There’s nothing quite like the UK tradition of Pick ‘n’ Mix sweets. Though less prevalent these days, there are still shops you can go to, grab a bag, and begin to fill it up with your favourites. Now if you’re a savvy sweet connoisseur (like me) and you’ve found those ‘fill a cup for a set price’ places, then you have learned how to pack a cup just right to make the most of every square inch. But back in the day, it was all done on weight.  

For me, there’d be some classic fudge, a handful of penny sweets (please say you’re not too young to remember those), rhubarb and custard, pear drops, cola cubes, and some chocolate covered raisins for the win. The choice was (of course) entirely yours. You could keep going and going, or stick to just a few that you really liked, changing the proportions until you had it just the way you like it. Don’t like liquorice? No problem, leave it out! Only want chewy lemon bonbons, sure thing! 

How many of us treat our Christian faith the same way though? Maybe you’ve got a handle on this better than I have, but there are moments when I’ve been listening to a godly, trusted leader share a word, and I start taking notes. ‘Ooh, this is good, I’ll save this for later’, ‘oh and that, that would make a great quote for my social media accounts’. But perhaps the word shifts deeper and suddenly I’m not so happy taking notes. The truth cuts a bit deeper and I’m not sure I want to listen to it anymore – let alone apply it to my life.  

I love being ‘saved by grace’, but do I like being called a ‘sinner’? Surely, I’m not that bad, am I? The label seems a bit harsh?
‘Do to others what you would have them do to you’ from Matthew 7:12 feels great until we’re called out in 1 Corinthians 13:5 to not be quick to anger or keeping a record of wrongs.
Dare I even mention it… how are you with money? Many of us are happy to pray for God’s provision but are we just as quick to honour Him with how we use it through good stewardship, let alone returning the tithe. 

And at the risk of pushing this analogy too far, let’s go back to the trouble with old-fashioned pick ‘n’ mix sweets. You don’t know how much it’ll cost you until you’ve chosen your bag full. As the shop assistant weighs your selection – your stuffed to the brim bag of goodies, which it turns out, costs you the same as a weekly food shop. Worth it? Well, maybe, but here’s the thing. The Gospel isn’t like that. You can’t choose only the bits you like, and therefore the cost you’ll pay.   

The Gospel of Jesus, is of a Saviour born of a woman, living a perfect life and dying a sinners’ death to take the punishment for all that we’ve ever done wrong. Then conquering death, gifting us the Holy Spirit to live an emboldened life of power on earth and finally inviting us into eternal life in Heaven with our good, good Father God. The price? Nothing. And everything.  

You can’t earn this incredible gift of God. You can’t make enough right decisions to wend your way up to heaven in your own strength. The Gospel is a free gift. But if you truly accept it. It’ll cost you everything. It’ll change the way you make decisions, your behaviour, where you live, who you marry or whether you even do. It’ll demand your submission to Christ in every area of your life. But it’ll bring the hugest rewards. And as much as you might like some of the benefits, there’s no cutting corners with the costs of following Christ. This is no pick ‘n’ mix gospel. It’s all in or not at all.