Everyone is to have their own personal convictions about their walk with Jesus. But Jesus tell us ALL, if you want to follow Him, you must deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Him. To follow Him, is definitely keeping the commandments, but not out of ordinance rather out of love. There is a difference. Because there is no pride in love, it is not boastful. The Pharisees then and now, love to boast about how they keep the commandments and even Jews take pride in their heritage, but they are not SPIRITUAL Jews! They have not the Holy Spirit because they do not believe in the One and Only Son of God Jesus Christ. They told me at a synagogue, there is no Christ here and I was like well, now there is lol Jesus is in me baby!
Take up your cross daily: A condition for discipleship
“Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’” Luke 9:23.
What does Jesus mean when He says that you should take up your crossdaily?
To “take up your cross” is something that has to take place in your thoughts. When thoughts that aren’t pleasing to God come to your mind during the day, you “put them to death” on an inner “cross.”
A judging thought toward your friend crops up, for example, or perhaps a grumbling thought of dissatisfaction for what you have to do today. As these thoughts come up in your mind, you choose to deny them. Your mind stands guard at the door of your heart, and you get to decide what comes through. When a sinful thought pops up in your mind the first time, it is only a temptation – a “suggestion” from Satan. But you can choose to deny that thought access to your heart! In practice, that means that as soon as you become aware of the thought, you disagree with it. You don’t dwell on it. The thought meets a firm “no” in your mind. You don’t permit the thought to pass through your mind and come into your heart. Denying these sinful thoughts is how you take up your cross daily.
Watch an animated explanation video here (Article continues after video):
Suffer in the flesh – cease from sin!
It hurts to go against what you are naturally drawn to – to deny the thoughts that you naturally tend to think. Just like a physical cross causes suffering for the body, this metaphorical cross also causes suffering – for your flesh, that part of you that is drawn to sin, and which is denied its demands. But you have a good reason to choose to do this, and that is what is written in 1 Peter 4:1:
“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.”
Let this be your motivation! This verse promises that when you suffer in your flesh, that is to say, when you take up your cross and deny the sinful thoughts that come up in you during the day, you will actually cease from sin! And it is not just a promise that will be fulfilled some unknown day far in the future – you see progress as you go. Perhaps you have a particular tendency to be harsh and cold to your peers. As you say “no” in temptation when these negative thoughts come, you notice as time passes that those thoughts don’t come as often anymore. It becomes easier for you to be good and warm and kind to the people around you. This is the fulfillment of that promise – you are becoming free from sin in that area!
Following Jesus: What did Jesus do?
This is what true discipleship is all about. It is a life that you live, daily, following after Jesus, your forerunner. What did Jesus do in His daily life? He had a firm resolve when He was tempted: “Not My will, but Yours, be done.” Luke 22:42. He took up His cross and denied Himself. His temptations never resulted in sin – in word, in thought, or in deed.
It is also written that Jesus “… offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death.” Hebrews 5:7. That is what it takes to faithfully take up your cross daily! You have to cry out to your God for the strength to hold out – for the strength to say “no” and keep saying “no” in the time of temptation. You must humble yourself and have the same mind that Jesus had: “Not My will, but Yours, be done.”
Taking up your cross daily leads to transformation. You won’t always be the same person you are today. As you are cleansed from the sin in your nature, the fruits of the Spirit come in its place. Rather than being quick to judge and critical, or grumpy and downcast, you can radiate love and kindness and gentleness. (Galatians 5:22-23) Isn’t that hopeful?
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” Philippians 3:12.
To carry your cross, means to fully put your trust in God amid the storms and battles in your life. It means that although you may be in an extremely difficult or painful situation, you always trust that God is with you in the midst of your suffering.
As Christians, we try to live our life according to the will of God. We commit to following His commandments and we do not live as the culture tells us to. Living this way comes with persecution, temptation, and pain. We must carry our cross for Jesus. He is with us each step of the way.
n Colossians 1:24 Paul says, "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church."
What was Christ's suffering lacking? Was it incomplete? No, of course not.
But when we look at what Paul is saying it is very clear that he is speaking about taking part in Christ's suffering for the sake of the Church.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “By His passion and death on the cross Christ has given a new meaning to suffering: it can henceforth configure us to him and unite us with his redemptive passion.” (1505)
What this means, is when we are carrying our own crosses, we get to share in Christ's redemption of the world. It means that our suffering is not worthless. It's not just pain that has no value. When we trust in Christ during our struggles, our pain will be used to save sinners and redeem the world.
Your Pain Has Purpose
Don't waste your suffering. It's powerful and beautiful. When you carry your cross, think about somebody important to you. Maybe it's someone else who is going through a difficult time. It could be for the conversion of a loved one. God will use our crosses, to not just build us, but build others as well.
Whenever I think about this sentiment, I always come to the problem with people dying from the result of their suffering. I think of someone who may have passed away from a sickness or disease, somebody who was in an accident or other causes of death. How does God use this? Well, every situation is different and I don't think this has a one-size fits all answer.
What can be said, is that God tells us that "all things work together for good for those who love Him." Romans 8:28. If we take a step back and try to imagine the world as God does, it's a bit like a parent’s understanding of the world versus how a four year old understands the world.
God has a plan. We must trust in Him in good, and most definitely in bad times. Of course, this isn't easy to do. Our human nature wants to run away from this. But we must deny ourselves and trust God's will in all things. Someday, when we get to see things how God has seen them, I think we will all cry tears of joy.
In his interactions with others, Jesus often got straight to the point. His call to discipleship in Mark 8:34 is no exception: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Discipleship equals self-denial and cross-bearing. Period.
But what does Jesus mean by “deny himself”? What does the ultimate cross-bearer mean by “take up his cross,” since Jesus’s cross and our cross cannot accomplish the same thing? And why does he use such a harsh metaphor to describe discipleship?
Supplying Our Own Definitions
We vaguely understand self-denial and cross-bearing to mean that discipleship is probably difficult and the self is somehow a problem. But if we rely on our associations with these ideas to flesh them out, we will likely misunderstand Jesus’s meaning.
For instance, if we consider how we pursue self-denial, we might find that we associate denying ourselves with denying our desires. Because “self” refers to us and what we want, we add a direct object to “deny himself,” so that it becomes “Deny himself . . . things.” Whether that be material objects or immaterial things such as success, love, or meaningful work, denying the self’s desires is a common misunderstanding of self-denial.
If we consider how we pursue self-denial, we might find that we associate denying ourselves with denying our desires.
But sometimes we take it further: we ignore the self. Because we know ourselves to be inherently sinful, we may consider anything originating out of the self as at least suspect, if not threatening or wrong. Fearful of being too self-focused and inward-gazing, we create a false dichotomy in which we have to choose between focus on Christ and self-examination.
Cross-bearing is, perhaps, even more misunderstood. “We all have our crosses to bear” is applied to a variety of difficulties, from being used in jest (“I’m going to a conference in Florida next week—we all have our crosses to bear”), to expressing frustration over minor inconveniences (such as the habitual lateness of a family member), to describing truly difficult situations like temptations, long-term sickness, or difficult relationships.
Believers can tend to allegorize any unpleasantness as a “cross” and then spiritualize it as part of discipleship. Or even more extreme, cross-bearing becomes a reference to how discipleship is tantamount to pain—not as including suffering, but as its essential nature.
These readings are dangerous because they’re based on partial truths. Of course, we should be wary of the self. Of course, the Christian life is one that involves suffering. But each of these misinterpretations misses what Christ is asking for.
What the Text Says
Two considerations, in particular, can guide us to a correct understanding of Jesus’s meaning in Mark 8:34.
1. Closer Look at ‘Deny’
The Greek verb translated here as “to deny” is aparneomai. Although this word can simply mean to deny the truth of a statement, it almost always has overtones of association or connection to a person. Denial in the New Testament is the intentional disassociation from relationship with a particular person. Another translation, then, might be to “disown” or “renounce.” For example, this is the verb used when Peter “denies” Jesus. He denies that he knows Jesus or has any association with him.
Self-denial, then, is intentional disowning of the self, or stepping away from relationship with the self as primary. Jesus is not making a statement about whether the self is bad, but about who we are most closely associated with. Who is our primary allegiance to—him, or ourselves?
2. Historical Practice of Cross-Bearing
Jesus made this statement about taking up one’s cross before he was crucified. Although the metaphor would certainly gain a fuller meaning after his death, it must have meant something to his listeners beforehand as well.
Crucifixion was reserved specifically for offenders who had rebelled against authority. To “take up one’s cross” referred to the practice of forcing a condemned person to carry the cross beam to his execution site. This showed that although he had rebelled against authority, the condemned person was now so completely conquered that his last act in life would be to carry the instrument of his demise to the place of his death. It was a show of complete and utter submission. A call to bear one’s cross as part of following Jesus, then, is a call to be as submitted to Christ as the condemned criminal was to his death.
Therefore, when Jesus calls for self-denial and cross-bearing, he’s claiming authority. Following Christ means disowning the self and giving allegiance to him instead. And it means giving him allegiance down to the very depths of our being.
More Than a Slogan
Instead of borrowing these biblical words as self-defined slogans for discipleship (as one of my seminary professors once said), what does Jesus’s call mean for our lives?
First, self-denial is not merely a periodic practice. We aren’t occasionally called to pick up a certain cross; we are called to an entire way of life. We often speak of whether we are willing to “count the cost” of discipleship. But the real issue is not the costliness of following Jesus—it’s our willingness to follow him regardlessof the cost. The greatness or littleness of the cost is no longer emphasized; rather, all of life is to be surrendered to him.
We aren’t occasionally called to pick up a certain cross; we are called to an entire way of life.
Second, a right understanding of the self is necessary for discipleship. If self-denial and cross-bearing are actually calls to surrender the self, then the self must not only be present, but well-known and well-examined. How can we submit what we do not recognize? How can we surrender what we are unaware of? Spending time examining our hearts, studying our motives, desires, and sin, is not only permissible in discipleship, but necessary to it.
Third, all discipleship is extreme. The seemingly harsh language of Jesus’s call is intended to make this clear. There are no halfway measures in following Christ. It’s all or nothing. By definition, it’s not a hobby but total and complete allegiance to him in every corner of the heart.
Christ calls us to exclusive allegiance and complete submission to him. Although extreme and all-encompassing, self-denial and cross-bearing do not eradicate or repress the self. Rather, the Holy Spirit works through them, restoring the image of God in us as we grow in Christlikeness and become more fully who we were created to be.
The phrase "a cross to bear" is a popular derivation of the words of Jesus: "Take up your cross and follow Me." While the phrase is commonly understood to mean acceptance of some burdensome task, the command to take up the cross is much more than a symbol of the difficulties experienced by humanity. Any person, whether a follower of Jesus or not, will suffer frustration and pain in this life. Taking up one's cross and following Jesus is something completely different.
The cross was an instrument of death. What Jesus is referring to is commitment to Him, even unto death—obedience to the extreme measure and willingness to die in pursuit of obedience. Death on a cross was not pleasant. It was painful and humiliating. The implication is that even if obedience is painful and humiliating, we should be willing to endure it for Christ.
By saying, "Take up your cross and follow Me" Jesus was giving us a word picture of the concept of "death to self," which originates in another saying of Jesus, "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?" (Luke 9:24-25). The idea is that nothing in this life is worth keeping if it means losing eternal life, not a job, not a family, not a group of friends, not even our very identity. The call is tough, but the eternal reward is well worth the temporary pain.
The multitudes that followed Christ were convinced that He was going to bring a glorious kingdom to earth, freeing them from the oppressive Roman rule. Even His own disciples were thinking this way (Luke 19:11). Misunderstanding the prophecies, they were shocked when He began to talk about death to self and carrying the cross (Luke 9:22). They left Him in droves because of these teachings. Similarly, sometimes believers today misunderstand the call of Jesus as a call to health, wealth, and prosperity. Nothing could be further from the truth. The call of Jesus is a call to die, but today some, unwilling to accept a call to die, leave Him or simply change His message to something more pleasant.
But His message never guaranteed a pleasant life. Jesus instead guaranteed that trials would come to His followers (John 16:33). Discipleship demands sacrifice, and Jesus never hid that cost. He also promised that He would be there to us give us the joy and peace of the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-19), comfort us in our trials (James 1:12), and act as a faithful high priest who understands our struggles (Hebrews 2:17) and accomplish for us peace with God by His blood (Romans 5:1).
In Luke 9:57-62, three different men expressed a willingness to follow Jesus. When Jesus asked them a few more questions, He revealed that their willingness was ill-considered. They had not counted the cost of following Him. None of them was willing to take up his cross and forsake his own interests for Christ's. It seems clear that then and now, people always struggle to put their own ideas, plans, ambitions and desires to death and exchange them for His.
Have you ever wondered if you would be like these men? Consider these questions:
• Would you still follow Jesus if it meant losing your closest friends?
• Would you still follow Jesus if it meant alienation from your family?
• Would you still follow Jesus if it meant the loss of your reputation?
• Would you still follow Jesus if it meant losing your job?
• Would you still follow Jesus if it meant losing your life?
In some places in the world, actual death is a real possibility when a person becomes a Christian. In other places, the consequences are different. The cost may be exacted emotionally rather than physically. But the lesson is clear: although following Jesus doesn't necessarily mean actual death, we should be willing to go to death, or suffer anything rather than deny Him. Many times the temptation is more subtle. For most of us, there comes a point in our lives where we are faced with a choice—Jesus or the comforts of this life—and which one we choose speaks volumes about our love for Him.
Taking up our cross to follow Christ means, simply, commitment to the point of giving up our hopes, dreams, possessions, even our very life if need be. This is the attitude – the only acceptable attitude – of a true disciple (Luke 14:27). Jesus' followers regard the reward as worth the price. Jesus set the example for us in His death, to give us the gift of life: "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 16:25).
No comments:
Post a Comment