It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ. Paul followed the Lord’s example of commitment in sacrifice and service. More than that, it fully demonstrated the love of God (Romans 5:8)-selfless and sacrificial in the giving of His life for the world (Matthew 20:28). A cross epitomized ultimate punishment and humiliation (Galatians 3:13). These imperatives picture for us sacrifice, selflessness, and service. In essence, the true cost of commitment to Christ is one’s total self-denial, cross-bearing, and the continual following of Him. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it” (Luke 9:23-24). Jesus has made it plain the cost of discipleship: “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. The apostle Paul echoed His warning: “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). Jesus alerted His disciples: “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). The reason for such commitment and loyalty is that the trials we may have to endure will be quite demanding our allegiance to Him at times may be arduous (John 15:18). The bottom line is that those who cannot make that kind of commitment cannot be His disciple. It means our commitment to Christ demands, if given an “either/or” situation, we turn away from them and continue on with Jesus (Luke 12:51-53).

Such commitment means our family relationships may be severed. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26-27). Furthermore, Jesus tells us that our commitment to Him must supersede our commitment to even our families: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. This means that we must hold nothing back from Him because God holds nothing back from us (John 3:16).

Jesus is telling us that every fiber of our being, every facet of our lives must be committed to loving and serving God. This is the great and first commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38). Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. But the Bible also teaches that the chief commitment of our lives is to God Himself. There are numerous references in the Bible addressing the Christian’s commitment in various aspects of life: to our families, neighbors, employers, the church, our health, and in all things we do and say (Ephesians 6:5 Hebrews 10:25 1 Corinthians 6:19, 31).

Kingdom fully committed