We seem to be going through a period where death is all around us. Within the last two weeks we lost a co-worker to cancer, my father-in-law had a stroke (which easily could have taken him from us), and a young man, who is close to our family, once again stopped his heart through his use of heroin (he is still in the Intensive Care Unit). Though the latter two survived, the sense of death’s nearness has been tangible. Then, a couple of days ago, we got word that one of the five soldiers killed in the friendly fire incident over in Afghanistan was from a small community that is immediately adjacent to the plant I’ve worked at for the last two decades. Though I didn’t know this boy personally, his family and friends are embedded in our community; and when I looked into his smiling face, I couldn’t help but think of my own son Patrick, who is enthusiastic to join the military when his school days are done. Finally, another co-worker was killed yesterday in a traffic accident, just outside the plant. This is the same intersection I’ve been passing through, on an almost daily basis, for over 20 years. Though the depth of my association to each of these individuals was varied, it’s hard not to feel a sense of connection to all of these events.
It’s probably a by-product of my age that I don’t necessarily turn my head from such things anymore. When you’re young, the concept of death can seem abstract, but as the years go by, the reality of it comes crashing in. Like these last two men, it can, and often does, come quickly and without warning. Such events should prompt us to consider each day as a gift, and to endeavor to make the most of them. Last night, as I drove past the site of the car accident, I thought about questions like, “What if that had been me?” “What would I wish I’d have said or done before that moment arrived; and what would suddenly seem like it had been a huge waste of my time?” Maybe that sounds morbid to some, but to me, it is a necessary part of making the most of my days. I’m not sure whether the man in the accident survived the initial impact, but if he did, I feel certain that he wasn’t thinking about the professional achievements of his career, or the balance of his IRA, or his golf handicap, or the status of his Fantasy Football team, or another one of the thousand things that compete for our time and energy. If we are fortunate enough to experience such a moment before stepping out of this life, I have no doubt that we will have a sudden clarity on what really matters. Unfortunately, by then, it’s too late to do anything about it. So even though it may seem strange, I’m not rushing to get past this recent rash of tragedies. As I pray for the families and communities impacted by these deaths, I also catch myself praying that the Lord will help me to make the most of the days that I have left. While a part of me hopes that I’ll have another 25 or 30 years of days, another part of me knows that I’m not guaranteed to make it to the end of this one. And if I die, before I wake, I pray that those closest to me would know how much I loved them, and that the Lord that I love will be able to say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Bjcorbin's Blog 
The Cost of Discipleship
Posted in Commentaries, tagged appetite, blank check, cost, death, diet or exercise, discipleship, endurance, eternal security, faith alone, master, obesity, resurrection, sacrifice, servant, suffering, weight loss on August 20, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Western culture’s infatuation with convenience has led to a steady progression of “advancements” meant to make life easier. But like any significant shift, there have been some unintended consequences. Though the practical demands of our day-to-day life have receded, so too has our capacity for delivering consistently high levels of energy for any given task. Within this new reality, there is no need to sweat anywhere other than the gym. Despite this erosion of endurance, our voracious appetites seem to have remained largely intact.
As a result, the struggle with obesity has become rampant throughout our society, which has triggered a corresponding obsession with weight loss. Things like gym memberships, progress picks and Ozempic shots have become prominent features of our cultural landscape. And one of the most popular components of this phenomenon is anything that promises that we can lose weight without changing our diet or exercise pattern.
Inherently, we recognize that if we hope to lose weight, we ought to be disciplined in what we take into our bodies, and/or in how we take care of ourselves. But the appeal of “weight loss without dieting or exercising” is that we can get the results we want, without having to sacrifice the things we crave, even when they are counterproductive to that goal (i.e., reap the benefits without paying the cost).
Unfortunately, this kind of thinking is like yeast that spreads through the whole loaf and works its way into our spiritual life as well. Western Christianity has largely grabbed a hold of the scriptures that celebrate the finished work of Christ, while ignoring those that speak of the cost of following Him. Popular doctrines create the illusion that Jesus’ love created the proverbial blank check (i.e. He died once for all, and we are justified by faith alone) which covers however we chose to live our lives today, while ensuring our place in the next life as well. Like a spiritual Ozempic shot, it promises eternal security, without sacrifice (i.e., dying to yourself) or suffering.
More often than not, faith is presented as both the vaccination and antidote to all suffering (e.g., if we just believe that God loves us and that He is all-powerful, we will somehow become immune to struggles of this life). Yet, Jesus (a man of perfect faith) learned obedience from the things He suffered (Heb.5:8), and He endured the cross, despising its shame (Heb.12:2). He warned His followers that no servant was greater than their master, and that they would be hated for His sake (John 15:18-21). Further, He let them know that to those who have been given much, much more will be required (Luke 12:48).
Throughout the scripture, we see the lives of devoted followers testify to the cost of discipleship. Paul declared that we ought to present our bodies as a living sacrifice (Rom.12:1), saying that in order to become an heir we must be willing to share in Christ’s sufferings (Rom.8:17). Peter agreed, asserting that to partake of this burden was cause for rejoicing (1Peter 4:12-13). David avowed that he would not offer to God that which cost him nothing (2 Sam.24:24), and James observed that the price of cultivating a friendship with the world (i.e., adopting its ways, and adhering to its value system) was to become an enemy of God (James 4:4).
Jesus spoke very plainly about all of this, teaching that whoever wants to be my disciple must be willing to deny themselves and take up their cross daily (Luke 9:23-25). He clarified that the key to experiencing the life He’s ordained for us is found in laying our lives down for Him and His purposes (Matt.16:25). This was the challenge He made to the “rich young ruler,” asking him to forfeit those things which might identify him as anything other than a child of the one true God (Luke 18:18-30).
He taught that unless a seed falls to the ground and dies, it has no potential to produce fruit (John 12:24), and He left no room for interpretation when He said that those who are unwilling to take up a cross and follow Him are not worthy of Him (Matt.10:38). Jesus surrendered His will to accomplish the will of the Father (Luke 22:42), but if we refuse to participate in this of death of self-rule, how then can we lay claim to the resurrection that was gained by it? Can there be a resurrection if there hasn’t been a death?
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