Commitment: the Crux of Discipleship

by Russell M. Kline

 

Do you remember the vows you spoke, at your wedding? Ususally, when I perform a marriage ceremony, the vows go something like this: "...for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live..." These words reflect the magnitude of the commitment made by those who enter into a marriage covenant (Gen. 2:24). It is a degree of commitment so great that many in our modern world are afraid to make such a vow. This is one reason why so many people choose to live together, without being married to each other.

 

In many ways, the commitment one makes in marriage is like the commitment one makes to Christ, in becoming a Christian. This is one reason why the church of Christ is described as the "bride of Christ," in the New Testament (Eph. 5:22-27). What if our spouses showed as much devotion to us, as we show to our Lord? Would we have happy marriages? Would we remain married for a very long time, under those circumstances? Thinking about our commitment to Christ in this way ought to help us appreciate just how important that commitment is to us!

 

In Luke 9, Jesus encountered three prospective disciples, each of whom was hindered in some way from making a comitment to the Lord. By studying their examples, we can learn some valuable lessons about the level of commitment it takes for us to be faithful children of God's.

 

One man was hindered by the hardship of being a disciple (Luke 9:57,58). He approached the Lord with great enthusiasm, and boldly declared his intention to "follow thee withersoever thou goest." Jesus warned him that the path of discipleship is hard, and that there are many sacrifices he will be required to make, in order to finish his course. The Bible does not tell us if this man agreed to follow Jesus, in spite of all the hardships, or not, but I am persuaded that he must have given the matter some considerable thought.

 

No one has ever promised that living a faithful Christian life would be easy. In fact, the Bible promises that "all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer" (II Tim. 3:12). The Lord has promised an "abundant life," supplied by God's providence, to all who will obey Him (John 10:10; Mat. 6:25-34). But, God does not promise to shelter us from the insidious influences of the Devil (Rev. 2:10; Eph. 6:11). The apostle Paul lived a very hard life, as a servant of Jesus Christ (II Cor. 11:23-28), but he did not let hardship hinder him from serving. Whenever he thought about the things he suffered, he considered it to be "light affliction, which is but for a moment" (II Cor. 4:16-18).

 

Have you ever thought that the Christian life is just too hard? Perhaps you have used this kind of thinking as an excuse not to obey the gospel. Maybe you are a Christian, but you have not really been trying to live a faithful life, because you are convinced that it is too difficult. If so, then you should consider the fact that you are doing exactly what the Devil wants you to do (Rom. 6:16; Jam. 4:17)!

 

Another man was hindered because he put other things "first" (Luke 9:59,60). In this case, it was Jesus who approached him, and said, "Follow me." The man was eager to do so, but his father had died recently, and he re


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