The Signs of the Times
July 21, 1898
Counting the Cost
“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 can not be My disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, can not be My disciple.” ST July 21, 1898, par. 1
Great multitudes followed Christ, and He welcomed with joy all who came to Him for instruction; but the Searcher of hearts knew who in the throngs that daily pressed about Him were really disposed to own Him as the promised Messiah. Many who witnessed His miracles thought that the power which could heal the sick, feed five thousand men with five barley loaves and two small fishes, and raise the dead, would be a great help to them in their temporal necessities. They had followed Christ in the hope that He would be exalted to David's throne. They wanted the highest place. But Christ would not have men count upon ease and earthly advantages in connecting themselves with Him. In His lesson He taught them that self-denial and the most difficult sacrifice must be expected of all who would become His disciples. Those who engage in His service must be ready to give up their dearest friends and relatives, to be despised as fanatics and fools, and to suffer bodily harm for His name's sake. If they should become discouraged by what the world might say or do; if they should not endure the test of their love and loyalty; if they refused to keep God's commandments because their neighbors made sport of them, they could not perfect that faith which works by love, and purifies the soul. ST July 21, 1898, par. 2
That Christ should at their feasts presume to speak words of reproof to them, and that He should devote so much time to instructing those whom they regarded as sinners, greatly offended the Pharisees; but Christ saw it necessary to give, in His own life, an example to His followers. He acted out His own teaching. In the synagog at Nazareth He had declared: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” ST July 21, 1898, par. 3
Christ met with the greatest success among the needy and the unfortunate, and these received the richest blessings of His grace and ministry. His work was to do good to those whom the Pharisees despised. The needy, the broken-hearted, were the objects of His special attention. His words to them were words of truth and light. He did not tell them that they should become exalted, honored, and wealthy, by believing in Him. He showed them the worthlessness of all human greatness. And through His words, the Spirit of God, quick and powerful, spoke to those poor, weary, dispirited souls in their fruitless search after happiness. “He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me,” He said, “can not be My disciple.” “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” “So shall he be My disciple.” The cross one lifts and bears after Jesus, is the pledge to him of a crown of glory in the kingdom of God. ST July 21, 1898, par. 4
In His infinite mercy God took into His hands the salvation of all who would believe in Him. Because of the rebellion in the heavenly courts, the love of God was to be vindicated, not only before all heaven, but before all the worlds that He had made. Everything would be done to keep the first human beings loyal, but if they should be overcome by temptation, Christ engaged to become man's Sacrifice, his Substitute and Surety. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” ST July 21, 1898, par. 5
To Thomas Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John declares of Him, “He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” Yet how often is Christ insulted and made ashamed by those who, while claiming godliness, place out of sight Him in whom their hopes of eternal life are centered! How is the attractive loveliness of Him who should ever be uplifted, obscured by the deceptive faith of His professed people! How is His beauty veiled, His honor withheld! God is revealed in Christ, and those who would be benefited by His salvation must center their faith in the Substitute and Surety, the Substance—the glory and power of all who believe in Him. ST July 21, 1898, par. 6
Those who believe in Christ must be willing, if necessary, to forsake father and mother, sisters and brothers, and, if need be, sacrifice their own lives, in order to be doers of the Word, Those who refuse to do this, who refuse to lift the cross, can not be Christ's disciples. ST July 21, 1898, par. 7
“For which of you” said Christ, “intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold him begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.” ST July 21, 1898, par. 8
If they would, the scribes and Pharisees could have comprehended the lesson. In the sacrifices that prefigured Christ, the Jewish nation had been laying the foundation of their religious faith, and they had come to the place where they could advance no farther. That which was to complete the building was to them a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense. All the irreligious service was represented by the unfinished tower, because they refused to receive Christ. Type had reached antitype in Christ, but the one prefigured in all their sacrificial services, He who alone could make atonement for their sins, was among them [unacknowledged]. He who alone could give efficiency to their faith was refused. And their refusal to receive the world's Redeemer left them with their salvation incomplete; without Christ they were a ruin. ST July 21, 1898, par. 9
Christ continued: “Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he can not be My disciple.” ST July 21, 1898, par. 10
The only hope for the Jewish nation was in their acceptance of Christ, in forsaking their sins, and being reconciled to God. United to Christ, they would indeed become a great nation. He would work for them as He had worked for them in the past. If they were obedient, He would lead them to the heavenly Canaan as He had planted them in the earthly Canaan. Had they accepted Christ, His death would have been brought about by other people. But tho they had the Word of God to instruct them in regard to these things, the Jews marched steadily on to do unto Christ as the prophecies had foretold. They continued their course of pride and religious bigotry, ostentatiously boasting of their superiority, without thought as to the result. The world was against them, yet they were pursuing their own course, blindly playing into the enemy's hands. How much better would it be for them to desire conditions of peace from the only One who could create peace! ST July 21, 1898, par. 11
“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he can not be My disciple.” To the young ruler who declared that he had kept the commandments from his youth up, and with self-assurance asked, “What lack I yet?” Christ said, “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. His lack was plainly revealed. His earthly possessions were his idol. If the young ruler had appreciated Christ, he would have heeded His instruction. But the love of the world was not overcome, and the love of God could find no room in his heart. He did not receive Christ and believe in Him. ST July 21, 1898, par. 12
All who follow Christ will hear His words, and appreciate them. They will distinguish between truth and error. And the truth received into the mind will change the heart and give new character to the life. ST July 21, 1898, par. 13
Mrs. E. G. White