Four Costs of Becoming a Christian

jcrylequotes.com ^ | Late 19th Century | J.C. Ryle

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"In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple." ~ Luke 14:33

“Let there be no mistake about my meaning. I am not examining what it costs to save a Christian’s soul. I know well that it costs nothing less that the blood of the Son of God to provide atonement, and to redeem man from hell. The price paid for our redemption was nothing less than the death of Jesus Christ on Calvary.

“The point I want to consider is another one altogether. It is what a man must be ready to give up if he wishes to be saved. It is the amount of sacrifice a man must submit to if he intends to serve Christ. It is in this sense that I raise the question, ‘What does it cost?’ And I believe firmly it is a most important one.”

1. “It will cost him his self-righteousness"

2. “It will cost a man his sins."

3. “It will cost a man his love of ease."

4. “It will cost a man the favor of the world."

To "Read More" beautifully articulated, Bible-inspired expansions of these points, be sure to click the link! Ryle's reminders are sure to be challenging, convicting, and encouraging.

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“Bold indeed must that man be who would dare to say that we may keep our self-righteousness, our sins, our laziness, and our love of the world, and yet be saved? I grant it costs much to be a true Christian. But who in his sound senses can doubt that it is worth any cost to have the soul saved? When the ship is in danger of sinking, the crew think nothing of casting overboard the precious cargo. When a limb is mortified, a man will submit to any severe operation, and even to amputation, to save life. Surely a Christian should be willing to give up anything which stands between him and heaven. A religion that costs nothing is worth nothing! A cheap Christianity, without a cross, will prove in the end a useless Christianity, without a crown.” ~ John Charles Ryle

[185JHP]

The goin’ up will be worth the bein’ brought down.

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Amen

[GiovannaNicoletta]

To truly know Christ and have a personal relationship with Him, and know that one has eternal security, a person must give up his right to himself and be fully surrendered to the God Who gave His life to make that person clean and guilt-free in the eyes of the Father.

That's what it means to be saved. To know that a price beyond anything we can ever imagine was paid to rescue us from the consequences of our natural, rebellious, vile nature, and when we accept Christ's death on the cross as payment for our sins and become one of His children, we no longer own ourselves.

And what a freedom it is to be surrendered to Christ!