It is not even supposed that one can live a completely sinless life in this world.  I John 1:8: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." Everyone who is fettered and chained up in this body of clay is sinful, and it takes constant vigilance to keep from being drawn away and enticed. 

      This is the wonder of the new birth.  All who have been born again can mortify the deeds of the body, but they will have to do it.  God does not do that for us.  He cleanses us for eternity, but then gives us the power to mortify the deeds of the body and it is sometimes costly.  I recently heard a nationally famous preacher, preaching to his own congregation, tell about an effort being made by his group to encourage their members to live righteously and godly and they were inviting confidential inquiries as to how to handle their besetting sin problems.  One inquiry related how a married man wanted to get away from sinning; related how much he wanted to live as a Christian (he was a member of the church), but he said that he could just not afford to do it; that he would have to give up his girlfriend -- what could he do? What did the counselor recommend? We did not hear, but this is a continuing problem in America today.  I fear that what Isaiah prophesied is becoming a way of life for many that should be disciples.  "In that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, we will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. (Isa. 4:1.) Many want to be called Christians, but are not willing to pay the price required to truly be one.  They have not submitted themselves to wear the righteousness of Christ (Rom. 10:13); they try to depend upon their own righteousness; they need no spiritual food that the church has to offer, but manufacture a religious philosophy of their own; then try to make the Bible agree with it.  Often, because they cannot fit their own ideas into the Bible, they say that they cannot understand the Bible.  THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE! They cling to their own ideas and their ideas are so precious that the treasure of Christ is not alluring enough to them to make them sell all that they have.

      Jesus said, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field: the which, when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." (Matt. 13:44.) If any man is going to be able to buy the treasure, he will have to sell all that he has; everything that is not of some benefit in the Lord's service.  In all the parables, stress was laid upon the selling of everything that would not enhance the beauty of the priestly garments of a Christian.  This should in no way destroy a pleasurable life as the poet once said: "Religion never was designed to make our pleasure less," but as was stated by another poet: "Solid joys and lasting treasures, none but Zion's children know."

      Now, let us turn to specifics as they are shown to us  in  the word of God.  Jesus said:

           "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.  And whosoever doth not bear his cross and  come after me, cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:26-27)

      We are prone to want to say with his disciples of old: This is an hard saying: who can hear it?" (John 6:60.) No true child of God wants to turn his back on his sainted father or mother, or any of his family according to the flesh.  What the text means is: If we are going to be disciples of the Lord, we have to put him before our fleshly relatives.  Discipleship requires total commitment to our King.  In the sermon on the mount we are told: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matt. 6:33.)

     I have known many men who were members of a fraternal organization which teaches that by living up to its rules, one will be enabled to enter the portals of glory, and although the Bible is abundantly clear that there is no other name given, under heaven or among men whereby we must be saved, only through Jesus (Acts 4:12), they are not willing to sell the treasure of that fraternity in order to be a disciple.

      I can name dozens of men who are like the chief rulers who believed on Jesus, but would not confess him for fear they would be put out of the synagogue.  MANY TODAY are not willing to risk becoming estranged from social position, or ostracized by their friends, or are like Demas (2 Tim. 4:10), love this present world more than the joy of discipleship.

      Presently, there is a concerted effort blaring forth from the media to discredit all of Christianity based primarily on the image projected by a few who bear the name Christian, but who often deny the scriptures and do not act in such way that they project the proper attitude which will command the respect of all men.  Pure discipleship will overlook such actions, but many are weak and are not willing to bear the reproach and scorn of the weak and beggarly elements of the world.  But, because many in the media bear the title of intellectuals, it is extremely difficult for seekers to bear the constant barrage of criticism that is pouring forth in every avenue or communication.  Until Christians "clean up their act" and become consistent in their thinking and actions, many are going to not be willing to pay the price because they do not see enough advantage in it.  This is particularly true of young adults who are just a short while out of college, where in many instances intense effort is put forth to turn them away from Christian concepts and Christian values.

      I recall a case of a young, dedicated member of the church, who enrolled in a University as a freshman.  She told me that in English I, the first day, the professor held up a Bible, called their attention to it; then threw it on the floor, stamped it with his feet; then kicked it out the door and said: "Now get that junk out of your mind.  We are here to get an education and you certainly cannot get it from that." She was from a dedicated Christian home; her great uncle had been one of the outstanding ministers in his denomination in the whole United States and it was very disconcerting to her.  She finally dropped out of that school and went to another college where there was at least a semblance of Christian values, and is now a very fine nurse and is teaching nursing in a community college.  I wonder how many of our kids today would be able to pay the price that she paid for discipleship.  This pressure is on just about all the secular college kids and I fear that very few of them are willing to buy the field.

      There is another area that presents a more subtle problem and that is in the realm of the so-called Christian churches. Evidently, many are not walking in truth.  When there are so many divergent opinions; when one says one thing and another something else about the same Bible, and on the other side of the block there is another group with a completely different mode of worship – all of them adamantly contending that they are walking in truth, is it any wonder that a seeker is turned off, particularly if he is not familiar enough with the Bible to know what is truth when he hears it. It has been my experience -- I have heard men argue intensely about something in the Bible that was not even there.  The "age of accountability" is one, but there is not one word about it in the Bible, not even a text that suggests it; yet more than ninety percent of Christians believe it.  Also, every Christian group with which I am acquainted, sings about the "angels singing." The Bible does not say that they did not, or do not sing, but neither is there even one word that leaves the impression that they sang.

      These are extreme cases, but traditions of men and ideas that are completely foreign to the scriptures have created such a hodge-podge of religious ideas that young people, as well as old, have been turned off.  All of this is engineered by Satan and it is critically necessary that churches get back to completely scriptural concepts.  Today's young generation is generally better educated than has been in the history of this nation, and they will not pay the price required to buy an inconsistent, suspect package.

      I see some evidence that there are a few who are really trying to walk in truth, but the price is so much more than any of those who live after the flesh want to pay that they will have none of it until they come to the last days of their stay on earth.  Then, most of them see the error of their way, but God hath sworn in his wrath that they will not enjoy the blessings of Canaan.  Many of them behold it from Mt.  Pisgah, and I feel that I have preached the funerals of a number of such, but I have sorrow in my heart because of the blessings they have missed, because their work has been burned and they have suffered loss; yet they are saved in glory, as by fire. (1 Cor. 3:15.) Discipleship is costly, but it is precious!

      How many today are willing to pay the price that Ruth, the Moabitess, paid in order to have the blessings of Canaan and the fellowship of her mother-in-law? She had to forsake her father and mother, her sister (who was also her sister-in-law), all of her kindred after the flesh, the land of her nativity, and, as Abraham did, go into a strange land, not knowing what would befall her. This is about the price that is required of all who would truly be disciples. God's people are reminded:

           "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  But call to mind the former days, in which after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; Partly, whilst ye were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became the companions of them that were so used." (Heb. 10:31-33.)

      Attitudes have not changed much since New Testament times.  Pseudo-intellectuals have always had a tendency to "look down their noses" at those dedicated to believing and following the teachings of the scriptures.  At the present time, about ninety percent of those in positions of leadership in the secular media are either agnostics or are altogether atheistic in their philosophy.  Anyone who is endeavoring to be a true disciple will have to cope with the constant bombardment of subtle derision aimed at destroying the faith of disciples.  Jesus told Peter that ". . . Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." (Luke 22:31-32) It appears to me that this fear of being made a gazing stock stands in the way of true discipleship for many because they are not willing to pay the price of reproach and afflictions required to be faithful.   

     Satan has not changed in his aim; his methods change, but he uses every means at his command to prevent the subjects of the kingdom of his arch enemy, Jesus Christ, from enjoying the benefits available to them in this world.  Peer pressure -- the desire to go along with the crowd -- and the influences of the world have to be overcome by those who would follow the Lamb of God.  The gate indeed is "strait," and the way is "narrow." No wonder but few find it and are willing to pay the price required to possess the most precious things this world affords: Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

      Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a dedicated disciple of the Lord who dared to stand for what he was convinced was right during World War II.  He was persuaded and aided by American friends to leave Germany in 1939, but due to his love for the Lord's people and particularly his own people in the religious persecution under Hitler, he returned to Germany.  He labored for what he regarded as right and was arrested in 1943 by the Gestapo; finally was put in a concentration camp; then executed on the orders of Himmler in April of 1945, just a few days before the liberation of the camp by the allies.  He had made friends of some of his guards who smuggled some of his writings out of prison.

     He knew the full cost of discipleship and left for us an excellent book, "THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP," published in America by McMillan.  Those who wonder about the cost of being a dedicated Christian should read this book and consider what this man of God paid for his discipleship.  "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13.) I wonder how many today would be willing to pay such a price. History records that more than fifty million people have suffered martyrdom since the "First Born" was crucified.  The fate of Bonhoeffer was the ultimate cost, but every dedicated disciple should be willing to pay it.  All of the apostles, except possibly John, suffered death rather than deny being a follower of the lowly Lamb of God.  The cost was high for them.  Can we expect it to be any less for us? It is extremely unlikely that many today will be called to suffer death, but all who enlist as disciples should be willing to pay that price if necessary.

       Everything of value is costly.  Pure, true discipleship is the most valuable mode of life available in this world.  Not many are willing to pay the price, but it is available to everyone who seeks it. They who are very poor in this world's goods have the same opportunity to buy it as those who have untold wealth; in fact, it is easier for those who are poor in this world's goods.  They do not have to sell so much.