TODAY we celebrate the Feast of Visitation when Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth to share the good news that she had been chosen to bear the Son of the Most High. We are reminded by their conversation of the high costs of discipleship.

Whether wittingly or not, evangelical Christians have vastly over-simplified the nature of the life of faith. They have effectively reduced the Christian life to the experience of being “born again”.

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Salvation is reduced to personal faith in Christ’s death and resurrection. Nothing that we do before or after this confession contributes to our salvation. Striving for righteousness plays no part in our redemption. Good works play no part in our salvation, which was signed, sealed and delivered for all eternity the moment we “let Christ come into our hearts.”

Needless to say, the Bible has a much fuller understanding of salvation as a process of spiritual growth. Moreover, the Bible gives clear guidelines about how this growth occurs. We find one such “checklist for discipleship” in today’s passage from Paul’s letter to the Romans.

Here are the characteristics virtues and attitudes of God’s people: your love must be sincere, detest what is evil; cling to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; show respect; don’t be a slacker; rejoice in hope; be patient under stress; persevere in prayer; regard the needs of others as your own needs; be generous in hospitality; bless your persecutors; rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep; regard all people equally; put away ambitious thoughts; associate with the lowly.

Nothing simple, or easy, or final in this checklist is discipleship!