Start Counting Again

Luke 14:28-33 KJV

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.

We seldom urge prospective new Christians to count the cost before they make a profession of faith these days. More likely we do all we can to smooth the road for them. We remove every obstacle we make it easy to say a prayer.

• We spoon-feed them
• We coddle them with as much Christian friendliness as we can find
• We skirt around telling them any of the difficult things about being Christians

• We avoid any mention of Christian standards
• We want them to be saved
• We want them to go to heaven
• We want them to come to our church

And we don't want negative things to hinder them.

Truth be told, a lot of professing Christians avoid anything negative about Christianity themselves. 

But Jesus said that His disciple had to count the cost first. The price of a relationship with Christ is intense. It costs everything. A person ought to know that ahead of time, not somewhere into his faith. 

• Getting saved is easy
• Being saved isn't always so easy