Ever wonder what the true price is for a life lived for Christ? What is the reward in this life to those who truly say no to self and yes to Christ? For our Lord states in His Gospel that we are to deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him.
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” -(Matthew 16:24 KJV)
But, the question still remains, what is the price in this life for those who choose to live a life for Christ?
Let’s find our answer in the life of one of our Lord’s most precious apostles; Paul.
Who is Paul?
If you have read any of the New Testament, you have read Paul’s writings. Paul, a man who had once derived pleasure in torturing Christians. A man, who stood and watched as a sweet saint was stoned to death for Christ’s sake.
“And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.” - (Acts 7:58 KJV)
The same man who was so torture happy that he headed down that road called Damascus; with the sole purpose of exterminating all things Christ!
Plans forever changed
We know that Paul’s plans were forever changed on that road called Damascus.
“And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”- (Acts 9:3-6 KJV)
This encounter with our Lord forever changed Paul. Paul would spend the rest of his life laboring for the Gospel that he once tried to destroy and paying the true price for a life lived for Christ.
True price for a life lived for Christ
Paul, would go all over preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Obviously, a man like this would receive a glorious price in this life for his work for Christ, right? Of course he would!
Five times over the course of his life, he would receive 39 stripes, three times he would be beaten with rods, once he would be stoned. He would suffer being shipwrecked, facing perils of the waters, robbers, his own people and the heathens. He would face perils in the wilderness, in cities, in the sea and among false brethren.
“Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” - (2 Corinthians 11:24-27 KJV)
Not only this but Paul would spend a lot of his time in prison; for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul’s riches
Paul’s riches in this life were in the scars left on his body, the broken bones left from his stoning, the hunger that he often suffered and the imprisonment that he often faced.
Since when did a life lived for Christ come with any of this world’s riches? Where does our Lord’s Gospel say; “Come to me and I will give you all of the riches of this world”? I’ll tell you; it does not and it never will!
Let’s end with..
Paul was a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ; he did not travel around in luxury. But he was once lashed thirty nine times!
Paul labored so hard for the Gospel that he had once tried to destroy; that his name made it to hell! As recorded for us by Luke in the Acts of the Apostles; the man with the evil spirit said; Jesus I know and Paul I know:
"And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?" - (Acts 19:15 KJV)
The reward for all his work, probably left him extremely disfigured from the stoning and the beatings! Paul, is one of our Lord’s apostles and you see the price he paid for a life lived for Christ.
Let’s end with the promise from our Lord and Savior himself! As recorded for us by John in his version of our Lord’s Gospel:
"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me." - (John 15:18-21 KJV)
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Read more at:
My Christ is not the Christ that the world defines
The Living God is the One True God
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