Let us first consider the heart.  Jesus warned his disciples to: “Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy” (Luke 12:1).  He identified the Pharisees’ leaven as hypocrisy.  They were blind to the value of the inner man but they knew the value of having the right actions in the sight of men.  Thus they thus had to pretend to love God from the heart.  They, in fact, had a very different motive.  They intended to do all they did to be seen by men (Matt. 23:5).  They pretended that what they did was only for God.  The long prayers were not really to God but for those who were listening.  If we are to be transformed into the image of Christ, our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees (Matt. 5:20).  They formed the outward man, but we must form the inward man first.

Now let us look more closely at Jesus’ inner man.  Jesus invites us to follow him in his meekness and lowliness of heart (Matt. 11:28-30).   The complete disciple not only does as his Master but “shall be as his Master” (Luke 6:40).  Forming the outer actions without forming the inner heart is hypocrisy.  Forming the inner and outer man is righteousness. We are commanded to “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus . . .” (Phil. 2:5-9).  He was humble enough to leave off God’s divine form to take on man’s lowly earthly form which was very humbling (Phil. 2:6).  He tells plainly that Jesus mind was humble (Phil. 2:7, 8). This was not just a common humility.  His humility was great enough to submit to death in order to obey his Father (Phil. 2:8).  Though he plead with the Father to let the cup pass from him, he was willing to submit even unto the death of the cross, which is the greatest humility possible (Phil. 2:8).  We are directed to have this marvelously humble mind as Jesus did.

If these WWJD men  were to form their inner man, they would surely be transformed by the renewing of their mind (Rom. 12:2).  Jesus grew in wisdom and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:52)  These are some very beautiful steps.  If these men were to grow in more wisdom, that wisdom would remain.  Jesus was meek and lowly in heart (Matt. 11:28,29).  Jesus was very compassionate toward those who were in need (Luke 7:13).  If their hearts were transformed till they became more meek, lowly and compassionate like Jesus in heart, they would had to have asked a different question.  Rather than ask “What Jesus would do,” they would have to ask “What is the heart of Christ?” This can begin the process that will transform them into that image of Christ (Col. 3:10). They would have obeyed the Lord’s command to cleanse the inside first (Matt. 23:26) and thus be true disciples.

          Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?  What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life  (John 6:60-63).

Jesus’ teaching often seems hard.  These disciples would not endure his teaching.  Many left him.  The primary problem was that they did not understand his teaching.  Today, we find men rejecting parts of his teaching because they are too hard.  He warned us that:

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables (2 Tim. 4:3-4).

Sound doctrine must be endured.  Those who will not endure can not be saved.  We must be among these who will endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 2:3,4).  We must endure and hear even that teaching which appears to be unacceptable.  Abraham heard some horrifying words when the Lord commanded him to offer his son as an offering on a certain mountain, but he endured them.  We must walk in Abraham’s steps though the words may seem too hard.  “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able” (1 Cor. 10:13). The teaching of Luke 14 is not too hard for faithful men.  It is first principle doctrine, for Jesus used these very principles to convert the multitude to be his disciples.

Two parables enforce Jesus’ conclusion (Luke 14:28-33).  The conclusion to both parables is stated in verse 33:  “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”  That is the requirement – forsaking all that we have.  He is not talking about leaving all of the material things that we have.  We know that because John was the disciple Jesus loved, yet he still owned his own home (John 19:27).  We must forsake all that we have in the sense of 2 Corinthians 5:15 and Mark 8:35.  Jesus died so that we would forsake all that we have.   “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Cor. 5:15).  When we forsake all living for ourselves we turn to live only for Christ.  There is nothing that we can hold on to if we are going to be Jesus’ disciples.  He describes the same principle as plainly in Mark 8:35: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.”   Jesus warned all men that the gate that leads to life is ‘strait’ (Matt. 7:13,14), which is difficult to navigate.  It is not easy to enter.  Jesus said “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able” (Luke 13:24).  Jesus knew that the entrance was not easy. These are the very principles he used to make disciples.  Now we consider the two parables Jesus used to make disciples which prove the conclusion – the necessity to forsake all in order to be his disciple.

The first parable to illustrate his conclusion is that of a man building a tower.  The principle is that he must first count the cost to see if he has enough to build the tower (Luke 14:28).  There is a cost to being Jesus’ 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 (Luke 14:28-30).

It is only sensible to count the cost before we begin anything, especially following Christ.  If we begin the pathway to be like Christ we need to fulfill that goal.  What will it cost us to be like Christ?  The cost is not in terms of material things.  Jesus said that the cost is to forsake all that we have (Luke 14:33), to lose our life for Christ’s sake (Luke 9:24).  We should be looking at what we get for the price, rather than just consider the cost!   The product we receive is be fully like Christ (Luke 6:40).   We get to build a spiritual house or tower – the heart of Christ.  It is costly, but look at what we get!  The parable of the pearl of great price and the parable of the great treasure in the field teaches the same thing (Matt. 13:44-46).  The treasure or the pearl required them to go and sell all that they had.  It is not just whether we get the treasure or the pearl.  If we don’t get them, we get to end up in torment.  Jesus warns us: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it” (Mark 8:35).  If we begin to build and turn back, all that see will begin to mock saying this man began and was not able to finish.  Jesus applies this same principle in the next two verses where he talks about salt that has lost its saltness.  It is of no value to God or man (Luke 14:34,35).  “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).  Similarly, if we begin the pathway to become like Christ but do not finish, we are a mockery to ourselves as well as to Christ – and are worse off than if we had never started.

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them (2 Pet. 2:20-21).

What is the cost?  Jesus requires a man to first determine that he will pray the price to become like him.  This price is not anything of physical value, but includes a willingness to suffer and lose all that we have in order to follow in his steps (1 Pet. 2:18-23).

The second parable is the captain of an army which is going to war against his enemy.  It also proves that we must forsake all to be his disciple (Luke 14:31-33).  The captain must make a decision to fight or surrender.

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 (Luke 14:31,32).

The enemy is twice as strong as the king.  How does this apply to the disciple of Christ? The disciple of Christ is called to fight and to be victorious in a war (1 Tim. 6:12).  He is not called to war after the flesh, with fleshly weapons (2 Cor. 10:3-5), but he is to fight a spiritual battle against spiritual wickedness (Eph. 6:12).  Satan is at least twice as strong as we are!  We do not want to make peace with our enemy.  The price of accepting conditions of peace means subservience. The price of peace with Satan is eternal slavery.  It is far too dear a price.  Winning the battle is the only other alternative.  To win, we must forsake every earthly  purpose and goal (all that we have) in order to win the spiritual battle.  Timothy was commanded to: ”Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:12).  If Timothy already had eternal life why command him to lay hold on it?  When we determine to follow Christ we agree to go to war against Satan.  We must fight with all we are and have, if we expect to win.  If we will not forsake all that we have in order to fight and win that battle, we will surely lose that war.  If we will not agree to forsake all of our own earthly hopes, purpose and goals to win this fight, Jesus will not accept us as his disciples (Luke 14:33).  This is not an unfair requirement, for God reminds us: “Behold, all souls are mine” (Eze. 18:4).  We belong to him.

All of this translates to making disciples the way that Jesus made disciples.  To make a disciple we must 1) convince a man that all souls belong to God. 2) that man has an eternal inner man which God ordains be formed in the image of Christ.  Further, we must 3) persuade him that he needs to turn away from all masters but Jesus.  We must 4) convince him to determine to take up his cross daily to put his old man to death so that he can 5) follow Christ in order to grow to have a mind and heart like his.  He must count the cost and determine to pay the price, for Jesus to accept him.  Once a man has become a disciple of Christ, his old man of self has been crucified with Christ and he is then ready to be buried.  Crucifixion takes place when a man determines the he will not longer live for himself (2 Cor. 5:15).  Baptism is not a crucifixion – Baptism is a burial.  If there is no crucifixion, we can immerse a man in water as many times as we like, but nothing will happen.  The crucifixion must take place before a genuine burial can occur.  In crucifixion his old man (who was living for himself) is hand the crucified old man of sin is destroyed in the watery grave.  Only then can the new man rise to grow in a new life (Rom. 6:4).  When this happens all of the old is passed away and literally everything is made new (2 Cor. 5:17) because the very purpose of our existence and actions has changed from living for self to living only for Jesus (2 Cor. 5:15).

Jesus shows us how to make disciples.  We should walk in Jesus’ steps and seek to make disciples in the same way he made them.  He called the multitude to him (Luke 14:25) and taught them what decisions they must make in order to become a disciple.  He gave the rules that one must follow in order to be accepted as a disciple.

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 14:26-33)

We may not understand these commands concerning becoming a disciple, but we should accept his words without fail.  He says if a man does not qualify in certain specific ways, “he cannot be my disciple.”  Jesus will not accept just anyone who desires to be a disciple.  They must meet his qualifications.  The preacher may accept them, but Jesus testifies that he will not accept them.  He told the multitude three times that they could not be his disciples unless they qualified.  He lists at least three major qualifications that are required before he would receive a man as his disciple.  Jesus testified:  “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber”  (John 10:1). We must become his disciple his way or we will not be accepted.

The first qualification is to hate our father, mother, etc. and our own life (Lk 14:26). This is surely a negative command, but we must do it.  The subject is Master and disciple.  The disciple can only have one master.  We can not be like two masters at the same time.  Jesus said that when it comes to choosing masters: “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other” (Luke 16:13).  Neither his father, nor mother, nor sister nor anyone else can be his master if Jesus is his only master.  In that sense we turn away from all other would-be masters and choose Jesus as our one Master.  If we refuse to do that, he will not receive us.  If we determine to follow the one shepherd and flee from all others (John 10:5), he will accept us.  We can be like one masters.

A second qualification contains two commands.  First we must bear our cross (Luke 14:27).  Some would define a cross as only suffering.  In New Testament times a cross was never only suffering.  A cross was death.  If we pick up our cross we must pick it up in order to die.  This cross is not the initial crucifixion we have before burial with Christ.  We are told that we have an initial crucifixion before we can be baptized into Christ (Rom. 6:3-6).  The initial crucifixion with Christ takes place before we are baptized with him.  This old man must be crucified, put to death, before he is buried.  We don’t bury living beings.  We must put off the old man with his sins.  This is paramount to cutting off of the old man in New Testament circumcision:

In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:  Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.  (Col. 2:11-12)

However, the cross required in Luke 14:27 is the same cross that must be taken up after one is baptized into Christ.  This is the cross that must be taken up daily (Luke 9:23).  This cross is also unto death.  He commands us to “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Col. 3:5).  These ‘members’ must be put to death little by little in a painful crucifixion-like death that requires much suffering.  This pain is further described in our Father’s chastening us in purging out our sins.  He describes this chastening as something that is grievous which results in the peaceable fruit of righteousness in his children.  “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (Heb. 12:11).  It is painful to do, but if we get rid of our pride there is room for the humility of Christ.  Putting off all of our old man, day by day, makes room for the love of Christ in our hearts.  If we are not willing to take up this cross daily to mortify (crucify) the members of the old man, Jesus will not receive us.  Only if we have that mind is there hope that we can be like him.

A second positive command in Luke 14:27 is to follow Christ.  Jesus ran the race ahead of us.  He is the author and the finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:1-3).  We follow Christ by following in his steps (1 Pet. 2:21).  Jesus learned to obey (Heb. 5:8).  Jesus was not born with all wisdom but “ . . . grew in wisdom and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52).  “in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren . . .” (Heb. 2:17) and thus had to grow in the same way his brethren grew. “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered He learned obedience by suffering” (Heb. 5:8).  We need to follow in his steps in learning obedience in the same way.  Only if we follow in the steps of Christ, can we be like  him. Why should Jesus accept a man as his disciple if he has no desire to fulfill the purpose of becoming a disciple?  We must be determined to follow him to be like him (Lk 6:40) so that he will accept us as his disciple (Luke 14:27).

Baptism does not make disciples.  The Great Commission has three parts – the first and second parts are not the same.  He did not command the apostles to make disciples by baptizing men.  They did not baptize anyone who had not responded to the first part.  Those who responded to the first part were ready to be baptized.  The command is to “Go therefore and teach (the original Greek is go and make disciples) of all the nations, baptizing them. . .”  When he says “baptizing them,” to whom is he referring?  If he is saying “baptizing them (nations),” we can understand that this is impossible.  All nations would not submit to baptism.  If he is saying “baptizing the them (disciples),” they must have been made disciples before they were baptized.  If baptizing someone makes them a disciple, then the one who is being baptized does not need to know why he is being baptized.  If baptizing someone makes them disciples, then many of the denominations are obeying the first part of the great commission when they immerse someone in water because he has already been saved.  Scripturally, the one being baptized must have a change of mind and understand what he is doing before he is qualified to be baptized.  This qualification Jesus calls ‘making disciples.  There is a process in making disciples.  John 4:1-3 says that  Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John .  As Jesus was teaching some of the Jews believed on him.  Notice how they were told to be disciples indeed: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed . . .” (John 8:30-31).  If baptism makes one a disciple, then “once a disciple always a disciple,” for it is impossible to get ‘unbaptized.’  Jesus knew how to make disciples.  We must follow our master’s example on how to make a disciple but first we must know what a disciple is.