Costly

Costly
Jesus told this parable,
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-46.
If you claim to be a believer in Christ Jesus how precious is your faith to you? How precious is God’s Grace to you?
The other day a friend on Facebook noted she’d been at a sporting event when a friend of hers seeing her son do something wrong said, “O my G___”. This person was suppose to be a believer in Christ Jesus yet she was taking the Lord’s name in vain. It shocked my friend.
Sadly many of who go to church and claim to be believers in Christ Jesus do take the name of the Lord in vain.
Christianity has in many circles become a culture in which God and Jesus are simply a part.
Many come to church to socialize. They come because in their social circles going to church is the thing to do. Such people know the right things to say in church. They know how they are expected to act. Sadly however many do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Still others while they have a personal relationship with Jesus, they fail to see the true cost of their salvation. The true cost of the grace that brought them salvation.
Dietrich Bonhoefer a German Cleric wrote,
“Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.
Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. 
It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. 
It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner.    Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: 'Ye were bought at a price', and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. 
Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. 
Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.”  Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship.
Please think about it.

Our Salvation Cost

Our Salvation Cost
The Apostle Peter writes,
“Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.  
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers,  but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.  
He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.  
Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. 
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.  
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.  1 Peter 1:17-23.
If you are a true believer in Christ do you realize how costly your salvation is. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote about our salvation he called the grace that brought about our salvation “Costly Grace”. He wrote,
“Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: 'Ye were bought at a price', and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
We as believers in Christ as believers in God can never loose track of the fact that our salvation came at a great price. We can never take it for granted. We should never water it down or mix our faith with anything else be it with philosophy, politics or anything in this world. It is far too precious to do that with.
As believers in Christ were brought at a great price. One God was willing to pay. As a result we must never let God down.
Jesus speaking of himself said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”. John 3:16,17.
We must remember that God gave His one and only Son to save the world not to condemn the world.
To that end we must present the Gospel of Christ, the gospel of Salvation to anyone who will listen. We must do so because our God thought us important enough to send his One and Only Son.
Please think about it.

At Just the Right Time

At Just the Right Time

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!  
For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!  
Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation”
                                       Romans 5:6-11.
I see Christians all the time taking their salvation for granted. Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book The cost of Discipleship called the grace God offers us as “Costly Grace” he explains,
“It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: 'Ye were bought at a price', and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.” 
                                                                                     Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship.
We as Christians cannot take our salvation for granted. We must thank God everyday for it.
At the same time we cannot keep the message of Salvation through Jesus Christ a secret. We must in a respectable and polite manner present that message to those around us. We must have an open and loving dialogue between ourselves and non-Christians.
Jesus said,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
                                                                           Matthew 28:18-20.
We must remember that the Salvation we have cost Jesus his life. Thus it must be of paramount importance in our life to tell others why he died.
Lorenz Eifert said,
“The dying Jesus is the evidence of God's anger toward sin; but the living Jesus is the proof of God's love and forgiveness.”
                                          Lorenz Eifert
Jesus speaking of Himself said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:16,17 
Christians must remember John 3:16,17 because the prime purpose of Jesus coming to this world is to offer the free gift of salvation to all who would believe in Him.
Please think about it.