There is a religious song by the title above. The lyrics are: “There’s a line that is drawn by rejecting our Lord, Where the call of His Spirit is lost, and you hurry along with the pleasure mad throng, Have you counted, have you counted the cost? You may barter your hope of eternity’s morn, for a moment of joy at the most, for the glitter of sin and the things it will win, Have you counted, have you counted the cost? While the door of His mercy is open to you, E’er the depth of His love you exhaust, Won’t you come and be healed, won’t you whisper, I yield, Have you counted, have you counted the cost.” The Chorus is: Have you counted the cost, if your soul should be lost, Tho’ you gain the whole world for your own? Even now it may be that the line you have crossed, Have you counted, Have you counted the cost?
There are several passages of Scriptures that this song is based. The whole theme of the song is based upon Luke 14:25-33. First, within this passage is the idea of loving less father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and even his own life. Then Jesus discusses the idea of building a tower. The idea would fit any building. Does the person that begins to build have enough money to finish the building? This seems foreign to most of us. There are still people who will not build a building until they have, what they think, is enough funds to start and finish the building. The second illustration is that of going to war. Before a general starts a battle, he must know if he can win. If he cannot win why fight? If one cannot win the battle or the war then conditions of peace would be better before the battle begins. Jesus then concludes this paragraph by saying, “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” Have you counted the cost of being a disciple of the Lord?
Another passage is Hebrews 11:24-27, “Be faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.” These are powerful verses. Moses gave up being the most powerful man on earth. He could have been Pharaoh! He could have been the riches man on the earth! He gave that up too. Moses knew that there was something longer that his time on earth. Moses knew there was eternity with which to contend. He knew there would be a greater reward for serving the Lord. He knew there was an all seeing God in heaven. One wonders which choices he would make if he were in Moses shoes?
The last verse of the song tells of God’s mercy, love and being healed. This has several passages within development. There is John 3:16 which tells of God’s love for us. There is also God’s healing. In Isaiah 53, the great Messianic chapter, states in verse five, “… and with his stripes we are healed.” Peter refers to this passage, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24). It took the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is a manifestation of His great love and mercy for us, for us to be healed from sin! If you have not been to this cleansing fountain blood of Christ, why not?
Have you counted the cost if your soul should be lost? If you lose your soul, you lose it all!
Love, Keith
