Earlier this week I began these special posts about seeking after to becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ per the Word of God. In the first post I showed per the Bible itself that the core of discipleship is self-sacrifice and the requirement to downsize.

Luke 14:33 NKJV – So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

Now. I wish to key in on the second major element of becoming a True disciple to Jesus Christ.

Luke 14:27 NKJV – And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

Most do not fully understand the importance and the true meaning behind this verse. Yet it is extremely key to being a True disciple to Christ. Again, Jesus Christ Himself tried to explain this to help those that truly sought to be a True and complete “Christian” to come to understand. For you don’t listen. You can not be a disciple and so in turn you are not truly “Christian.”

Luke 9:57-62 NKJV – Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

When accepting to become a True disciple of Jesus Christ. A True “Christian.” We are not to look back at our past or how we lived our earthly lives. Most never do this and so in Truth are not “Christian.” For we are not a “Christian” until we become a disciple.

The True cost of taking up the cross is rejection from the world and the religious community. For the latter was  and still is filled with those that seek after what is esteemed by the world and understanding that the laws are still in effect.

Luke 16:13-17 NKJV – “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.

For when you teach the True Gospel you are not making people happy in how they now live, but you make them uncomfortable, and they will hate you just as they hated Jesus Christ and hung Him upon a cross.

You must accept and become something that will cause you to be laughed at. Called names and ridiculed just as the apostles, and the prophets were.

 Matthew 5:10-20 NKJV  Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Salt is bitter. So, then the Truth is bitter.

If what you are listening to is sweet. It is people pleasing and is twice cursed for those that speak it.

Galatians 1:6-10 NKJV  I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

The True cost of carrying the cross:

Jesus Christ: wiped brutally, and crown of thrones forced onto His head and then hung upon the very cross he was forced to carry.

Peter: crucified upside down.

Matthew: while preaching the True Gospel in Ethiopia was killed with by the sword.

James the lesser: thrown from atop the temple, which didn’t kill him and then was beaten to death with a club.

James the great: placed on trial by the religious community of Jerusalem and beheaded.

Bartholomew also known as Nathaniel was taken in what is present day Turkey had his entire body whipped till he had no skin left.

Andrew: crucified in Greece.

Thomas: was stabbed with a spear in India.

Jude also known as Thaddeous: was killed by arrows when he refused to deny his faith.

Phillip: was also peaching in the lands known as present day Turkey and was beheaded.

Simon the zealot: was sawn in half in Persia.

Matthias the false apostle: was stoned and beheaded.

Paul: beheaded

Mark: tied to a team of horses and dragged through the streets of Alexandria, Egypt.

Luke: hanged in his homeland of Greece.

Stephen: stoned to death

John: boiled in oil yet lived. Then banished to Patmos and the only Apostle not to suffer martyrdom.

This is the cost of carrying the True cross and teaching the True Gospel.