"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." Matthew 16:24-25 (NIV)
Salvation is free; however, following Jesus costs us everything. The good news of Jesus is that God sent his son to live and die in our place. He lived a perfect life meaning he loved God perfectly and loved his neighbor as himself perfectly, thus he never sinned. However, he willingly stood in our place dying on the cross for our sin, sin he had never known or committed. In the Old Testament we are told: “If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God…” (Deuteronomy 28:1-2, NIV). The scripture goes on to list blessings for obedience. In the same chapter we read:
“However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you…” (Deuteronomy 28:15, NIV).
The chapter goes on to pronounce a curse for disobedience. Did you notice the “ifs” in those Old Testament verses? Here is the beauty of the gospel: Jesus answered the “ifs” of the law. He lived in perfect obedience, and he paid the penalty for disobedience. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’" (Galatians 3:13, NIV).
Salvation cost you and me nothing, but it cost Jesus everything. However, following Jesus will cost you and me everything.
Taken from "Noblesse Oblige" by Scott Applegate pages 111-113
