Question

What is meant when Luke 14:26 states,  “If any man come to me and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” 

Answer

Luke 14:26 “If any man come to me and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”

"Luke 14:33: “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”

Many more passages of scripture I might refer you to, but you are acquainted with them. How many as they read these plain, close words of our Saviour, will pass them by unheeded! Others will look at them doubtfully, and turn away, saying, These are hard sayings; who can obey them? Did not our Saviour know that many would not obey his requirements? Did he who so loved us as to give his life for us, leave us any requirements or conditions of salvation which we could not obey? Oh, no, all his requirements are reasonable and just, and we can obey them. {RH September 16, 1862, par. 7}

"Hate referred to in Luke 14:26, means a less degree of love. We are to have supreme love to God, and our friends are to be loved secondarily."

"In that fearful time when we need an arm to protect and shield us, stronger than any human arm, stronger than the arm of father, brother, or husband, and shall call upon him that is mighty to save, he will not hear us. He will bid us to lean upon those whom we preferred before him, whom we loved above him, whom we would not forsake for him. He will say, Let them deliver you, let them save you."

Hate referred to in Luke 14:26, means a less degree of love. We are to have supreme love to God, and our friends are to be loved secondarily. Our love for husband, wife, brother, sisters, father, or mother, must be inferior to our love to God. Our love for these dear relatives must not be blind and selfish, and cause us to forget God. When these ties of relationship lead us to prefer their favor by disregarding the truth, we love them more than we love Jesus, and are not worthy of him. In that fearful time when we need an arm to protect and shield us, stronger than any human arm, stronger than the arm of father, brother, or husband, and shall call upon him that is mighty to save, he will not hear us. He will bid us to lean upon those whom we preferred before him, whom we loved above him, whom we would not forsake for him. He will say, Let them deliver you, let them save you. I gave you proof of my love. I left the glory of my Father, and all my majesty and splendor, and came into a world cursed with sin and pollution. For your sakes I became poor, that you through my poverty might be made rich. I bore insult and mockery, and died a shameful death upon the cross, to save you from hopeless misery and death. Yet this did not excite your love enough to obey me, and lead you to prefer my favor above the favor of earthly friends, who have given you but feeble proofs of their love. I know you not; depart from me. {RH September 16, 1862, par. 8}

God will test and prove his people. One sacred truth after another will be brought to bear upon their hearts, close and cutting, until their faith will be purified and tried like gold, until all their dross will be purged away, and Jesus will present them unto his Father without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. We must overcome through trials and sufferings, as Jesus overcame. We must not shun the cross or the suffering part of religion. The language of the heart should be, Let me know the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ. Let me suffer with him that I may reign with him. {RH September 16, 1862, par. 9}—Mrs. E.G. White, Review and Herald, September 16, 1862