ARTICLES/THEOLOGY/BIBLE STUDY

The theme of counting the cost is an important one in the Christian faith, and it is based on a passage found in Luke 14:25-35. In this passage, Jesus is speaking to a large crowd of people and he tells them that in order to be his disciple, they must be willing to give up everything they have and follow him. He says that if they are not willing to do this, they cannot be his disciple.

The idea of counting the cost is a challenging one, as it requires us to take a hard look at ourselves and our priorities. It asks us to evaluate what is truly important to us, and to consider whether we are willing to sacrifice anything in order to follow Jesus. This can be a difficult process, but it is essential if we want to truly live as his disciples.

Jesus begins by telling the crowd that anyone who wants to be his disciple must hate their family and even their own life. This may seem like a harsh statement, but Jesus is using hyperbole to make a point. He is saying that our love for him must be so great that it makes our love for everything else pale in comparison. He wants us to understand that following him will require us to make sacrifices, and that we must be willing to put him first in all areas of our lives.

Next, Jesus uses two illustrations to drive home his point. The first is that of a person who wants to build a tower. Before they begin, they must sit down and count the cost to make sure they have enough resources to finish the project. If they start building without considering the cost, they may run out of money and be unable to finish. In the same way, if we want to follow Jesus, we must count the cost and be willing to make the necessary sacrifices. We cannot start down the path of discipleship without being fully committed.

The second illustration is that of a king who is going to war. Before he goes into battle, he must evaluate his chances of victory. If he is outnumbered and outmatched, he may choose to make peace instead of going to war. In the same way, we must evaluate our ability to follow Jesus. We must be honest with ourselves about our strengths and weaknesses, and we must be willing to admit when we need help. We cannot follow Jesus on our own; we need the support of other believers and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, Jesus tells the crowd that salt is good, but if it loses its flavor, it is useless. In the same way, if we are not willing to make the necessary sacrifices to follow Jesus, we are useless to him. We cannot be half-hearted in our commitment to him; we must be fully committed and willing to do whatever it takes to follow him.

In conclusion, counting the cost is an essential part of being a disciple of Jesus. It requires us to evaluate our priorities, make sacrifices, and be fully committed to following him. We cannot follow Jesus on our own strength, but with the support of other believers and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can become the kind of disciples that he wants us to be. May we all count the cost and be willing to follow Jesus wherever he leads us.