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Answer
Converting to Christianity involves becoming a follower of Jesus through faith (John 10:26-30). Crowds gathered around Jesus, but most were not genuine followers. They sought healing for their ailments, witnessed Jesus casting out demons, and enjoyed the miraculous provision of bread. Jesus cautioned them about the commitment required to follow Him.
“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels’” (Mark 8:34-38).
Will you prioritize your own desires, or will you deny yourself and follow Jesus? Do you value your earthly life over eternal life? Do you cherish worldly possessions more than the salvation of your soul? Do you fear being ashamed of Jesus or fear Jesus being ashamed of you?
You pursue what you treasure. You work diligently because you understand that the rewards of a paycheck surpass the fleeting comfort of lounging at home in front of the T.V. If Jesus calls you, will you follow, recognizing that sacrificing your earthly life is worthwhile for the sake of gaining eternal life?
Will you follow Jesus? Consider the cost (Luke 14:25-33):
• Following Jesus costs your own life. Jesus said you must deny yourself and take up your cross. One who rejects the cross cannot be Christ’s disciple “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”, (Luke 14:27).
• Following Jesus may cost the loss of family and friends. Jesus said His coming often brings division between His followers and their families, friends, and the world. Anyone who does not hate (meaning love less) his family is not worthy of Christ (Matthew 10:32-39).
• Following Jesus may cost the loss of your possessions. One rich man proudly thought he was good enough to go to heaven. Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.”, (Matthew 19:21). Loving wealth more, the rich man sadly forsook Jesus.
• Following Jesus will cost facing persecution. Christians should expect suffering as a normal part of belonging to the “man of sorrows” (See Isaiah 53 and John 15:18-21). Jesus even called the persecuted ones “blessed,” saying “rejoice and be glad for your reward in heaven is great” (See Matthew 5:10-12).
God’s people have always faced persecution. The prophets were reviled, tortured, and killed “they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword.”They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; », (Hebrews 11:37). History records that ten of Jesus’ disciples were executed for preaching Christ. Tradition states that Peter insisted on being crucified upside down because he counted himself unworthy to die in the same manner as his Lord. Yet he wrote, “If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of God and of glory rests on you” «If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. », (1 Peter 4:14). The apostle Paul was jailed, beaten, shipwrecked, and stoned numerous times for preaching Christ, but he considered suffering not even worth mentioning compared to the reward he knew awaited in paradise «For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. », (Romans 8:18).
Following Jesus doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll lose your possessions, family, friends, and physical life, but are you willing?
While the cost of discipleship seems high, persecution brings earthly and heavenly rewards. Through persecution, the Lord stays with believers (Matthew 28:20;Hebrews 13:5); He knows their limits and gives grace (1 Corinthians 10:13;2 Corinthians 12:9); He rewards them in heaven (Matthew 5:10-12); He works persecution for good, shaping the believer’sAs He glorifies Himself (Romans 8:28-29). The benefits far exceed the cost of following Jesus!
Jesus endured suffering and death on the cross to bear the believer’s punishment for sin. The sole path to forgiveness and eternal life is by trusting in the Lord Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). While a Christian’s endurance of persecution does not contribute to the complete work of Christ, a genuine believer will steadfastly follow Jesus through suffering.
“For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, ‘who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth’ and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls” (1 Peter 2:21-25).
