Commitment Costs

“But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:7-8 CSB)

Paul, when he used to be Saul, had every reason to boast. He had all the qualifications and skills for leadership and greatness in the Jewish community. He was a rising superstar. He had a brilliant career ahead of him and much to gain. But following Jesus cost him all of it. Not just that, but following Jesus resulted in the loss of everything he once considered gain. Faith in Jesus became his all-consuming passion, and everything he gave up became like refuse to him. The word “filth” means trash or refuse, but more literally it refers to “off-scourings,” which was a nautical term that referred to the human filth that was washed off of the rowing deck on a Roman ship.

A commitment to follow Jesus is a commitment or it is nothing. Either we commit to Him, or we do not. There is no middle ground. A qualified or quasi-commitment is the same as no commitment. “I will follow You IF,” does not work. Commitment at this level costs us everything we may have once considered “gain.”

It comes down to a question of values. What do you value? What do you value the most? Is your personal relationship with Jesus the supreme value in your life, the one that supersedes everything else?

Only when our commitment and our values are clear can we know what our goals are. Otherwise, any goals are irrelevant. They really don’t matter. Clarity of commitment and values, however, produces clarity of goals. Paul stated his goals clearly in verse 10: 1) to know Jesus, 2) to know the power of His resurrection, 3) to know the fellowship of His sufferings, and 4) to reach the resurrection of the dead.

Commitment costs.

Lord, The grace You lavish on us is free to us, but it comes at great cost to You. Help us to understand the principle of cost as it relates to commitment. May our commitment before You and to You be genuine and solid. Amen.