Dedication to Christ
Christ calls for commitment. Following Him means remaining faithful to Him. He demands dedication. Consider Luke 9:23: Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” These are words of warning. Jesus cautions potential and present followers that dedicated discipleship comes at a cost.
Dedication to Jesus is not easy.
Jesus was upfront about this. The imagery in Luke 9:23 cannot be mistaken. Denying oneself and taking up one’s cross are not menial tasks. This is surrender and sacrifice. This is death to the person you once were. And that person will continually fight for a resurrection.
The Bible’s constant call to faithfulness emphatically implies the struggle of continual commitment to Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:58 is an example of such exhortations: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” The thought of easing off and letting up is alluring and our tendency is to take the bait.
The experiences of early Christians should remind us that dedication to the Master sometimes leads to suffering for Him as well. Imagine the sudden and sobering effect the following words must have had on their initial and immediate audience: “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).
The adversary was after them! If they remained faithful, persecution would be unavoidable. This was an exhortation to remain faithful “in the face of” death. Be faithful “unto death” (KJV). If they were to be faithful in the face of death, then, surely, we must be faithful in the face of life. This is true in times of peril as well as in times of prosperity.
Difficulties are a part of discipleship. Commitment to Christ is costly. Jesus never said such would be easy. Rather, He warned us of the exact opposite.
So, why should we dedicate ourselves to Christ?
When one comes to understand the potential and probable challenges that come along with faithfully following Jesus, why would he still commit to the course? Why remain faithful? While this list could be longer, consider the following reasons.
1. Because that’s what we said we would do. By becoming Christians, we pledged to be His followers. There’s no such thing as a non-following follower. This would be a logical contradiction and Jesus spoke to the absurdity of such in Matthew 12:30: “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” Backing off or bowing out is dismissing oneself from a solemn oath of allegiance to God’s Anointed. This is not a light matter.
2. Because He committed Himself to us. His determination to rescue us from eternal ruin should create conviction in us to follow Him no matter the cost. His commitment to our care and His devotion to God’s concerns required of Him far more than we could ever repay. All we have to give to Him in return is ourselves. And that’s exactly what He requires.
3. Because doing such demonstrates our love for Him and to Him. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (Jn. 14:15). Surrendering one’s heart in love for the Savior cannot be separated from submitting one’s will to Him as Lord. While Jesus requires ongoing obedience, the keeping of His commandments must be done from the heart. Romans 6:17 says, “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.”
4. Because the rewards of dedication far outweigh the risks that come along with discipleship. Beaten, bloody, and broken because of his allegiance to Christ, Paul put things in perspective with these words:
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor. 4:17-18).
How, then, can we deepen our dedication to Christ?
1. Devote yourself to studying the Savior. Spend time in His Word in order to spend time in His presence. Read the Gospel accounts, carefully listening to the words of Jesus and closely watching the actions of Jesus.
Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
2. Look for ways to live out what you’re learning from His words and from His actions. Be very intentional about this. It’s not enough to be intrigued by what He said or enthralled by what He did. We have to be transformed by what He said and by what He did (Rom. 12:2). Determine that your study of the Savior will produce a difference in your daily life. What can you learn from Jesus and put into action at home and at work, with friends and with strangers, in times of tension and in periods of peace? Put faith into action, go from hearing to heeding, and live out what you learn.
3. Surround yourself with dedicated disciples of Jesus who love Him and who strive to be like Him. Fellowship with the faithful is essential to an ongoing commitment to Christ.
Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.