put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. [colossians 3:5]

 

is your love for Jesus greater than your love for your life?

 

put to death

if there is any doubt how serious paul is about sexual immorality and impure passions of the heart, he says put it to death! Jesus echoes this sentiment in matthew 18:

and if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame that with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. and if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. it is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire. [v. 8-9]

 

how serious are you about following Christ? is he worth throwing your phone away if you struggle with porn? is he worth quitting your job if it inevitably leads you to fits of anger when you get home? is he worth breaking up with a girlfriend or boyfriend because you’re unequally yoked? 

so therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. [luke 14:33]

 

now may be a good time to make your decision: is following Jesus worth the cost? in order to follow Jesus it is not just our sins, idols, and destructive habits that we must put to death—we are called to die as well.

whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. and whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. [matthew 10:37-38]

 

deciding to be a disciple of Jesus means declaring that Jesus is worth sacrificing all my life! it will not be easy—Jesus promises just the opposite; but if your love for Jesus is greater than your love for this world, it will be worth it a hundred times over!

whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.[matthew 10:39]

 

the cost of following Jesus is indisputable: it always costs everything, from our sins and idols to our families and possessions, even to our freedom to do as and live where we wish! the question is not whether the cost of discipleship is high or low for you: the question is, are you willing to pay it? 

 

~ stephen hall