You Must Die to live!

Christ Jesus was crucified for our sins, we are told by him to crucify ourselves (our flesh) daily to live in His (Christ's) nature. We do this by our carrying the cross; meaning, He suffered all the way up the hill and was crucified to death by that which he carried. Whatever is nailed to the cross, dies.

This is Christianity 101. The ABC’s of walking with the Lord, is to die to self. Which means we must be aware of what is contrary to Christs nature, to put that to death.

The crucifixion tells us we deserve punishment for how we lived, the choices we made wrong. This is why the message of the cross is offensive to all, we told we are sinful and God wants us to relinquish our control of our lives to Him. It can only be done by the idea of picking up a cross daily, dying to self. That’s not easy, but difficult; its uncomfortable, it goes against our preservation for our own flesh, the old nature that is sinful.

Only those "obedient unto death," death by daily carrying their "cross," will find themselves exalted in God's kingdom. These are called overcomers. This is why we are told to make oneself humble, submit to the Lord, there is no other way.

Paul says, “I die daily”(1 Cor. 15:31) He explains how this is done, “you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Rom. 12:1-2

If we are not offended by being crucified daily, have we repented? A certain segment of Christianity has easy believism which is contrary to the statements of Jesus to strive, (agonize) to enter the narrow gate (Mt.7:13), the journey of being on the narrow road that leads to life. It is not just a single step but holding to that first step by faith as a commitment in ones life’s journey, staying on that narrow road. Paul spoke of this as a race, not against others but oneself, to cross the finish line in victory.

The sanctification of God by the Holy Spirit who indwells the believer is a process, it is slow work - not quick, and it can be painful to endure as the desires of flesh encountered daily we are to die to. For the Spirit is contrary to our sinful nature and it can make us very uncomfortable, as if one is on fire. This is a process is that few can endure by faith, for it is as a fire and often bears repeating if one fails (1 Peter 1:7) speaks of our faith as tested by fire (1 Pt.4:15).

2 Cor. 1:5-7 “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.”

1 Cor. 4:12-13 “Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.”

2 Thess. 1:4 “We ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure.”

Paul commends those who stay in there to complete the task. For we are promised in 2 Tim. 2:13 “If we endure,We shall also reign with Him.”

You must be corrected to live as a Christian

Heb. 12:7-9 “If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

God does correct his children, he is not some liberal God who is so tolerant allowing us to become wayward. He seeks after all that stray. He continues to love his children when they are wayward and doing wrong. He actually steps in to correct their direction back to him. He will do this by circumstance, by people (Believers or unbelievers) or he will make life difficult to get our attention if we do not listen to his Word.

Heb. 12:1-2 “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Heb. 10:36-39 “you have need of endurance , so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: "For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him." But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.“

We must have endurance through our trials, for this is where our faith is tested to be as gold.

James 5:11 “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord--that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.”

Besides Jesus, Job was the most afflicted person described in the bible. He was rewarded double at the end.

All Christians should walk in the way of suffering in the world, die to self by carrying our cross if we want victory and not defeat.

Richard Wurmbrand is a good example, he is a man who suffered for his faith in prison under Communism, “He said there were two kinds of Christians: those who sincerely believe in God and those who, just as sincerely, believe that they believe. You can tell them apart by their actions in decisive moments.” (Richard Wurmbrand, In God's Underground )

Two thieves hung with the only innocent person ever born. One thief wanted to be saved from his crucifixion the other gave himself up to death, knowing that he deserved it. He asked for comfort, that only Jesus could bring beyond death. The glorious gospel of Jesus had mercy on His death. Matt. 16:25 “ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”

Only those who admit what they deserve (as this one thief did), and accept their punishment, will find their lives in paradise with Jesus.

Jesus said this a number of times in different ways. John 12:25-26 “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”

 

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