What I Must Give Up As a Christian

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung (rubbish), that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” (Philippians 3:7-9)

It costs something to be a Christian. As Christians can we truly say that we have counted the cost? Jesus in addressing a multitude said, “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?”(Luke 14:27-28) What does one who is a Christian have to give up?

A Christian must give up himself. This is the most difficult thing to give up, oneself. “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27) In Matthew 16:24 “…if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Does the Lord really come first even in our lives? What about when it comes to worship, prayer, study, and living? The life we live is it more for myself or more for God?

A Christian must give up his old way of life. Before becoming a Christian we live devoted to fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind thus rendering us dead in trespasses and sin (Ephesians 2:1-3). A Christian is one who has died to the practice of sin (Romans 6:1-2). “How shall we that are dead to sin, live nay longer therein?” The person who is dead to sin is free from sin (Romans 6:7). The Apostle John wrote, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin (practice): for his seed remaineth in Him: and he cannot sin (practice), because he is born of God.”(1 John 3:9) What kind of appeal does the world and sin have to you? What a difference it would be if every Christian had the attitude of Moses, who “choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.” (Hebrews 11:25).

A Christian must be willing to give up, if need be, his family. This is not to suggest that he will have to ‘give up’ his family, but rather he is to love the Lord more. “If any man come to me and hate (loveless) not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26) “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:37, Note verses 34-36). Sometimes the gospel will be a barrier between families. It may be because of denominational ties, involvement in sin, unbiblical relationships, etc. A person who becomes a Christian must realize the Lord must come first.

Where is the Lord in our lives? What place does He occupy? Do we allow ourselves to come first? What about our former life or our families? It could be that we allow our jobs, money or friends to take precedent over the Lord. We must remember that when a person becomes a Christian there are things he must give up and other things he may have to give up. Nothing should come before the Lord!

Bill Cantrell