In order to qualify for the great salvation one must first have participated in the common salvation.

One must first have become a believer, been justified from the Adamic curse through faith in the finished work of Christ before they could present themselves an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord, and participate in the high calling, the great salvation.

Thus we find the Apostle addressing believers (those already faith justified) that they should go on to the “second step”, and present themselves living sacrifices made holy (justified) through their faith in Jesus, and thus acceptable to God upon His altar. (Rom 12:1)

As our Lord so states the matter, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matt 16:24)

IF ANYONE: Who is already a believer, who has received his message of forgiveness, receive the call.

DESIRES: His words here imply that it is a matter of choice with the individual, and not a matter of compulsion in any sense of the word.

Many–all believers during the Gospel age–are called, but all do not care to accept the conditions of sacrifice which are attached to the call.

TO COME AFTER ME: Will follow my example, be my disciple (pupil), walk in my steps of obedience to the Father’s will, share in my sacrifice as well as in my reward.

(Not merely believe that Jesus died and rose again, that he was holy and etc.), but become a participator in the sufferings of Christ, in his sacrifice

LET HIM: the believer, take the steps which the Master indicated as necessary, not optional, for membership in the body of Christ.

His followers should count the cost of discipleship in the same cool, calculating, methodical manner in which they would count the cost of erecting a building.

Any who decline these terms are declining the only entrance conditions connected with the school of Christ.

DENY HIMSELF:

Sacrifice himself, his earthly interests and ambitions. Set himself aside (sanctify), ignore himself, renounce his own self-will. Give over the doing of his own will–his self- sufficiency.

Let him deny all ability to wash away his own sins; deny his own righteousness and accept of mine. Die to himself.

The first step is self-renunciation, full consecration.

Self-renouncing and fasting, in the highest sense of the word, is enjoined with fasting from fleshly desires (both good and bad) in the interests of the new creature and for effective service. Ignore self-will and self-gratification, including all earthly ambitions and desires, the sinful, as well as they that are laudable and proper.

This first step in following the Lord is properly designated a sacrifice, but it is not the taking up of the cross. Self-denial relates more to passive obedience, cross-bearing to activities in the Lord’s service; self-denial means courage and zeal, cross-bearing means victory; self-denials may be victories in our own hearts; cross-bearings may be seen by others.

In order for the sacrifice of our wills to be acceptable to the Lord at all, it must be no cross to us. The desire to give up our will and accept God’s will must be a pleasure. “I delight to do thy will, O my God.” (Psa. 40:8)

We should not sacrifice others in order to be his disciples (We are not to neglect husbands and wives nor any parental responsibilities we have). It is ourselves that we are to deny, ourselves that we are to sacrifice.

AND TAKE UP: Be thoroughly imbued with zeal for God and for righteousness.

The taking up of the cross is done after we come to a knowledge of the truth, after we have counted the cost of discipleship. We cannot take up the cross until we have seen what the cross is, what it implies. Bearing the cross means enduring it. It is to be not merely lifted, but carried. The bearing of the cross is the way of growth in character for the consecrated child of God. As soon as we take hold of the cross and put forth our efforts, our Lord lifts the real weight of it.

HIS CROSS: The trials, difficulties, disappointments; the “crossing” of the human will made necessary by doing God’s will under present unfavorable conditions. Self-denial, cross-bearing is the sacrifice necessary to discipleship at the present time.

The “cross” is a symbol of self-denial, self-sacrifice, suffering for righteousness’ sake in opposition to the spirit of the world, the flesh and the adversary.

Our faithfulness in cross-bearing consists in our willingness to stand up for the truth, no matter what the cost of friendships broken or enmities enkindled. Opposition of husband or wife engendered by faithfulness to the Lord, endurance of opposition by business competitors because of faithfulness to Christ are part of our cross-bearing.

The Master’s cross-bearing did not consist in fighting the weaknesses of the flesh, for he had none; nor are the weaknesses of the flesh our crosses.

It is fortunate that from onset we cannot appreciate the full meaning of cross-bearing, or few of us would have the courage to make a consecration if we knew in advance what it would truly cost us.

AND FOLLOW ME: Walk as he walked; in the same way, the same direction, patiently continuing to bear the cross, in direct opposition to the current of the world. Walk in the footsteps of Jesus who sacrifice his earthly life rights in order to redeem mankind, even as we are called to sacrifice the human life and restitution rights that we might share in the “sin offering”.

“Walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:1, 4)

So you see there is a difference between the “common salvation” which comes as a free gift of God and cost nothing of the individual and that of the “great salvation” (the high calling which is in Christ Jesus our Lord), which does cost the individual, the willingness to sacrifice to walk in the Masters footsteps.

Most (all) believers have accepted of the first, the free gift, but very few have accepted the terms and/or conditions of the second as most are unaware of the second step altogether, the call to sacrifice, nor of the cost, having been misled and deceived by the blind guides of Christendom who themselves no not the way.