• Luke 14:26-33
    "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, "This man began to build and was not able to finish"? Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
     
  • Luke 9:57-62
    Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God." And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house." But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
     
  • Matthew 16:24-25
    Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
     
  • John 14:15
    "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
     
  • Romans 6:6
    knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
     


Related Scriptures

  • Romans 12:1-2
    I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
     
  • 2 Samuel 24:24
    Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
     
For more scripture references, please see Bible verses for Discipleship, Cost of


Resources

Parables of Counting the Cost

Bible Study by Martin G. Collins

In Luke 14:25-33, two parables and an exhortation urge us to forsake all that we have as a mandatory condition for becoming Christ's true disciples.


Conditions of Discipleship (Part One)

CGG Weekly by Mike Fuhrer

When Jesus gathered His disciples as He began His ministry, He needed principled and devout worshippers to teach and prepare for the work of spreading the gospel.


Counting the Cost of Humility

Sermonette by Bill Onisick

Even as several grandiose building projects have terminated because of cost overruns, so must we carefully count the cost of our spiritual building project.


The Awesome Cost of Love

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

We assess costs and values all the time in our daily lives. We should employ the same process to God's love for us in giving His Son as the sacrifice for sin.


Called to Follow

CGG Weekly by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

If there is one great principle of Christian living, it is walking in Christ's footsteps. Sounds easy, but putting it into practice is one of the hardest tasks.


How Expensive Is Your Religion? (Part One)

CGG Weekly by Mike Ford

Are God's requirements too exacting and difficult for us? Are we committed to the way forward, or are we spending time looking back to the world?


Without Me, You Can Do Nothing (Part Two)

CGG Weekly by David C. Grabbe

Producing fruit is not simply a matter of having Jesus Christ or being forgiven. He says we will not produce anything unless we go on growing in Him.


Principled Living (Part One): Imitating Christ

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Following Jesus requires absolute commitment, often involving sacrifice and discomfort. We must be willing to give up family and societal ties for God's sake.



For more resources, please see the library topic for Discipleship, Cost of