NOTE: Before I even write this article I feel the need to retract from my article “Count The Cost,” for I recently learned that counting the cost pertains to those who are looking for discipleship, which God has for us and desires for us. However, when it comes to salvation, all that is required is faith in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

Jesus was teaching His Disciples how to follow Him, grow in Him and devote their lives to Him because He knew the challenges they would face and that if they were tempted to put anything above Him, they would not be able to carry out the vitally important job before them of taking the gospel message to all the nations. Through His Gospels, Jesus taught His Disciples everything any of us needs and/or wants to know about discipleship:

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.” (Matthew 28:16-20)

In a sense, these original disciples of our Lord Jesus were the very first missionaries; willing to go and plant churches anywhere God directed them to go:

“And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece. Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there do not depart. And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” (Luke 9:3-5)

The cost of admission is submission when it comes to discipleship. But when it comes to salvation, the admission is faith, and without cost, for it is the free gift of God through faith in Christ Jesus, our Lord:

Jesus put it succinctly:

^“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:21-25)

And He also put it symbolically:

^“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’? Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?” (Luke 14:28-30)

But, salvation is through faith in Christ only:

^“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:4-10)

Considering the context in which Jesus has iterated the phrase 'count the cost' when speaking to His Disciples, for they were the first to enter into this glorious condition of becoming more than saved, we see Jesus had in mind not only their countenance, but their worldwide example of perfection. They were being taught by The King, how to follow our King without any holding back. And although they didn't have an easy life by any means, through their diligence, they were blessed beyond measure, and were afforded the wisdom of God and godly discernment, and most critically they learned to use their will to choose God's Will for their lives, which is the smartest thing there is on earth, as for those life-altering decisions we all must face.

Jesus did teach His Disciples to “Count the Cost,” but He was teaching them discipleship, not salvation. He taught each one to 'pick up their cross and follow Him,' and told them all to 'deny themselves.' But, when we ask ourselves what we are giving up, it really just comes down to  self-centeredness, and the misery of self-importance. So, the truth is we only GAIN when we give our lives to HIM, for giving up our own will doesn’t have to be difficult, for Jesus said His yoke is light. Clearly, discipleship is all about the surrender:

“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Moreover, God has commanded that we love Him above all else, for it’s the heart that God cares most about. However, our works do reflect what is in our hearts. He does not judge our hearts according to our works, for we could never do good enough works to earn our way into Heaven, but when He looks at our works, He does so knowing what that one’s heart’s condition. He knows if we are doing works to show others how great we are in God’s Eyes, or if we are obeying what God is telling us to do with an unfeigned heart of love and devotion.

^“So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” (Luke 10:27)

“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.” (John 14:21a)

Jesus uses the phrase “Count The Cost’ to illustrate the cost or requirement of Discipleship. He does require our hearts be right before Him. Our love does have to be genuine, even for salvation. This cannot be denied, for God will not be mocked:

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)

Paul is clearly telling his church that God cannot be fooled or tricked in any way. He is All-Knowing. He is Omniscient, therefore, if someone were to read this article and what they decide coming away is that they would live according their own will just because they reason within themself: ‘why should I devote myself to Him when I can still get into Heaven?’ That one God will reject, for he is trying to manipulate GOD!

But, the Apostle Paul also assured his church that for those who crave blamelessness, God’s Spirit, who lives and dwells within them, will be enabled in their success. And when we do choose to give up our will for His Will, not only are we made wise, not only are we blessed in our devotion; there is truly no other means at which we can find complete and utter satisfaction in life. We only need to get of our own way and let God do His wondrous work within our hearts and minds:

^“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2Corinthians 5:17)

But, it is not always apparent to us when we examine others' behaviors/works. We cannot surely know what is in their hearts and motives toward God. We may not think someone has good works, but maybe they do, and we cannot discern those works or even know about them. There are those who are afflicted with emotional and spiritual problems, and therefore, just cannot seem to live the way they know they should, that does not necessarily mean they are not saved, for His Mercy trumps judgment, as we read in the Book of James, who explains that our works do reflect our hearts’ condition. It’s not possible to love God and not have works, however, that is NOT up to us to know or recognize, we are not equipped to do God’s Job. Only God will and can judge those works perfectly and without error:

“So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”  (James 2:12-13)

And James made it clear that faith without works is dead. For how can simply telling someone to be warm do any good if they are naked? If we abide in love for one another, we will do good for others, for God's Spirit lives within us and leads and prompts us unto good works. To tell someone to have a good day who is without food is cruel! IF we don't share our lunch, we do not have love. For love cannot merely lay dormant within, but love moves us to action:

"What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." (James 2:14-7)

"You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble!" (James 2:19)

However, for those who are saved and not progressing in discipleship, this passage in Ephesians illuminates the inconceivable, unsearchable Mercy of God, for He considers all of our weakness and trauma, which severely affect our behavior, but not necessarily our motive. For God is a fair and reliable judge who always examines our hearts in accordance with the Perfection that belongs to Him and only Him and The Trinity that is Him:

^“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:4-10)

In conclusion, notwithstanding believers are not required to be disciples in order to be saved, how can we love Him, yet not? The relationship we develop through the Holy Spirit's Leading will prompt us toward going deeper and growing in Him. The fact is, if we love God first and foremost as we ought to love Him, we will become filled with the desire to fellowship with Him, obey Him and please Him. Discipleship will come from the heart and feel like a natural next step, but more like an ongoing process in our journey.

"Jesus said to him, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." This is the first and great commandment."  (Matthew 22:37)

NKJV

Linzy is a certified Bible Counsellor, with countless republications on her viewers blogs, Bible Studies, Ezines and the like. Her portfolio includes, non-fiction articles, short stories for all ages, and Christian poetry.