Cost of Discipleship

April 10th, 2008 by Sean

The following I received from Karen in her Quote of the day email:

Sixty-three years ago yesterday, Lutheran pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer was hanged at
Flossenburg Prison, a mere three weeks before it was liberated by Allied forces. Bonhoeffer had been imprisoned for his role in the July 20 Plot, the conspiracy to assassinate Hitler. Bonhoeffer was caught only when money used to help Jews escape to Switzerland was traced back to him. It is a day to remember the cost of discipleship:

Taken from The Cost of Discipleship (1937)

Suffering then is the badge of true discipleship. The disciple is not above his master. . . . That is why Luther reckoned suffering among the marks of the true Church. . . . If we refuse to take up our cross and submit to suffering and rejection at the hands of men, we forfeit our fellowship with Christ and have ceased to follow Him. But if we lose our lives in His service and carry our cross, we shall find our lives again in the fellowship of the cross with Christ. The opposite of discipleship is to be ashamed of Christ and His cross and all the offense which the cross brings in its train.

5 Responses to “Cost of Discipleship”

  1. on 10 Apr 2008 at 10:50 am1 W Bellinger

    The only way soul can continue, would be in parents offspring.
    People often say”oh he’s just like his Father”or “he’s the image of his Father”
    How much more so,do we NOW bear the image of our Heavenly Father!!
    We are his offspring,his love children. We have been “IN BORN”with his very own “nature”.As”God in Christ is” SO are we in this Age.
    That which has been inplanted within, is nourished and energized by that which without!
    The “Word”is life giving energy,that we need not err,food for the mind, effecting the “HEART”.
    It’s not of ourselfs(flesh)but Father gifted,as it is His good pleasure to provide all things,being in all,to all,and for all.
    So “come Lord Jesus”(at the appointed time)let our Fathers desired kingdom be fully established completly,complete.Bill B.

  2. on 10 Apr 2008 at 2:07 pm2 Wolfgang

    Hello W. Bellinger,

    was this post meant to be posted in a different thread? I fail to see the connection between what you wrote above and the topic and initial post regarding Bonhoeffer.
    If it was meant to be written in a different topic, perhaps Sean can move it to the appropriate place?

    Cheers,
    Wolfgang

  3. on 10 Apr 2008 at 4:56 pm3 W Bellinger

    Please except my apology Wolfgang,being new with site.
    I see now that it should have been entered in blogs.
    My heartfelt thanks to our Father for Pastor Bonhoeffers stand against evil, his serviving Family and friends can bear his Name with pride,knowing his Name is written in”The Book of Life. Bill B.

  4. on 13 Apr 2008 at 10:03 am4 Wolfgang

    Hi Bill,

    no need really for apology … I thought there might have been some “technical difficulty” and that the post ended up in a wrong place and one of the moderators could move it where it was intended …
    I’ve had my technical problems as well … especially with trying to use the quoting function in replies to other posts
    Have a wonderful day
    Cheers,
    Wolfgang

  5. on 13 Apr 2008 at 5:38 pm5 W Bellinger

    No PC,s in the coming Kingdom!!!Praise God,Ha! what a Day.
    Face to Face,in Glory!! Bill B.

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