The cost of salvation, as revealed through the observance of Passover, is profound and far-reaching. It centers on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whose life was given to establish a covenant with us, a relationship that opens the way to salvation. This covenant, made in His blood, cost Him His life, the most precious and expensive life ever lived on earth. It did not come cheap, for it was through this giving of His life that a relationship with God became possible, bridging the separation caused by sin. The awesomeness of this cost is meant to instill in us a deep sense of personal obligation to Christ. He endured immense pain and had His body torn for each of us individually, not just for humanity in general. Until we grasp that He died for me, we risk missing the conviction that should profoundly affect our conduct. Furthermore, the cost of salvation includes the example Christ set, showing how far He was willing to go without sinning, teaching us the cost of staying free by striving for sinlessness. This cost extends beyond Christ's sacrifice. Over vast periods, countless animal sacrifices symbolized His life, with hundreds of thousands of lambs slain in a single Passover to make a lesson. These sacrifices, often of animals close to the family, underscored personal responsibility for the death of the Lamb of God. Additionally, the historical witness of innumerable human lives across thousands of years demonstrates that no way apart from God's produces lasting peace or prosperity, reinforcing the necessity of this sacrifice. Lastly, the cost of salvation includes our own lives. We are bought with a price, the life of the Creator, placing us under obligation to glorify God in our body and spirit. Passover, therefore, encompasses not only the cost to become free through Christ's death but also the ongoing cost to remain free, reflected in our commitment to continue in His way. This immense cost, spanning billions of years of God's planning, highlights our immeasurable value to Him and demands a sober appreciation as we observe Passover.

Following Christ costs everything, and no one can be His disciple without first counting that cost. Luke 14:25-33 says three times that whoever fails to forsake all "cannot be My disciple." Loyalty to Jesus and the Father must rank above the highest earthly loves, family and even one's own life, so that love of self is subordinate to love for God. A sacrifice that costs nothing is worth nothing, as David showed when he refused to take the threshing floor as a free gift (II Samuel 24:21-25). Discipleship means a life of surrender to God's will, and the journey to the Kingdom costs the disciple his life. Christ Himself counted the cost before coming and endured humiliation and agony, so He requires nothing He has not done. The tower-builder parable teaches that the truth is costly, that one must estimate the cost before entering God's way, and that whatever it costs, it is worth it. An unfinished life is the greater tragedy, for no one who looks back after putting his hand to the plow is fit for the Kingdom. The king-going-to-war parable adds that the saints face Satan, the world, and their own human nature, so they need resolve, endurance, self-control, and wise counsel. Forsaking all includes pleasures, possessions, family obstacles, and former false beliefs and traditions. The disciple overcomes only with the help of the Spirit of the King.

The churches of God do not believe that the Bible teaches the Doctrine of Eternal Security, the idea that once we profess belief in Christ, our salvation is irrevocable, regardless of any future conduct. Salvation requires repentance and belief in the gospel, as Jesus instructs. Justification comes through faith in His sacrifice, yet sanctification demands growth into His image with God's help, and faith without works remains dead. Obedience to God forms a direct responsibility tied to salvation, for mere belief places one on the same level as demons. God provides His Spirit as a guarantee of what is to come and does not waste effort on failed projects, exhibiting patience so that all may turn from sin and reach salvation. Christ personally took the sacrifice upon Himself, becoming the propitiation for sins through His life and death as the Passover Lamb who covers the sins of the world. He laid down His own eternal life, paying a debt He did not owe because humanity owed a debt it could not pay. This substitutionary work extended to individuals with names, faces, and specific sins, as He gave Himself for the church out of love for each person. By His life and death, Jesus became the surety, posting the bond and taking the place on death row. Despite the absence of eternal security, God has begun a good work that He will complete, confirming His Word by actions so that salvation stands practically accomplished when cooperation occurs, producing confidence and security in the Eternal through knowledge of God that leads to eternal life.