The Cost of Following Christ
For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him. (Philippians 1:29)
We certainly love the idea of believing in Christ, receiving eternal life and having our sins forgiven. We long to experience cleansing, both positionally and mentally. It is hard to comprehend forgiveness from God’s perspective. From our viewpoint, we see ourselves with a clean slate and new beginnings. It is a privilege to be invited by the Spirit of God to believe in Christ.
Wait, there is more! It doesn’t stop with redemption. We are now wearing the same colors and designs on our jerseys. This tells other people that we not only believe in Jesus, but we are willing to be identified with Him publicly. When that happens, and you come up against someone who doesn’t honor Christ like you do; they show some resistance. They may not say something to your face, but behind your back, you have become “one of those people” to them. You are no longer wearing the same jersey as they are, and that makes them feel uncomfortable.
The loss of a friendship is just one of the many pains which others may inflict upon you, if you are truly committed to Christ. Business opportunities might be torpedoed quickly, when someone who is not a believer finds out you are a deeply devoted follower of Jesus.
However, those sufferings are extremely minor when compared with the cost of following Jesus experienced by many people in the first and second centuries. The possibility of losing your life, family and livelihood (including all your possessions) loomed in the face of many of our faith fathers. Imagine having all of your support (both with family and friends) ripped away from you because you chose to identify with Christ.
Your world might not be as hostile to the Gospel as it was for the Philippians, but in some places today on our planet, many people are being martyred for wearing the “same colors” as Jesus. Last year (2021), nearly 6,000 Christians around the world were killed for their faith! One in seven Christians worldwide experience high levels of persecution! Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1:2-3)
Paul wrote that it has been “granted” for us to pay a price for following Jesus. It is a privilege to identify with Him and (if necessary) pay a price for that identification. As you step into your realm of business and life today, are you willing to boldly stand for Christ? This is more serious than supporting a sports team as a fan; it entails living a life as a follower of Christ. Choose to identify with Him where you live and breathe.
We certainly love the idea of believing in Christ, receiving eternal life and having our sins forgiven. We long to experience cleansing, both positionally and mentally. It is hard to comprehend forgiveness from God’s perspective. From our viewpoint, we see ourselves with a clean slate and new beginnings. It is a privilege to be invited by the Spirit of God to believe in Christ.
Wait, there is more! It doesn’t stop with redemption. We are now wearing the same colors and designs on our jerseys. This tells other people that we not only believe in Jesus, but we are willing to be identified with Him publicly. When that happens, and you come up against someone who doesn’t honor Christ like you do; they show some resistance. They may not say something to your face, but behind your back, you have become “one of those people” to them. You are no longer wearing the same jersey as they are, and that makes them feel uncomfortable.
The loss of a friendship is just one of the many pains which others may inflict upon you, if you are truly committed to Christ. Business opportunities might be torpedoed quickly, when someone who is not a believer finds out you are a deeply devoted follower of Jesus.
However, those sufferings are extremely minor when compared with the cost of following Jesus experienced by many people in the first and second centuries. The possibility of losing your life, family and livelihood (including all your possessions) loomed in the face of many of our faith fathers. Imagine having all of your support (both with family and friends) ripped away from you because you chose to identify with Christ.
Your world might not be as hostile to the Gospel as it was for the Philippians, but in some places today on our planet, many people are being martyred for wearing the “same colors” as Jesus. Last year (2021), nearly 6,000 Christians around the world were killed for their faith! One in seven Christians worldwide experience high levels of persecution! Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1:2-3)
Paul wrote that it has been “granted” for us to pay a price for following Jesus. It is a privilege to identify with Him and (if necessary) pay a price for that identification. As you step into your realm of business and life today, are you willing to boldly stand for Christ? This is more serious than supporting a sports team as a fan; it entails living a life as a follower of Christ. Choose to identify with Him where you live and breathe.
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2 Comments
Believing and Trusting God's Word is Necessary for The Christian to Prosper and reap Grace and Mercy ! I Love You Lord. Thank You JESUS .🎑🎆
I love being identified as a follower of Jesus. I have been living in love ever since. I see unbelievers as those other people who need Jesus