Dicsipleship

   And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Luke 14:25 - 35)
   This passage is perhaps one of the most offensive in the whole of the new testament, but it is necessary that people read it.  It puts to shame the notion that following the Lord will make your life better.  
   He begins by telling the multitudes in the strongest terms possible that he who values his family more than Christ cannot be His disciple.  If that was not enough to get their attention, he spoke of people bearing their cross.  To those who witnessed roman crucifixions, this was a very shocking statement. No one would ever willingly choose such a death, but here Jesus tells them that if they wish to follow after Him, they must pick up their cross.
   "But wait", some unbeliever may say. "Doesn't the Bible say a man is justified by faith? This sure doesn't sound like Justification By Faith to me!"  In answer to any such objection, I would urge the reader to look at all the Christians throughout the ages who have been brutally tortured and killed in every conceivable manner.  For them, becoming a Christian often meant casting off everything that made them acceptable to the culture around them.  It often meant turmoil within families as well.  So then, this has little to do with the means whereby we are justified. Jesus said in Matthew 10:35:
"For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law."
  Throughout the ages, becoming a Christian has meant becoming at complete odds with the culture.  This is the case today in North America, and it was the case in the 1st century Roman Empire.
  When Paul told us not to be conformed after the pattern of this world (Rom. 12:2) he meant it.  Being a Christian witness does not mean appealing to the world as much as possible. Can we speak to them in a way that they understand the gospel? Certainly! Look at Paul on Mars Hill - he even quoted from the Greek poets whilst presenting the gospel.  But we must not compromise the gospel, or water it down to make it more acceptable to the culture.
   Jesus' point in this passage is to make clear the cost that could be incurred by following Christ. Those who would follow Christ must be prepared to forsake their all to follow Him.  Indeed, we must surrender our all (Rom. 12:1).
   In this day and age, persecution of Christians is becoming more common and more rampant. Besides those who are brutally killed in the Middle east, we have am increasing tide of postmodernism here in north America that destroys many who would believe in Christ.
  When we believe in Christ, we are rebelling against this world.  We are following Him who has overcome the world.