Qualifications for following Christ

Luke 14:33

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Observation

Jesus' evangelism was nothing like our evangelism today. His altar calls were just a little bit different, actually they were way different. Jesus did not ask people to repeat a prayer, or ask people to accept him into their hearts. Jesus invitation to salvation was about repentance Matt 4:17 and total self denial John 12:25. When you hear the words of Jesus it makes you question whether or not you are really saved 2 Cor 13:5. It makes you afraid that you might be a false convert Matt 7:21 who cries out "Lord, Lord", on judgement day, but is thrown into the lake of fire. Jesus made it very clear that you can't bring anything with you if you want to follow him, and you cant look back. Sometimes I think were so quick to pronounce someone saved just because they repeat a prayer or "ask Jesus into their life". Jesus never said for us to add him to our lives, or to ask him into our hearts, he told us to hate our lives. We tell people that there's a party in heaven just because they asked Jesus into their heart. 

If your not careful, you might think that Jesus is saying that salvation is based on works or level of dedication. Jesus is giving us a picture of the life of a true convert, that has been saved by grace, through faith Ephesians 2:8-9. Jesus is in no way, violating what the Apostle Paul made so clear about salvation by grace. Jesus is telling us that people who are saved will renounce all to follow him, those who are truly converted will love him more than their own family members, those who have been born again will rather die than deny his name Rev 12:11. 

I once saw a video, where an African Christian man, was told to deny Christ, but he would not do it. He was decapitated right in front of the camera. It was the most horrible thing I have ever seen! It gave me a whole new perspective on the verse Romans 10:9 ... if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Many of the disciples were martyred in the same way because they confessed Christ with a sword pointed to their throats. To confess Christ in Bible times meant that even if it means having your head chopped off, you will still say "Jesus is Lord"

Luke 14:26-27

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not  bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

John 12:25

Whoever loves his life loses it, and  whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Acts 20:24

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Revelation 12:11

And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.