There are standards. Being a follower of Christ should make a difference in the way we live. No, we live lives that are pleasing to our heavenly commander in gratitude for his rich grace. The way Jesus describes it, obedience is a response to something that has already taken place. Of course it will.
Any soldier knows going into battle that the price for following orders can be terribly high.
Just being in the battle ZONE is dangerous. Countless thousands have found out how high the price could be. For us in 20th century America, the sacrifice is rarely that dramatic. Fortunately, Christian soldiers have one tremendous piece of assurance about our task. Because of that, we can follow his marching orders with the full confidence of every bit of support we need.