“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."1
What does it mean to deny ourselves? And what does it mean to take up our cross? And what does it mean that we must loose our life in order to gain it? We have more insight in Paul's writings, "so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."2 As believers we are born of Spirit, we are partakers of His divine nature, thus righteousness is our new nature. The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, so it is the body in which sin dwells we must deny, we must present it a living sacrifice, into sanctification. We must take up our cross and follow Him, crucifying the flesh with its passions and desires.
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”3
As His child our heavenly Father works in us proving that He is trustworthy and faithful, so that we are deeply rooted and grounded in love and knowledge of the Son of God. This foundation of grace and truth establishes us in trust. Unlike the Law which used fear of punishment as a motivator, in the new, agape love is perfecting us, or it is faith working by love. Ordinances have little value in overcoming the flesh, as Paul writes the letter kills but the Spirit gives Life. The young person in Christ has progressed from a knowing and loving relationship, knowing his identity as His child to one in which the word of God abides in him, and to one who has overcome the evil one, this is sanctification. “For this is the will of God, your sanctification...”4 So we see we must do our part, abiding in the words of Christ, His words are Spirit and Truth and it is the truth that sets free and the Spirit that gives Life.
“And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”5
The path to sanctification is by transformation which requires the renewal of the mind for any believer. The conscious is a great testimony that God exists. Some explain this as both a devil and an angel sitting opposite places on our shoulders speaking to us. Was this knowledge placed in man when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? When one crosses the line so to say, ignoring the warning signs, it is easier the next time, and so on until the conscious becomes seared. It is easy for a child, to put trust in other things, when the nurturing and love he should have at home is absent, when trust is never developed. The kingdom of God is about receiving little children. While the external issue of the drug addict and the alcoholic is most visible, it is a sign of the Church today when a high percentage of men struggle with pornography. The issue is of the flesh, in whatever form it may be, like the rich young ruler who placed his trust in riches, but he put trust in following laws, traditions, and principles, not living by faith. It is an amazing thing that by grace through faith we are saved, as it is by the gift of grace and righteousness that we will reign in Life.
“but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil.”6
The armor in which we trust will determine whether we overcome or not. It is to the one who endures that the crown of Life is given. And we know it is the fruit of righteousness that leads to sanctification and its end Life thus the crown of Life is given to those who endure sanctification unto Life. The fruit of righteousness is trust and rest, thus trust is an essential element of our faith and sanctification. If we fail to develop trust we fail to lead into sanctification, and we fail to develop men. Those who put obedience before trust cause little children to stumble. Those who seek First the Kingdom of God and His righteousness will sow the seed of God's word into salvation and into sanctification. Paul writes this is our reasonable service that we present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God.7 It is the seed of righteousness that produces fruit (trust and rest) that leads into sanctification, and sanctification unto Life. So we see the importance of trust and entering into His rest, without such many believers who have the Spirit of Life within them are stuck in a wretched state. And here we are, at this most important question, what does it mean to present our bodies a living sacrifice?
"but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,”8
It is an amazing thing, sanctification, like the testimony of Spirit and blood, it is folly until experienced. The young ruler came to Jesus because he sought life. Matthew writes Jesus said “if you want to be perfect, then sell all you have...” The man wanted to be perfect, following the Law since he was a child, blameless he thought. So really he trusted in two things; in a works based righteousness and in his riches. The new covenant Jesus established in His blood and he gives the gift of righteousness by faith, not by works of the Law. How important it is that we place our complete trust in Him. I believe we all have had that one thing we trust in, for me it was work and riches, for others it may be sex, alcohol, drugs, fame, food... We go to these things to find comfort, at first it is deeply rooted but as we give them to God we might put them in a little box, storing them away for a day when we find it hard to trust God, then we pull it out, take a look, play with it for a bit, find some comfort there and then store it away. When we hold on to these things we do not fully learn to trust in Him, we go back to things we trusted in before. Jesus said we must give up these things to follow Him. We must put our trust in Him.
“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.9
We learn to trust in Him, and to enter into His rest, this is required to enter our reasonable service, to present our bodies a living sacrifice. It is in the teachings of baptism that we have understanding into this reasonable service, which includes one important concept; we must be united in His death, we must take up our cross and follow Him. The thing we have put our trust in, must be taken up, carried to the cross, where it is crucified.“those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”5 Notice, it doesn't say will crucify, but have, it is our reasonable service. Picture Jesus carrying the cross to His crucifixion, He crucified the flesh, condemning sin in the flesh. Such was not an easy thing to do, but we must too take up our cross, condemning sin in the flesh. We must participate in His suffering, that as we are in the likeness of His death, so also will be in the likeness of His resurrection. We take up that which we have put our trust in, we carry it to the cross, we place our trust in Him.
“For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him...” 10
Those who will endure, are those who have deep roots, as the principle of sowing states. Those who hear and receive will bear some fruit but it is those who have understanding, these will bear much fruit. These will not be choked out by persecution, by the cares of the world, these will endure the call to sell all they have, to take up their cross and follow Jesus. Whatever they have put trust in, these take up the cross, crucifying it. While there is our part, “so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.”4 There is the part of God and His shepherds, these who are called to feed the flock. Servants of Christ have crucified the flesh, these lead the flock into the fruit of righteousness, trust and rest, and into sanctification which end is Life. Take up your cross and follow Him, for to die is gain, sanctification leading to Life.
For Me To Live Is Christ
What does it mean to deny ourselves? And what does it mean to take up our cross? And what does it mean that we must loose our life in order to gain it? We have more insight in Paul's writings, "so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."2 As believers we are born of Spirit, we are partakers of His divine nature, thus righteousness is our new nature. The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, so it is the body in which sin dwells we must deny, we must present it a living sacrifice, into sanctification. We must take up our cross and follow Him, crucifying the flesh with its passions and desires.
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”3
As His child our heavenly Father works in us proving that He is trustworthy and faithful, so that we are deeply rooted and grounded in love and knowledge of the Son of God. This foundation of grace and truth establishes us in trust. Unlike the Law which used fear of punishment as a motivator, in the new, agape love is perfecting us, or it is faith working by love. Ordinances have little value in overcoming the flesh, as Paul writes the letter kills but the Spirit gives Life. The young person in Christ has progressed from a knowing and loving relationship, knowing his identity as His child to one in which the word of God abides in him, and to one who has overcome the evil one, this is sanctification. “For this is the will of God, your sanctification...”4 So we see we must do our part, abiding in the words of Christ, His words are Spirit and Truth and it is the truth that sets free and the Spirit that gives Life.
“And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”5
The path to sanctification is by transformation which requires the renewal of the mind for any believer. The conscious is a great testimony that God exists. Some explain this as both a devil and an angel sitting opposite places on our shoulders speaking to us. Was this knowledge placed in man when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? When one crosses the line so to say, ignoring the warning signs, it is easier the next time, and so on until the conscious becomes seared. It is easy for a child, to put trust in other things, when the nurturing and love he should have at home is absent, when trust is never developed. The kingdom of God is about receiving little children. While the external issue of the drug addict and the alcoholic is most visible, it is a sign of the Church today when a high percentage of men struggle with pornography. The issue is of the flesh, in whatever form it may be, like the rich young ruler who placed his trust in riches, but he put trust in following laws, traditions, and principles, not living by faith. It is an amazing thing that by grace through faith we are saved, as it is by the gift of grace and righteousness that we will reign in Life.
“but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil.”6
The armor in which we trust will determine whether we overcome or not. It is to the one who endures that the crown of Life is given. And we know it is the fruit of righteousness that leads to sanctification and its end Life thus the crown of Life is given to those who endure sanctification unto Life. The fruit of righteousness is trust and rest, thus trust is an essential element of our faith and sanctification. If we fail to develop trust we fail to lead into sanctification, and we fail to develop men. Those who put obedience before trust cause little children to stumble. Those who seek First the Kingdom of God and His righteousness will sow the seed of God's word into salvation and into sanctification. Paul writes this is our reasonable service that we present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God.7 It is the seed of righteousness that produces fruit (trust and rest) that leads into sanctification, and sanctification unto Life. So we see the importance of trust and entering into His rest, without such many believers who have the Spirit of Life within them are stuck in a wretched state. And here we are, at this most important question, what does it mean to present our bodies a living sacrifice?
"but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,”8
It is an amazing thing, sanctification, like the testimony of Spirit and blood, it is folly until experienced. The young ruler came to Jesus because he sought life. Matthew writes Jesus said “if you want to be perfect, then sell all you have...” The man wanted to be perfect, following the Law since he was a child, blameless he thought. So really he trusted in two things; in a works based righteousness and in his riches. The new covenant Jesus established in His blood and he gives the gift of righteousness by faith, not by works of the Law. How important it is that we place our complete trust in Him. I believe we all have had that one thing we trust in, for me it was work and riches, for others it may be sex, alcohol, drugs, fame, food... We go to these things to find comfort, at first it is deeply rooted but as we give them to God we might put them in a little box, storing them away for a day when we find it hard to trust God, then we pull it out, take a look, play with it for a bit, find some comfort there and then store it away. When we hold on to these things we do not fully learn to trust in Him, we go back to things we trusted in before. Jesus said we must give up these things to follow Him. We must put our trust in Him.
“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.9
We learn to trust in Him, and to enter into His rest, this is required to enter our reasonable service, to present our bodies a living sacrifice. It is in the teachings of baptism that we have understanding into this reasonable service, which includes one important concept; we must be united in His death, we must take up our cross and follow Him. The thing we have put our trust in, must be taken up, carried to the cross, where it is crucified.“those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”5 Notice, it doesn't say will crucify, but have, it is our reasonable service. Picture Jesus carrying the cross to His crucifixion, He crucified the flesh, condemning sin in the flesh. Such was not an easy thing to do, but we must too take up our cross, condemning sin in the flesh. We must participate in His suffering, that as we are in the likeness of His death, so also will be in the likeness of His resurrection. We take up that which we have put our trust in, we carry it to the cross, we place our trust in Him.
“For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him...” 10
Those who will endure, are those who have deep roots, as the principle of sowing states. Those who hear and receive will bear some fruit but it is those who have understanding, these will bear much fruit. These will not be choked out by persecution, by the cares of the world, these will endure the call to sell all they have, to take up their cross and follow Jesus. Whatever they have put trust in, these take up the cross, crucifying it. While there is our part, “so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.”4 There is the part of God and His shepherds, these who are called to feed the flock. Servants of Christ have crucified the flesh, these lead the flock into the fruit of righteousness, trust and rest, and into sanctification which end is Life. Take up your cross and follow Him, for to die is gain, sanctification leading to Life.
For Me To Live Is Christ