What does it mean to "Take up your cross and follow me"?
Exclusively Christian TheologyThis forum is exclusively for those who consider themselves Christian and consider the Bible to be the inspired word of God.
The challenge for me is personal, not just "follow Christ". (which I think several of you were stating as well).
Just as the Word speaks to specific circumstances-we've all read scripture several diff times over the years and were ministered to in a new way each time. (this Jesus stuff is awesome!)
I believe my cross is dying. One day it may be that I have to be bold and uncomfortable. Another that I keep my mouth shut and am still (WAY more uncomfortable!)
Ok, those are very simplistic.
My cross is being engulfed in God's word so I can have recall and when necessary say, "It is written....". Conversational prayer. Childlike wonder. Constant praise on my tongue.
And above all, loving God more than anyone else. And everyone else more than me. And it has to be obvious! Lol!
If I'm there, in that place, I'm prepared for whatever my cross may be THAT day.
The TRULY miraculous thing?? That He would even CONSIDER allowing me to follow Him.
what does it mean? it does not mean self immolation. it does not mean what is commonly understood by self denial, namely brute force against one's own desires.
the crucifixion of one's own sin nature does not entail any of this. that comes through repentance as the real gift of grace, led by the Holy Spirit in one on one counsel in prayer.
and never forget that as his yoke is easy and his burden is light, so is the cross we have to bear.
anything crushing and self immolating is either a legalistic counterfeit or is a carnal response to what God has given us, not a spiritual response
Slogan/motto:
I have no political views of this world, and lean towards none that are listed. 2Co 5:17 (GW) Gal 6:15 (GW)
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June 10th, 2012, 01:14 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by bybee
Sin is rampant in this world. What is my mandate?
Col 3:1-11 ERV
(1) You were raised from death with Christ. So live for what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.
(2) Think only about what is up there, not what is here on earth.
(3) Your old self has died, and your new life is kept with Christ in God.
(4) Yes, Christ is now your life, and when he comes again, you will share in his glory.
(5) So put everything evil out of your life: sexual sin, doing anything immoral, letting sinful thoughts control you, and wanting things that are wrong. And don't keep wanting more and more for yourself, which is the same as worshiping a false god.
(6) God will show his anger against those who don't obey him, because they do these evil things.
(7) You also did these things in the past, when you lived like them.
(8) But now put these things out of your life: anger, losing your temper, doing or saying things to hurt others, and saying shameful things.
(9) Don't lie to each other. You have taken off those old clothes--the person you once were and the bad things you did then.
(10) Now you are wearing a new life, a life that is new every day. You are growing in your understanding of the one who made you. You are becoming more and more like him.
(11) In this new life it doesn't matter if you are a Greek or a Jew, circumcised or not. It doesn't matter if you speak a different language or even if you are a Scythian. It doesn't matter if you are a slave or free. Christ is all that matters, and he is in all of you.
2Co 5:17 ERV
(17) When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new!
2Co 5:17 Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence.
what does it mean? it does not mean self immolation. it does not mean what is commonly understood by self denial, namely brute force against one's own desires.
the crucifixion of one's own sin nature does not entail any of this. that comes through repentance as the real gift of grace, led by the Holy Spirit in one on one counsel in prayer.
and never forget that as his yoke is easy and his burden is light, so is the cross we have to bear.
anything crushing and self immolating is either a legalistic counterfeit or is a carnal response to what God has given us, not a spiritual response
Woo YES! Beautiful! His yoke is easy and his burden light. That and the Grace kicker! Man we serve an AWESOME God. That was truly beautiful. Just what I needed - and didn't even know it!
Slogan/motto:
If you think you can fool God, you are only fooling yourselves. You will harvest what you plant.
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June 10th, 2012, 01:56 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by bybee
Sin is rampant in this world. What is my mandate?
“We have all these great people around us as examples. Their lives tell us what faith means. So we, too, should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fall.
We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God's throne.
Think about Jesus. He patiently endured the angry insults that sinful people were shouting at him. Think about him so that you won't get discouraged and stop trying.
You are struggling against sin, but you have not had to give up your life for the cause”. (Hebrews 12:1,2,3,4) ERV Version
The lives of the men and women of the Bible, and especially the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, shows us that we can endure hard circumstances and overcome them.
Warm Christian greetings...
Blessed be the GOD and FATHER of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Slogan/motto:
Try to be civil in the face of incivility. This is a test.
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June 10th, 2012, 03:53 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by chrysostom
love God and your neighbor
all the laws hang on this
Agreed.
This I have believed. Christ said that he came to fulfill the Law. I have thought that his gift to us is, in part, that we no longer need fret or be sad because we need not worry about fulfilling every jot and tittle of the Law. It has been done. But now we must love God and we must love our neighbor as Christ does.
Slogan/motto:
Try to be civil in the face of incivility. This is a test.
Reputation:
June 10th, 2012, 03:56 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Viv W
“We have all these great people around us as examples. Their lives tell us what faith means. So we, too, should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fall.
We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God's throne.
Think about Jesus. He patiently endured the angry insults that sinful people were shouting at him. Think about him so that you won't get discouraged and stop trying.
You are struggling against sin, but you have not had to give up your life for the cause”. (Hebrews 12:1,2,3,4) ERV Version
The lives of the men and women of the Bible, and especially the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, shows us that we can endure hard circumstances and overcome them.
Warm Christian greetings...
Well said! I especially love to read "The Acts of the Apostles".
Slogan/motto:
I have no political views of this world, and lean towards none that are listed. 2Co 5:17 (GW) Gal 6:15 (GW)
Reputation:
June 10th, 2012, 05:21 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by bybee
Agreed.
This I have believed. Christ said that he came to fulfill the Law. I have thought that his gift to us is, in part, that we no longer need fret or be sad because we need not worry about fulfilling every jot and tittle of the Law. It has been done. But now we must love God and we must love our neighbor as Christ does.
Exactly, love fulfills everything: when we love God and our neighbour as ourselves, we will automatically fulfill the the rest:
Love never does anything that is harmful to his neighbor: Therefore, love fulfills Moses' Teachings. (Rom 13:10)
1Jn 4:11-19 GW
Dear friends, if this is the way God loved us, we must also love each other. No one has ever seen God. If we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. We know that we live in him and he lives in us because he has given us his Spirit. We have seen and testify to the fact that the Father sent his Son as the Savior of the world. God lives in those who declare that Jesus is the Son of God, and they live in God. We have known and believed that God loves us. God is love. Those who live in God's love live in God, and God lives in them. God's love has reached its goal in us. So we look ahead with confidence to the day of judgment. While we are in this world, we are exactly like him with regard to love. No fear exists where his love is. Rather, perfect love gets rid of fear, because fear involves punishment. The person who lives in fear doesn't have perfect love. We love because God loved us first.
2Co 5:17 Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence.
IT MEANS that His Cross is YOUR CROSS, SOOOO!!! Take up YOUR / HIS Cross, and, - "lightly burden" - yourself with the GOSPEL!!!! --- EEEEEeeeEE!! --- THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS!!!!!!
Paul -- 061012
---Gal. 4:16.
---"Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth"???
Slogan/motto:
Try to be civil in the face of incivility. This is a test.
Reputation:
June 10th, 2012, 05:59 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Letsargue
IT MEANS that His Cross is YOUR CROSS, SOOOO!!! Take up YOUR / HIS Cross, and, - "lightly burden" - yourself with the GOSPEL!!!! --- EEEEEeeeEE!! --- THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS!!!!!!
Paul -- 061012
Thank you Paul! I do agree with you.
No need to shout.
I've asked the question so that we can share our thoughts and beliefs on this topic.
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luke 9:23
Take Up Thy Cross and Follow Me
I walked one day along a country road,
And there a stranger journeyed, too,
Bent low beneath the burden of His load:
It was a cross, a cross I knew.
I cried, “Lord Jesus,” and He spoke my name;
I saw His hands all bruised and torn;
I stooped to kiss away the marks of shame,
The shame for me that He had borne.
“Oh, let me bear Thy cross, dear Lord,” I cried,
And, lo, a cross for me appeared,
The one, forgotten, I had cast aside,
The one, so long, that I had feared.
My cross I’ll carry till the crown appears —
The way I journey soon will end —
Where God Himself shall wipe away all tears,
And friend hold fellowship with friend.
“Take up thy cross and follow Me,”
I hear the blessed Savior call;
How can I make a lesser sacrifice,
When Jesus gave His all?
.....O LORD my God, in You I put my trust. Psalm 7:1
.....To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul. Psalm 25:1
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. ~ Leo Buscaglia
You have to resist Lying and Deceiving and tell the Truth all day long.
Try it and see if you can do it for a week.
It isn't easy.
Mt 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mr 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mr 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
Lu 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
June 10th, 2012, 03:56 AM
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