For if we are Christians, we have accepted Jesus' challenge - He said . . . "If you come after me, let them deny themselves, and take up their cross, and follow me." Which means we deny self - our own selfish ambitions, our own sinful pleasures. Then we turn and take up our cross.
What did Jesus mean by that? He is saying that when we go back to our day to day activities and tell people that you are a Christian, they may laugh at you, or some may choose to no longer associate with you. So there may be a price.
Some, like the idea of becoming a Christian to be saved but they are not willing to change. If they don't pursue a growing faith, they don't realize what Jesus said . . . He said there are two roads and you must choose which one you will take. Why? There are two destinies: heaven or hell. God gave us His Son to reconcile us with him, and He gave us the gift of free will. Jesus requires us to decide. To accept Him and to change (to grow as a Christian) or to reject Him and forgo His forgiveness. We must decide.
Now the above is more that Billy Graham shared in his words "You cannot be neutral". We'll continue his message over the weeks ahead.