It is true that discipleship is costly and that you will have to give up some things. But the things you give up are nothing compared to the things you gain in Christ. And the things you gain by following Christ can never be taken away from you. The cost of discipleship is so much better than the cost of sin. Sin leads to death. Discipleship leads to eternal life, eternal joy and pleasures forevermore.
–Adapted from Joshua Harris’ Sermon
Sometimes we are more excited about the idea of following Jesus than actually following Him. Here’s Joshua Harris’ preaching on the cost of discipleship based on Matthew 8:18-22. Watch for his own embarrassing illustration about joining a gym at around 9 minutes into the video.
If preachers, the supposed lovers and champions of sound doctrine, dismiss theology as if it doesn’t matter, then we are all in a sorry state as a corporate body of Christ.
It is shocking to hear some ministers to say things like, “You don’t need theology when you’re praying for the sick.” All areas of Christian ministry (and all of life for that matter) are based on theological assumptions. When you pray for the sick, that’s because you believe in a theology that God is more powerful than sicknesses. Continue reading Please Don’t Dismiss Theology
Man never achieves a clear knowledge of himself unless he has first looked upon God’s face, and then descends from contemplating Him to scrutinize himself.
—John Calvin via Alistair Begg
We no more dare excuse bad theology in the name of love than we excuse brittle lovelessness in the name of orthodoxy.
—D.A. Carson
“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost, those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25).”
Interesting Greek word: PANTELES. It means throughout, through all time, ever. Only used twice in the Bible: in Heb. 7:25 and in Luke 13:11.
In Luke it is used to describe the sickness of a woman whose body was bent over and could not straighten at all. In Hebrews, it describes our salvation- it is all throughout and complete for all time.
Jojo Agot 