Sadly, the gospel message has degenerated into “Come to Jesus and He will be your genie in the bottle” in our day and age. Consider what Jesus said in terms of the cost of following Him: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me . . . Whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Lk 9:23-24). Yes, salvation is a free gift, but following Him cost us everything. Where is that message today?
Have you quietly pondered one of the most sobering passages in all the gospels—Matthew 7:21-22? “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but Him that does the will of my Father in Heaven . . . For many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord . . .’, and then I will declare unto them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me you who work iniquity.’” Wow! Think!
Please, please spend time in Matthew 9 and 10. Ponder both the privilege and the cost of being a Christ-follower. In the next blog, you will be treated to Packer addressing this most important theme.