Christ's Call to Discipleship and Justification

[Toasty]

Luke 14:26-27 says, "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 carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."

What is the relationship between Christ's call to discipleship and justification?

The things that are mentioned in the above verses are evidences that a person has already been justified. Is this correct? I was wondering because Scripture is clear that faith is the sole instrument that receives justification.

How would you preach and teach on Luke 14:26-27 without giving the impression that hating one's family members including your own life, carrying your cross, and following Jesus are instruments of receiving justification?

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

If my love for my parents, my family, and my very life is but "hate" when compared to my love of the Lord, how can I not already be justified?

 

[MW]

What is the relationship between Christ's call to discipleship and justification?

A person is only justified because he is in Christ and Christ has been made righteousness to the believer. Without this union there would be no justification. So Christ must be first and last in a believer's consideration of who is to be followed.

Another way of looking at it would be to draw attention to the legal fact that the believer is considered dead. This means all his natural relations are dead to him in a legal respect. The believer then receives the law from the hand of Christ which requires him to love his father, mother, etc., as himself.

 

[Toasty]

If my love for my parents, my family, and my very life is but "hate" when compared to my love of the Lord, how can I not already be justified?

That's true. You would already have to be justified.