This may seem to you to be a strange question. After all, Romans 6:23 teaches us that “ the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” In Ephesians 2:8-9 we learn “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, Not of works, lest any man should boast.” If you can’t buy it and you can’t earn it how can it cost you? Paul gives us an answer to this question, “How much does your faith cost?”
Paul could speak to this subject as well as any other New Testament saint. His credentials were, by the world’s standards, impeccable. In Philippians 3:4-5 we understand that Paul had all the right qualifications to boast in the flesh. He was from a upstanding Jewish family. His family followed the Jewish rituals by having him circumcised on the eighth day. He was an Israelite that was in the linage of Israel, who we know as Jacob. He was from the tribe of Benjamin. This tribe stayed true to God when ten of the tribes revolted under Jeroboam. He was a Hebrew who enjoyed every advantage a Hebrew could gain and he was a Pharisee. These men knew the law and adhered to the strictest sect of it. In Acts 22:3 he was schooled and educated by the respected Gamaliel. He was a man that seemed to have every opportunity a good Jew desired.
Philippians 3:4-5 “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee.”
Act 22:3 “I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.”
While Paul understood his advantage to most other Jews, it all changed when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. When he understood what Christ had done for him he was ready to give everything up for Him. He lost his position as a leader of the Jewish nation and some scholars believe he was ostracized from his family. He lost his relationships, his prestige, his financial opportunities, and his religious influence. Yet, in Philippians 3:8 he compares his losses with his gain of Christ and refers to the things before Christ as dung! This word dung is only found here in the New Testament. It refers to that which is worth nothing, that which is considered filth of any kind. It is the refuse that is thrown away. Paul describes all the external advantages he had as worthless when it comes to our salvation.
Philippians 3:7-8 “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”
What has your faith cost you? Have you been alienated by friends and family? Have you been falsely accused of anything? Have you lost your job, been threatened or physically harmed because you stand for Christ? If not, you need to understand that the time may come when you are forced to make a choice between your faith and the things you love. We must settle in our minds that Jesus requires us to love Him more than anything else. This may one day mean death, or the death of someone we love dearly. Are you willing to pay the price to be a disciple of Christ until the day you die? If we are going to be able to pay whatever it cost us to remain in Him then we need set our hearts and minds now to be steadfast and unmovable for Christ. If your faith has not costs you anything, then your faith may not be where it should be to inherit eternal life. Jesus told us in Luke 9:62 if we waiver we are not acceptable to enter Heaven. We must be willing to stay the course and pay the price! Examine yourself and think about it. Doing this now will help you when the choices have to be made.
Luke 9:62 “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
