And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
Luke 9:23-25
The cost of following Jesus is not something hidden on page 17 in small print in a contract. The Lord laid it out plainly. To Jesus’ hearers, taking up a cross meant death to self. All the desires and interests and plans a man had meant nothing once he had picked up the cross for the one-way trip that would end at his death. Taking up the cross is not something that is done once for all, but a choice that must be repeated again and again. Paul wrote, “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31).
J. C. Ryle wrote, “We must not conceal from ourselves that true Christianity brings with it a daily cross in this life, while it offers us a crown of glory in the life to come. The flesh must be daily crucified. The devil must be daily resisted. The world must be daily overcome. There is a warfare to be waged, and a battle to be fought. All this is the inseparable accompaniment of true religion. Heaven is not to be won without it. Never was there a truer word than the old saying, ‘No cross, no crown!’ If we never found this out by experience, our souls are in a poor condition.”
The devotion that Jesus called for from His original followers did not expire with them. The same call is issued to us today. This is not an optional decision for us to make. If we are to truly be His followers, we must be willing to pay the price. “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27).
