September 2, 2015
Following Christ exacts a price that for the most part the church in the United States has refused to fully embrace. Throughout the ministry of Jesus, He clearly declared that those who would be His disciples must be willing to surrender all. With Jesus it is all or nothing at all. This illustration is a vivid reminder of many people who begin to walk with Christ, but when the price began to be exacted fall away.
September 2, 2015
The evidence of salvation is a transformed life. Without obedience to Christ we cannot claim to be a His disciples. If we are not His disciples, then we are not actually saved. “Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer
September 2, 2015
Bill Hull, in his book ‘The Complete Book of Discipleship,’ states, “The American gospel teaches that faith equals agreement with a set of religious facts. Believing in Jesus has no meaning if we don’t follow him in discipleship. Believing without discipleship isn’t believing, it’s agreeing to a set of facts about a religious figure. The problem we face is that we have taught a faith that doesn’t transform people….We’ve made the test for salvation doctrinal rather than behavioral, ritualizing it with walking the aisle, praying to receive Christ, or signing a doctrinal statement.Perhaps we’ve made it so easy to get into “the life” that we’ve made it nearly impossible to live the life.”