Forsaking all is an indispensable condition of discipleship. Luke 14:26, 27, and 33 three times declare that one who will not do so cannot be Christ's disciple. It demands the heart and mind, not just the body. A follower must love father, mother, wife, children, and even his own life less than Christ, so that all love of self is subordinate to love for God, who must be first. Like David, who refused to offer what cost him nothing, the disciple recognizes that a sacrifice costing nothing is worthless. The journey to the Kingdom costs a person his life. Christ requires nothing He has not Himself done, for He counted the cost and endured humiliation and agony in doing the Father's will. The two parables teach that before beginning, a person must deliberate and be sure he is willing to pay the full price, as the tower-builder and the king at war do. An unfinished life is more tragic than an unfinished building, and no one who looks back from the plow is fit for the Kingdom. Forsaking all means being willing to give up pleasures, distractions, possessions, even family if they hinder serving God. It also means renouncing former false beliefs and the traditions of men, rather than mixing them with God's truth. The war against Satan, the world, and human nature calls for self-control, discipline, and endurance, and victory comes only through the Spirit of the King.

Following Christ requires walking in His footsteps, a principle stated in I John 2:6 that, though simple to state, is exceedingly difficult to practice. Success in this pursuit means not only living as Christ lived but also developing His character image, the great goal of Christian life described in Romans 8:29. When Jesus called His first disciples in Matthew 4:18-22, He demonstrated that following Him is neither easy nor without risk, since it demands sacrifices and hardships that most people are unwilling to accept. True discipleship requires absolute devotion and dedication to Christ, and Jesus tested the hearts of those He called to discover whether they were willing to fully commit themselves to Him, His way of life, and His purposes. The essential requirement for fitness in God's Kingdom is a willingness to give up everything. Luke 9:57-62 records three excuses people gave for refusing Christ's call, each illustrating a distinct failure to forsake all. The first failure concerns discomfort: Jesus told a man that He had no place to lay His head, reminding believers that Christians are strangers and sojourners, not citizens of the lands where they temporarily reside (Philippians 3:20). As travelers moving toward God's Kingdom, believers cannot expect worldly comforts, nor can they allow homes, jobs, vacations, clothing, or pastimes to hinder their devotion to Christ. All such things must be forsaken if they inhibit one's relationship with God, even though doing so may create discomfort; the rewards, however, are described as wonderful. The second failure involves the sacrificial nature of Christian life. When a man asked to first bury his father, Jesus instructed him instead to go and preach the Kingdom of God, showing that believers must often forsake customary duties, privileges, associations, and activities of normal life. The Christian's focus must remain on the work God has called them to do, as reflected in John 6:29, meaning God's will must take priority over personal ties to the world. Whether someone passes or fails this test depends on their priorities, since strong worldly attachments make one unwilling to sacrifice them for Christ. True discipleship requires cutting many or most of these ties. The third failure concerns loyalty. A man wished to say farewell to family and friends, but Jesus warned that once someone commits to God's way, turning back renders them unfit for service. Many of God's called ones are the only members of their families chosen, and over time they often find they must forsake blood relationships as their way of life diverges dramatically from that of unconverted relatives. Within the church, they discover a new family, identity, and purpose. Though it is said that blood is thicker than water, devotion to Christ and God's way must be stronger, requiring a deliberate act of will rather than an automatic infusion by the Holy Spirit. Believers must set their wills to make God their first priority, forsaking all competing loyalties, comforts, and attachments in order to truly live the life of Christ.

Forsaking all emerges as an essential dimension of what it means to follow Christ, illustrated through the calling of the disciples in Matthew 4, Matthew 9, and John 1, where men like Peter, Andrew, James, John, Matthew, and Philip immediately left their nets, boats, and occupations the moment Jesus said, "Follow Me." This immediate abandonment of livelihood and family ties sets the pattern for discipleship, showing that the call to follow Christ demands total, unhesitating response. Luke 9:57-62, titled "The Cost of Discipleship," expands this principle by presenting three specific ways people fail to forsake all when confronted with Christ's call. First, the Christian life is one of discomfort, exemplified by Jesus having "nowhere to lay His head." Believers are called strangers and sojourners, travelers without fixed dwelling, unable to cling to the comforts, homes, jobs, or pastimes of this world if these hold them back from devotion to Christ. Second, the Christian life is sacrificial, shown when Jesus tells a man to let the dead bury their own dead rather than fulfill customary family duties. Disciples must forsake the ordinary obligations, associations, and activities of normal life when God's will calls for something else, prioritizing the proclamation of God's Kingdom above all. Third, the Christian life demands new loyalties; the man who wished to bid farewell to his household is warned that looking back disqualifies one for the Kingdom. Many believers find that, once called, their ties even to blood family diverge so dramatically that they must forsake old relationships for a new spiritual family, choosing devotion to God as an act of will above natural loyalty. This forsaking is not merely external but extends to self. Mark 8:34-38 records Jesus commanding that whoever would come after Him must "deny himself"—renounce, reject, surrender, and abandon self-interest entirely. Luke 14:26 intensifies this, stating that one must "hate" father, mother, spouse, children, and even one's own life to qualify as a disciple, meaning total willingness to relinquish everything, including one's own life, for Christ. Taking up one's cross further signifies voluntary submission to whatever suffering, persecution, or death God's will may require, as Peter later exhorts believers who suffer according to God's will to commit their souls to Him as to a faithful Creator. This total forsaking is paradoxical: whoever seeks to save his life loses it, but whoever loses his life for Christ's sake saves it. Hebrews 11 depicts the heroes of faith who confessed themselves strangers and pilgrims, having forsaken any opportunity to return to their former life, desiring instead a heavenly homeland. Peter's restoration in John 21 illustrates that each disciple's path of forsaking may differ entirely from another's, yet all are called to the same singular devotion—"You follow Me." Ultimately, forsaking all is not loss but the necessary cost of receiving what Christ Himself gives: eternal life, security in the Father's hand, and a reward that outweighs every sacrifice made in pursuit of imitating Him.

Ruth's loyalty shows what it means to forsake all. Boaz praises her kindness (chesed, covenant loyalty) because she remained true to her adopted family and to Israel. She chose Boaz, the near kinsman, over a younger man and obeyed the covenant to the letter in marrying him. Spiritually, she acted contrary to the normal course of this world (Ephesians 2:1-3), doing what was good and right rather than following her carnal desires. In the type, her choice shows the believer turning from carnal pursuits to covenant faithfulness. Boaz answers by judging her virtuous, reassuring her not to fear, and making it his chief aim to take her as his bride. In the same way, Christ pronounces righteous those who have turned from the world's course, through redemption and justification by His blood. He then works to bring His church into the Family of God, judging it worthy to live eternally with Him (Ephesians 5:25-32; Revelation 19:7-9).