“Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple. ” (Luke 14:33, NKJV)
Jesus spoke very directly and candidly about our giving of ourselves to Him and his work. We have a terrible time dealing with this giving it all away. We don’t want to be too radical and physically give everything away, but we also don’t want to be too stingy and hold it all back. So, what does he really mean?
When I was growing up, I needed for nothing—it was all provided. The needs were provided—my parents were very good about not “spoiling” us by giving us everything we asked for, but we never wanted for the necessities. At the same time, however, we knew that our needs were met because our parents provided them. If I wanted to get a treat, most of the time, I needed to ask them for the money in which to buy it. It all came from them.
As I got older, I began to recognize this. Every time, I needed something I would get these things from them—I was using borrowed or given items, for it was all purchased by them.
This is the same as our Christian life. If you are a Christian, you have accepted Christ’s death on a cross to be your payment for the sin you have done. Jesus paid the debt in full. Then, with that said, everything is borrowed or given from Him. Every breath you take for the rest of eternity is because he paid for it.
When you come to the realization that it all belongs to Him in the first place, and since it already belongs to Him, we should freely give as needed back to Him—only then can you be His disciple. You cannot be a disciple of Christ—if you haven’t first recognized that everything is his in the first place. “Forsaking All”, is simply just being ready to return to the owner as needed.
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