is evil
and vile; but the word is also used to indicate a choice or
a preference, and that is the way Jesus used it in this verse:
"If you prefer your father and mother . . . above me,
you cannot be my disciple." He said something like this
to the twelve just before he sent them on a mission: "He
that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of
me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not
worthy of me."
Jesus always meant what he said; he never wasted words. Always,
he must be put first. We are not being asked to love our families
less; we are asked to love him more. But if any member of
one's family stands between the believer and Jesus, and hinders
him from truly following Jesus, there should be no doubt where
one's loyalty should lie. Loyalty to the family above Christ
means death; loyalty to Christ above the family means life
everlasting.
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References
Luke 14v28, Luke 14v26, Matt 10v37
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Chapter
5 • COUNTING THE
COST
This process of counting the cost is not very comfortable, is it?
But one must face spiritual realities, for if one does, it will
be seen that any sacrifice made for Jesus is not pointless, but
is merely the price of eternal glory. We cannot expect to enjoy
the best of the natural and the spiritual life.
Spiritual Crises
There are times when one is suddenly faced with a spiritual crisis.
An invitation to become a member of some such association as the
Freemasons seems attractive. It involves opportunity to do good
works, and the promise of benefit to one's vocation; the offer seems
harmless enough. Or life is flowing easily and prosperously, and
one is popular with one's business colleagues, but because of an
international crisis, and the imposition of conscription, one is
forced to admit that one is a conscientious objector. Is the admission
easy or difficult? Or suddenly one has to decide to marry, or not
to marry, one who is not of our faith. Or slowly and inexorably
trouble between husband and wife so develops that the startling
thought of divorce creeps into the mind of one or of both.
These, and others, are crises of tremendous emotional consequence.
And too often one thinks of them as personal issues having little
to do with Jesus or the household of faith. There never was a greater
mistake. Not one of these or other issues can be separated from
Jesus and his command to follow him. Each of them is a test of the
quality of our obedience to him. And each is a part of the calculation
of counting the cost.
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References
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