The old Toledo blade cost the warrior much at first, but when he had once procured it, he knew that it would cut through joint and marrow in the day of battle. So, he was not afraid to dash into the thick of the fray, trusting to its unrivaled temper and keen edge.
Could he not find a cheaper sword? He could have found it easily enough, and with small expense, but then in the moment when his sword smote upon his enemy's helmet instead of cleaving through the skull, it would snap in the warrior's hand and cost him his life!
In the same way, many professors of the gospel take up a cheap religion. There is,
no self-denial in it,
no forsaking of the world,
no giving up of sinful amusements.
They are just the same as the world. Their religion costs them nothing and at last when they need it, it will fail them it will snap like the cheap, poorly made sword in the day of battle, and leave them defenseless.
Oh, if you want that which will endure the conflict, you must expend cost upon it.
Many professing Christians never separate from the world no, not they! They fall in with the fashions of the day, as the dead fish floats with the current!
Have they any cross to bear? Does anybody mock them for living a holy life? Oh, no! for theirs is the easy religion which the world praises, and consequently the religion which God abhors. "If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him!" (1 John 2:15) He who has the smile of the ungodly, must expect the frown of God.
No man has truly committed himself to Christ, unless he has also said, "My Lord, this day I give to You my body, my soul, my talents, my goods, my house, my children, and all that I have. Henceforth I will hold them as Your steward. As for me, I have nothing. I have surrendered all to You."
You cannot be Christ's disciples at any less cost than this. If you possess a farthing that is your own, then Christ is not your Master. It must be all His, every single jot and tittle, and your life also or you cannot be His disciple.
Oh, count the cost! If any of you have taken up a religion which costs you nothing then throw it down and flee from it, for it will be your curse and your ruin.
But may we not get to Heaven without all this cost? No! You may be counterfeits, you may be hypocrites, you may be brethren of Judas, but you cannot be real Christians.
The cost of the cross is unavoidable, it cannot be lessened one solitary mite.
Salvation is not merely deliverance from Hell and eternal suffering.
It is deliverance from this world's vain and wicked ways.
If you would have justification, you must have sanctification.
If you would have pardon of sin, you must have holiness of life.
If you would walk the streets of gold above, you must walk the road of holiness below.
[Charles H. Spurgeon]
Luke 14:27, 33 ... And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple ... So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
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