Many Christ-ones merely want involvement – and a small piece of it at that – in Christianity.  God wants total commitment.  He wants us to be wholehearted.  Sold out.  Willing to pay the price of being disciples.

The purpose of our lives is to know God…This means commitment to God and to His Word with our whole being.  It has been said that the Christian life is one big YES and a lot of little uh-huh’s – YES when we ask Christ into our lives to be our Savior and uh-huh in the multitude of lordship decisions we make through the years.

– Carole Mayhall

[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death…

– Philippians 3:10 (AMPC)

More than once Jesus deliberately addressed certain issues that quickly diminished the number of onlookers. It was commitment that thinned the ranks.

– Chuck Swindoll

With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give Him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to Him and acceptable by Him. Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all His demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.

– Romans 12:1,2 (PHILLIPS)

If you do not plan to live the Christian life totally committed to knowing your God and to walking in obedience to Him, then don’t begin, for this is what Christianity is all about. It is a change of citizenship, a change of governments, a change of allegiance. If you have no intention of letting Christ rule your life, then forget Christianity; it is not for you.

– Kay Arthur
Photo by Susie Stewart