Paying the Price

By Greg Laurie, Op-ed contributor Friday, September 16, 2005

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. —Romans 12:2

So what is the cost of discipleship? What price must we pay to be true disciples?

First, we must pay the price of the sins that we now cherish. We must give them up, every single one. We cannot, as disciples of Jesus, cling to a single sin and pretend that we are still following Him. Instead, we are to walk in friendship and fellowship with God. There is no room for a double life here.

Second, we must pay the price of this world's friendship. James tells us, "Don't you realize that friendship with this world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy this world, you can't be a friend of God" (4:4). We must not allow worldly and secular philosophy to color our thinking and living. If we are going to be disciples of Jesus, then we must pay the price of this world's friendship. Yet in place of the world's friendship, we will have God's.

Third, we must pay the price of the plans for our own lives. We may have ideas of what we want to do, and there is nothing wrong or evil about that. But we must be willing to give up our plans if asked to do so by the Lord, because as Jesus said, "Those who love their life in this world will lose it" (John 12:25).

Are we really going to be disciples? Are we really going to live the Christian life as it was meant to be lived? If we will live as true disciples, then we will impact our world.

Used with Permission