“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Mark 8:34).
Federal Visionists love this passage because they think that salvation hinges on whether you deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus. However, this completely confuses the gospel with discipleship.
The Reformed faith has always insisted that justification is by faith alone. That is, in justification, God only takes into account the presence of faith. Those who attempt to add conditions to promote a certain “quality” of faith are smuggling works into the gospel.
Unfortunately, Federal Visionists are among those who claim that “saving” faith must be a “self-denying faith,” a “taking-up-your-cross faith,” and a “following-Jesus faith.” Obviously, they missed the memo by the Reformers that salvation is by faith alone. If you add any conditions, then you are preaching a different gospel, which is no gospel at all.
This passage is easily understood when we realize that Jesus is speaking to Christians, not unbelievers. Notice that he says, “If anyone wishes to come after Me.” This is not the gospel or the call to salvation. This is the call to discipleship. As a prominent Reformed journal persuasively argues here, discipleship is a fuller experience of life in Jesus.
Once you are saved by faith alone, you are free to deny yourself, take up your cross, follow Jesus, and thus, become a disciple. Or, not. It’s your choice. Protecting sola fide means maintaining a strict distinction between salvation and discipleship.
