Jesus then told another parable. His point was that those in the crowd who were considering becoming disciples of His should count the cost before they embarked on a life of discipleship. [source][source][source]
"The simple fact is that the New Testament never takes for granted that believers will see discipleship through to the end. And it never makes this kind of perseverance either a condition or a proof of final salvation from hell. [source][source][source]
"It . . . is simply a theological illusion to maintain that a Christian who has embarked on the pathway of discipleship could never abandon it. In the spiritual realm, this notion is as naive as an earthly father who declares, "My son would never drop out of school!"" [1][source]
A person who begins following Jesus and then stops following only makes a fool of himself. The Greek word purgos can mean either tower or farm building. Probably many of Jesus" hearers were farmers. [source][source][source]