The Ancient Men on the Old Docrine that The Terms of Discipleship Are the Terms of Salvation - Glenn Conjurske
The Ancient Men on the Old Docrine that
The Terms of Discipleship Are the Terms of Salvation
Written and Compiled by Glenn Conjurske
The scriptures which set forth the terms of discipleship are the following. I quote them in full, that my readers may have no doubt concerning what I speak of. Some of these texts use the word “disciple,” while others do not, but the terms are the same in all of them. Those terms are, simply put, the renunciation of self—-of all that we have, even to life itself. Those terms are explicitly made the terms of discipleship in some of these scriptures, while in others they are explicitly made the terms of salvation, and in yet others, obviously both.
“He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matt. 10:37-39).
“Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” (Matt. 19:27-29). The same is found in Mark 10:28-30 and Luke 18:28-30, in both of which eternal life is also promised to those who forsake all for Christ.
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:23-26). The same is found in Matthew 16:24-26, and Mark 8:34-38, where its application to salvation is as clear as it is here.
“And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:25-33).
“He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” (John 12:25).
We do not see how anybody could honestly apply these scriptures to anything but salvation. That they were universally applied to salvation before the present antinomian age is without doubt. But one thing must be borne in mind in dealing with old writers. They cannot be supposed to be addressing the issues of the present day, nor to have any knowledge of the present state of doctrine or practice in the church. They wrote for their own day, and they cannot be expected to explicitly affirm what no one then denied, nor to explicitly deny what no one affirmed.
The necessity of discipleship to salvation is rarely stated explicitly in old writers. Though it is perfectly evident that all their application of the terms of discipleship is to salvation, yet they no where say so explicitly. Many commentators and preachers spend all their words to explain and define in what sense we must forsake all, and in what sense we must hate father and mother, while they never trouble themselves to insist upon the necessity of such denial of self in order to salvation. There was no need, for that was taken for granted by preachers, writers, hearers, and readers alike. It was held by all, and denied by none. The fact is, it is not easy to find explicit statements on the subject in old writers. The reason is, there was no occasion to affirm what no one denied. It is another strange and singular fact that these solemn texts are never mentioned at all by many of the great men of the past, in many volumes of their complete works. This is certainly the mark of a deficiency in emphasis in Protestant theology. So far as I can learn, among the thousands of sermons which Spurgeon published during his lifetime, he printed but two on discipleship. Those two are so clear and forceful (see below) as to leave no doubt whatsoever of his doctrine, but what if he had omitted those two? Then we should have cavillers enough, to proclaim their doubts that Spurgeon ever preached any such legal gospel, or held any such popish heresy. We may perhaps suppose that he preached more on the subject than he printed, but at any rate there is no doubt whatsoever as to what he believed. If there was any deficiency in him, it was not a deficiency of doctrine, but only of emphasis, for it goes without saying that if this doctrine be true, it ought to be emphasized. We see the same deficiency in many others.
Yet where these texts on discipleship are mentioned at all, they are applied to salvation. It is certain that this was not generally denied until modern times. Most of the older writers, therefore, never raise the issue at all, of whether the terms of discipleship are the terms of salvation. They assume it. This itself is significant, for in reality it constitutes proof that the whole church was agreed on the subject. There was no occasion to labor to prove what no one denied. The necessity of discipleship to salvation is everywhere assumed in their remarks, and sometimes shines through with unmistakable clarity, however incidentally. They did not apply these texts to some advanced state of spirituality, beyond what is found in ordinary Christians, but to nothing other than salvation itself. Whether explicit or incidental, whether clear or vague, all their application of the terms of discipleship is to salvation, never to anything else. My readers may consult, for example, the commentary of Matthew Henry, and they will find those texts which I have set forth at the beginning of this article invariably applied to salvation, yet he does not express himself in such a pithy form as may be quoted here, for I cannot transcribe whole pages. I quote only what is clear and explicit.
As always, I limit my quotations to those who are well known and esteemed in the church, and to those statements which are indisputably on my side. Some, perhaps, will dispute even these, for passion and prejudice dispute everything. I write for those who sincerely desire the truth. They will find in these quotations that these old men of God held the terms of discipleship to be the terms of salvation. I print in bold type those things which are particularly pertinent. I do not pretend to endorse every sentiment or expression in what I here transcribe. I quote only to establish the fact that these men held discipleship to be necessary to salvation. And here I direct the reader to take particular note of the titles of the pieces from which these extracts are taken, for those titles alone are sufficient in a number of cases to establish the fact that the writers apply these scriptures to salvation.
John Wycliffe (1320??-1384) “The Morning Star of the Reformation”
“Crist seiþ at þe bigynnynge, If ony man come to him and hate not þes seven þingis, he mai not be Cristis disciple, and so he mai not be saved.”
[With the spelling modernized, “Christ saith at the beginning, If any man come to him and hate not these seven things, he may not be Christ’s disciple, and so he may not be saved.”]
—-Select English Works of John Wyclif, edited from Original Mss. by Thomas Arnold. Oxford: Clarendon Press, Vol. I, 1869, pg. 189.
Richard Baxter (1600-1691) Puritan
“It was not for nothing Christ would have the first-fruits of his gospel church, (who were to be the example of their successors,) to sell all, and lay it down at the feet of his apostles: and it is his standing rule, that whoever he be that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be his disciple, Luke xiv.33. In estimation, affection, and resolution, it must be forsaken by all that will be saved; and also in practice, whenever God calls us to it. You can have but one happiness; if you will needs have it in this world, in the contenting of your flesh, there is no hope of having it also in another world, in the fruition of God. If you think not God and heaven enough for you, and cannot let go the prosperity of the flesh for them, you must let go all your hopes of them. God will not halve it with the world in your hearts, nor part stakes with the flesh; much less will he be below them, and take their leavings. Heaven will not be theirs, that set not by it more than earth. God will not call that love to him sincere, which is not a superlative love, and able to make you even to hate all those things that would draw away your affections and obedience from him, Luke xiv.26,27. There is no talk of serving God and mammon, and compounding you a happiness of earth and heaven. Do therefore as Christ bids you, Luke xiv.28—-30.
“Sit down and count what it must cost you, if you will be saved, and on what rates it is that you must follow Christ. Can you voluntarily, for the love of him, and the hope of glory, take up your cross, and follow him in poverty, in losses, in reproaches, through scorns, and scourgings, and prisons, and death? Do you value his loving-kindness better than life? Psal. lxiii.3. Can you deny your eyes and appetites their desire? Can you consent to be vile in the eyes of men, and to tame your own flesh, and keep it in subjection, and live a flesh-displeasing life, that having suffered with Christ, you may also be glorified with him? Rom. viii.17. If you cannot consent to these terms, you cannot be christians, and you cannot be saved.”
—-”Directions and Persuasions to a Sound Conversion,” The Practical Works of Richard Baxter. Ligonier, Pa.: Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 1990, vol. II, pg. 626.
“If you will Turn and Live, do it unreservedly, absolutely and universally. Think not to capitulate with Christ, and devide (sic) your heart betwixt him and the world; and to part with some sins, and keep the rest; and to let go that which your flesh can spare. This is but self-deluding: you must in heart and resolution forsake all that you have, or else you cannot be his Disciples, Luke 14.26,33. If you will not take God and Heaven for your portion, and lay all below at the feet of Christ, but you must needs also have your good things here, and have an earthly portion, and God and Glory is not enough for you; it is in vain to dream of salvation on these terms: For it will not be.
—-A Call to the Unconverted to Turn and Live, by Richard Baxter. London: Printed by R. W. for Nevil Simmons, 1648, pg. 281.
Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) Congregationalist
“In order to a man’s being properly said to make a profession of Christianity, there must undoubtedly be a profession of all that is necessary to his being a Christian, or of so much as belongs to the essence of Christianity. … If we take only a part of Christianity, and leave out a part which is essential to it, what we take is not Christianity; … Thus it is essential to Christianity that we repent of our sins, that we be convinced of our own sinfulness, that we are sensible we have justly exposed ourselves to God’s wrath; that our hearts renounce all sin, that we do with our whole hearts embrace Christ as our only Saviour, that we love him above all, are willing for his sake to forsake all, and that we give up ourselves to be entirely and for ever his, &c.”
—-”A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections,” The Works of President Edwards. New-York: S. Converse, vol. V, 1829, pg. 279.
“A true and saving coming to Christ, is (as Christ often teaches) a coming so as to forsake all for him.”
—-ibid., pg. 307.
John Gill (1697-1771) Calvinistic Baptist
“He that loveth father or mother more than me, &c.] … That man therefore, that prefers father and mother to Christ, and their instructions, and orders, to the truths and ordinances of Christ; who, to please them, breaks the commands of Christ, rejects his Gospel, and either denies him, or does not confess him, our Lord says, is not worthy of me; … it is not fit and proper, that such a person should name the name of Christ, or be called by his name, and should be reckoned one of his disciples; he is not fit to be a member of the church of Christ on earth, nor for the kingdom of heaven, but deserves to be rejected by him, and everlastingly banished his presence: for otherwise no man, let him behave ever so well, is worthy of relation to Christ, and interest in him; or of his grace, righteousness, presence, kingdom and glory.
—-Exposition of the New Testament, on Matthew 10:37.
“If any man come to me, &c.] Not in a corporeal, but in a spiritual way; nor barely to hear him preach; but so come, as that he believes in him, applies to him for grace, pardon, righteousness, life, and salvation; professes to be his, submits to his ordinances, and desires to be a disciple of his; and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”
—-Exposition of the New Testament, on Luke 14:26.
Adam Clarke (1760?-1832) Methodist
“He that loveth father or mother more than me] He whom we love the most, is he whom we study most to please, and whose will and interests we prefer in all cases. If, in order to please a father or mother who are opposed to vital godliness, we abandon God’s ordinances and followers, we are unworthy of anything but hell.” [The words in bold type are obviously in exposition of the words of the text, “not worthy of me.”]
—-Commentary, on Matthew 10:37.
“The principles of the Christian life are, First. To have a sincere desire to belong to Christ. If any man be WILLING to be my disciple, &c. Secondly. To renounce self-dependance and selfish pursuits.—-Let him deny HIMSELF. Thirdly. To embrace the condition which God has appointed, and bear the troubles and difficulties he may meet with in walking the Christian road.—-Let him take up HIS CROSS. Fourthly. To imitate Jesus, and do and suffer all in his spirit.—-Let him FOLLOW ME. …
“For whosoever will save his life] That is, shall wish to save his life—-at the expense of his conscience, and casting aside the cross, he shall lose it,—-the very evil he wished to avoid, shall over take him; and he shall lose his soul into the bargain. [The words which I print in bold type are particularly telling as an affirmation of the author’s doctrine, for though he explicitly (though mistakenly) refers yuch to the temporal life in the text, rather than to the soul, he yet asserts that the soul will be lost also.]
—-ibid., on Matthew 16:24-25.
George Whitefield (1714-1770) Episcopalian & Methodist
“But as we must deny ourselves in our understandings, so must we deny, or, as it might be more properly rendered, renounce our wills: …
“And I cannot but particularly press this doctrine upon you, because it is the grand secret of our holy religion. It is this, my brethren, that distinguishes the true Christian from the mere moralist and formal professor; and without which, none of our actions are acceptable in God’s sight. …
“Thirdly, We must deny ourselves, as in our understandings and wills, so likewise in our affections. More particularly, we must deny ourselves the pleasurable indulgence and self-enjoyment of riches: ‘If any man will come after me, he must forsake all and follow me.’ And again, to shew the utter inconsistency of the love of the things of this world (with the love of the Father) he tells us, ‘unless a man forsake all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.’ …
“But to proceed: As we must renounce our affection for riches, so likewise our affections for relations, when they stand in opposition to our love of, and duty to God: …
“Proceed we therefore now to the third and last general thing proposed, to offer some considerations which may serve as so many motives to reconcile us to, and quicken us in, the practice of this duty of self-denial. …
“Thirdly, Think often on the pains of hell; consider, whether it is not better to cut off a right hand or foot, and pull out a right eye, if they offend us, (or cause us to sin,) ‘rather than to be cast into hell, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.’ And think withal, that this, this must be our case shortly, unless we are wise in time, deny ourselves, and follow Jesus Christ.”
—-Sermons on Important Subjects, by George Whitefield. London: William Tegg, 1867, pp. 335-341.
Charles Wesley (1708-1788) Episcopalian & Methodist
“I preached in the wood on that dreadful word, ‘Sell all,’ never with more assistance. How has the devil baffled those teachers, who, for fear of setting men upon works, forbear urging this first universal duty! If enforcing Christ’s own words is to preach works, I hope I shall preach works as long as I live.”
—-Journal of Charles Wesley, June 16th, 1741.
Albert Barnes (1798-1870) Presbyterian, New-School
“He that loveth father or mother, &c. The meaning of this is clear. Christ must be loved supremely, or he is not loved at all. If we are not willing to give up all earthly possessions, and forsake all earthly friends, and if we do not obey him rather than all others, we have no true attachment to him. Is not worthy of me. Is not fit to be regarded as a follower of me, or is not a Christian. …
“He that findeth his life, &c. The word life in this passage is used evidently in two senses. The meaning may be expressed thus: He that is anxious to save his temporal life, or his comfort and security here, shall lose eternal life, or shall fail of heaven. He that is willing to risk or lose his comfort and life here for my sake, shall find life everlasting, or shall be saved.”
—-Albert Barnes’ Notes, on Matthew 10:37 & 39.
Charles G. Finney (1791-1876) Presbyterian & Congregationalist
“But let us look at this theory in the light of the revealed conditions of salvation. ‘Except a man forsake all that he hath he cannot be my disciple.”’
—-Lectures on Systematic Theology, by Charles G. Finney. London: William Tegg and Co., 1851, pg. 51.
”Now let us ask, What is this thing which he requires? He says, ‘Follow thou Me’. What does this mean? …
“Of course it implies confidence in him who commands—-a confidence in the exercise of which you commit yourself fully to obey him and trust all consequences to his disposal. …
“It implies, also, a willingness to be saved by him—-that is, saved from sin. You make no reservation of favourite indulgences; you go against all sin and set yourself earnestly to withstand every sort of temptation.
“It involves also a present decision to follow him through evil or good report—-whatever the effect may be on your reputation. You are ready to make sacrifices for Christ, rejoicing to be counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. …
“Let us next inquire, WHY shall we follow him? …
“You owe it to yourself to take care of your own soul. God lays on you the responsibility of saving your own soul, and you most (sic: read must) bear it. No man can bear that responsibility for you. …
“One more thought as to yourself. Such as you make yourself by obeying or not obeying this precept, you will be to all eternity. What you do in this matter will have its fruits on your destiny long after the sun and stars shall have faded away. You have no right to live so that, when you die, men shall say, There goes from earth one nuisance, and hell has more sin in it now than it ever had before.”
—-”On Following Christ,” The Way of Salvation, by Charles G. Finney. London: R. D. Dickinson, 1896, pp. 360-364.
”II. What sinners must do to be saved. …
“3. You must renounce yourself. In this is implied, …
“(3.) That you renounce your own will, and be ever ready to say not in word only, but in heart—-‘Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’ You must consent most heartily that God’s will shall be your supreme law.
“(4.) That you renounce your own way, and let God have his own way in everything. …
“7. You must forsake all that you have, or you cannot be Christ’s disciple. There must be absolute and total self-denial. …
“You must no longer think to own yourself—-your time, your possessions, or any thing you have ever called your own. All these things you must hold as God’s, not yours. In this sense you are to forsake all that you have, namely, in the sense of laying all upon God’s altar to be devoted supremely and only to his service. When you come back to God for pardon and salvation, come with all you have to lay all at his feet. Come with your body, to offer it as a living sacrifice upon his altar. Come with your soul and all its powers, and yield them in willing consecration to your God and Savior. Come, bring them all along—-every thing, body, soul, intellect, imagination, acquirements—-all, without reserve. Do you say—-Must I bring them all? Yes, all—-absolutely ALL.”
—-”Conditions of Being Saved,” by Charles G. Finney. The Oberlin Evangelist, Oberlin, Ohio: Vol. X, No. 21, Nov. 8, 1848, pp. 163-164.
John W. Burgon. (1813-1888) High-Church Episcopalian
“So likewise, whomsoever (sic) he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My Disciple.
“Thus does our LORD gather up into a single sentence the teaching of the seven verses which go before. So slow and laborious is the work of Salvation,—-so formidable is He with whom we have to do,—-that unless there be a forsaking of all things, a man is not fit to be CHRIST’S disciple.”
—-A Plain Commentary on the Four Holy Gospels, Philadelphia: Herman Hooker, Second American Edition, 1864, vol. II, pg. 530, on Luke 14:33.
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the FATHER, and of the SON, and of the HOLY GHOST:
“Rather,—-‘and make disciples of all nations, by baptizing them.’ …the necessity of Holy Baptism in order to becoming CHRIST’S Disciple, and therefore to Salvation, is to be noticed, as clearly implied in the very terms of our LORD’S Commission to His Apostles.
—-ibid., vol. I, pg. 259, on Matt. 28:19.
Jacob Knapp (1799-1874) Calvinistic Baptist
“There are numerous influences which operate on inquirers to embarrass their efforts after salvation. Some are holding on to their companions, and are unwilling to give them up for Christ. Others are depending on something which they have done, or intend to do, instead of depending on Christ alone. Some are unwilling to abandon an unlawful business, or go give up their unlawful gain. Others again have contracted bad habits, such as the use of tobacco, wine, rum, whiskey, or dancing. Every person is willing to give up something, but not the particular idol which they worship. They make reservations, and say, ‘Pardon, O Lord, thy servant in this one thing.’ But Christ says, ‘Whosoever doth not forsake all that he hath, cannot be my disciple.”’
—-Chapter on “How to Instruct Inquirers,” Autobiography of Elder Jacob Knapp. New York: Sheldon and Company, 1868, pg. 218.
C. H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) Calvinistic Baptist
“First, then, it is clear from our text that TRUE RELIGION IS COSTLY. …
“What, then, is the expense? What is the cost of building this tower or fighting this war? The answer is given by our Saviour, not by me. I should not have dared to invent such tests as he has ordained; it is for me to be the echo of his voice and no more. What does he say? Why, first, that if you would be his, and have his salvation, you must love him beyond every other person in this world. …
“The next item of cost is this—-self must be hated. …
“Next, the Saviour goes on to say that if we would follow him we must bear our cross. …
“But, more than this, the Saviour, as another item of cost, requires that his disciple should take up his cross, and come after him: that is to say, he must act as Christ acted. …
“Last of all, we must make an unreserved surrender of all to Jesus. Listen to these words: ‘Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.’ … No man has truly given himself to Christ unless he has also said, ‘My Lord, I give to thee this day my body, my soul, my powers, my talents, my goods, my house, my children, and all that I have. Henceforth I will hold them at thy will, as a steward under thee. Thine they are—-as for me, I have nothing, I have surrendered all to thee.’ You cannot be Christ’s disciples at any less expense than this: if you possess a farthing that is your own and not your Master’s, Christ is not your Master. It must be all his, every single jot and tittle, and your life also, or you cannot be his.
“These are very searching words, but I would remind you once again that they are none of mine. If in expounding them I have erred, I am grieved that it should be so, but I am persuaded I have not erred on the side of too great severity. I confess I may have spoken too leniently. The words of the text lay the axe to the root, and are sweeping to the last degree. Oh, count ye, then, the cost! and if any of you have taken up a religion which costs you nothing, put it down and flee from it, for it will be your curse and your ruin.
“Is there any getting to heaven without this cost? No. But may we not be Christians without these sacrifices? You may be counterfeits, you may be hypocrites, you may be brethren of Judas, but you cannot be real Christians. This cost is unavoidable, it cannot be bated one solitary mite.”
—-”Counting the Cost,” Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, vol. XX, 1874, pp. 111-116.
”’One thing thou lackest.’ What was the one thing that this young man lacked? It was the full surrender of his heart to God in Christ. He had not done that. …
“Christ knew that the one thing he lacked was the full-giving up of his heart to God, and therefore he said, ‘Follow me, for if you really do love the Eternal Father, you will follow his well-beloved Son; if your heart is fully given to God, you will be willing to be obedient to Christ, to take him for your Leader, Master, Saviour, Guide, Friend and Counsellor. Now, in this the young man failed. He could not so give himself up wholly to God; he could not, at that time at any rate, so give himself up as to be completely Christ’s servant. Now, no man who fails in this respect can enter heaven. Christ will save you, but a part of the agreement on your part must be this: ‘Ye are not your own, but are bought with a price.’ If you would have Christ’s blood to redeem you, you must give up to Christ your self,—-your body, your soul, your spirit, your substance, your talents, your time, your all. … He claims that you do now make over, if you would be saved, yourself and everything you have by an indefeasible title-deed to the great Lord of all whose you must be. If you would be saved by the blood of Jesus, you are not from this day to choose your own pleasures, nor your own ways, nor your own thoughts, nor to serve yourselves, nor live for yourselves or for your own aggrandisement. If you would be saved, you must believe what he tells you, do what he bids you, and live only to serve and honour him.”
—-”Lovely, but Lacking,” Storm Signals, by C. H. Spurgeon. London: Passmore and Alabaster, 1885, pp. 44-46. The sermon contains much more to the same effect.
J. C. Ryle. (1816-1900) Evangelical Episcopalian
“It costs something to be a true Christian. Let that never be forgotten. To be a mere nominal Christian, and go to Church, is cheap and easy work. But to hear Christ’s voice, and follow Christ, and believe in Christ, and confess Christ, requires much self-denial. It will cost us our sins, and our self-righteousness, and our ease, and our worldliness. All—-all must be given up.”
—-Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, by J. C. Ryle, on Luke 14:25-35.
William Kelly (1820-1906) Plymouth Brethren, Exclusive
“On the Lord’s departure great multitudes go with Him, to whom He turns with the words, ‘If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters; yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.’ …The Lord would not permit that the multitude, then following Him, should flatter themselves that they at least were willing to partake of the supper, that they were incapable of treating God with the contempt described in the parable. So the Lord tells them what following Himself involves. The disciple must follow Christ so simply and decidedly that it would seem to other eyes a complete neglect of natural ties, and an indifference to the nearest and strongest claims of kin. … And more than this: it is a question of bearing one’s cross and going after Him. ‘Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.’ It is not enough to come to Him at first, but we must follow Him day by day. Whoever does not this cannot be His disciple. …
“Again, the Lord does not hide the difficulties of the way, but sets them out in two comparisons. The first is of a man that intended to build a tower, who had the folly not to count the cost before beginning. So it would be with souls now. Undoubtedly it is a great thing to follow Jesus to heaven, but then it costs something in this world. It is not all joy; but it is well and wise to look at the other side also. Then the Lord gives a further comparison. It is like a king going to war with one who has twice as many forces. Unless I am well backed up, it is impossible for me to resist him who comes against me with twice my array; much less can I make head against him. The inevitable consequence of not having God for us is, that when the enemy is a great way off, we have to send an ambassage and desire conditions of peace. But is it not peace with Satan, and everlasting ruin? ‘So likewise, whosoever he be of you, that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.’ … It is well therefore to look all [the cost] thoroughly in the face; but then to refuse Jesus and His call to follow, not to be His disciple, is to be lost forever.”
—-”Notes on the Gospel of Luke,” (by William Kelly), The Bible Treasury, [edited by William Kelly], vol. VIII (1870-1871), pp. 179-180.
Here we have the statements of High-church and Evangelical Episcopalians, Presbyterians and Plymouth Brethren, Baptists and Methodists, and I could doubtless give much more of the same, were it not for the paucity of my library. I may say with confidence that the Reformers and Puritans would stand with me to a man, for they had too much conscience to make void the Scriptures after the modern fashion, nor did they know anything of the modern notions of grace. And with the above quotations before them, perversity itself—-cavil personified—-cannot deny that these men held the terms of discipleship to be the terms of salvation. The antinomian preachers of the present generation think to follow in the train of these evangelical prophets of yore, but the ignorance of modern times has left them in utter darkness as to what these ancient men actually preached. Can we hope to be pardoned for laying the plain facts before their eyes? Alas! the readers of Olde Paths & Ancient Landmarks must now say that Edwards and Ryle and Spurgeon and Kelly were as defective in their views of salvation by grace as Conjurske is. But Conjurske does not stand on the words of Edwards and Ryle and Spurgeon and Kelly, but upon the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is his words which explicitly, unmistakably, and indisputably make the terms of discipleship to be the terms of salvation. With those scriptures before him which we have rehearsed at the beginning of this article, we really cannot understand how any man can deny this and yet be honest with his own mind and conscience. What is eternal life—-what is losing or saving the soul—-if it be not salvation?
Glenn Conjurske