Deny, take up the cross, and follow.

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Lady4Him

Lady4Him

Senior Member
Feb 18, 2017
117
5
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The other day I was doing my reading in Matthew. Chapter 16 verses 24 has been playing repeatedly in my mind for a couple of days now. What does it mean to deny ourselves? What does it mean to take up our cross? When we deny ourselves, we surrender all our desires, plans, ambitions, family etc. We give it all to God. We realize that our plans may not agree with God's. Does not necessarily mean our plans are bad or anything, just that they aren't what he has for us. If we follow our own desires, even though God has shown us what his plans are, we are not denying ourselves. We have not giving God full control of our lives, our family, our plans. I'm sure you all already know all of this, you don't need me to tell you. Taking up our cross. We'll have our own burdens to bear. Living for the Lord does not exempt us from hard times. It does not mean that our hearts will not be broken at times and everything will be rainbows and unicorns and cotton candy clouds (Matthew 5:45). We all experience our own issues. We all have our own crosses. This scripture has made me really examine myself. Have I really given everything to him? Am I hanging onto something? Have I really denied myself of my own desires? I wonder how often we have hindered the Lord's work in our own lives because we didn't turn something over to him and we held onto it. When we finally get to the point where we deny ourselves of our own wants and surrender to God's desires, He will move mightily in our lives. When I say "mightily" I'm referring more on a personal level, I'm not talking about Him doubling our bank account or things like that. I'm talking about being free from ourselves and giving him full and total control. I have things that I would love to see certain things happen in my life, but they are nothing compared to what God has for me. Nothing wrong with having desires and plans that glorify the Lord, but what makes it wrong is when we totally ignore His direction and proceed with our own plans. We can't be true followers of Christ unless we deny ourselves and take up our cross. God help me! Some may disagree with what I said. Just wanted to share this and see what you all thought. God bless!
 
Hi Lady! You have brought up something here that isnt as it seems to most Christians. This scripture means something totally different than what is thought or taught in the majority of protestant circles, as I hope yu are able to see it.

He is speaking to people who wish to follow the Lord. Yes? He is telling them how to correctly do it.

First, one must deny themselves. The idea here is NOT meaning to abstain from things. It should already be a given that if we Love the Lord, we will have a desire to conduct ourselves properly. God must do that within our hearts. We cant.

No, it means something else to deny ourselves. It means that our way of living for God wont work. It must be His way, and what is His way?

Its the way of the cross! Yu said that we all have our crosses to bear, but Im afraid that my cross or yur cross wont get us nowhere. But the cross of the GodMan, His cross...what He did there, that can accomplish anything in our hearts and lives. That is where the power of God is focused. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Christianity is a faith life, and if our faith is properly understood and placed, if will result in creating the proper desires and conduct.

By faith, His cross is yur cross, if ye be dead with Him. And if yu are dead with Him, you also will live in the Resurrection power of life. (Romans 6:3-5)
 
Expositor said:
Hi Lady! You have brought up something here that isnt as it seems to most Christians. This scripture means something totally different than what is thought or taught in the majority of protestant circles, as I hope yu are able to see it.

He is speaking to people who wish to follow the Lord. Yes? He is telling them how to correctly do it.

First, one must deny themselves. The idea here is NOT meaning to abstain from things. It should already be a given that if we Love the Lord, we will have a desire to conduct ourselves properly. God must do that within our hearts. We cant.

No, it means something else to deny ourselves. It means that our way of living for God wont work. It must be His way, and what is His way?

Its the way of the cross! Yu said that we all have our crosses to bear, but Im afraid that my cross or yur cross wont get us nowhere. But the cross of the GodMan, His cross...what He did there, that can accomplish anything in our hearts and lives. That is where the power of God is focused. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Christianity is a faith life, and if our faith is properly understood and placed, if will result in creating the proper desires and conduct.

By faith, His cross is yur cross, if ye be dead with Him. And if yu are dead with Him, you also will live in the Resurrection power of life. (Romans 6:3-5)
Click to expand...

I understand what you are saying about the cross. I hear people say all the time that they want to be like Jesus and all they think about is how compassionate he was, all the miracles he had done and all of that, but they never take into account of how he was rejected, hated, mocked and betrayed. All of did not only happen during his ministry, but also at the cross. Are we really willing to take up that cross? Are we really willing to follow his example? As for the denying ourselves part, I'm talking about when we openly rebel against what God has shown us in his Word. Our own desires, instead of his instruction.
 
Here's what I think happened, if you read verses21-23 Jesus is telling His disciples His death and resurrection, then Peter rebukes Jesus saying "far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you." After Jesus rebukes Peter as satan. Then Jesus say "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

Reading this in context it would seem that Jesus is dealing with this idea that Peter put forward as to Jesus not needing to die on the cross and resurrect, since He rebuked Peter to the point of calling him satan. Jesus seemed to be saying if you think like Peter, you take up your cross and follow Me. That's the natural interpretation I get when reading it in context.

Remember Jesus is dealing with Jews that are still under the Law and He's come to fulfill that Law and the Prophets.
 
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