04/04/18 THERE IS A COST TO DISCIPLESHIP
Legalism (aka works salvation) and Libertinism (sinning religion) twist the Scriptures as well as warp and destroy believers.
I have seen victorious, vibrant Christians allured and ensnared by these two traps of Satan. When a person does not want to yield to the total control of the Holy Spirit and the authority of the written word, then a system of "salvation" is appealing. Between Legalism and Libertinism is LOVE, But love requires death to self and total surrender to Jesus. A "Christian" that accepts the death of Jesus but rejects death to sin is not following Jesus. Just as Jesus was rejected by His own, those who follow Jesus will also be despised and rejected by their loved ones, by their families.
Mark 8:34-38
34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Matthew 10:34-39
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 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.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
