The head scratching Gospel of Christ
Often times, when Jesus was teaching, I suspect there were those in the crowd who were scratching their heads, wondering what this Man was talking about. He seemed to be talking in a backwards way as He addressed this life.
Consider what is recorded in the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 8, verse 35…. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
Scratching their heads, they had to wonder how one could save their life by dying? How could one lose their life by saving it? Yet Jesus, in His special way, was teaching them the importance of our spiritual lives. Our eternal life, and not our earthly lives.
Jesus (in verse 36) went on to say: For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37) Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
This teaching is the teaching that we must die to self in order to live in Him. The Apostle Paul said:
1 Corinthians 15:31) I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
And, back in Mark, Jesus prefaced His comment from verse 35 by saying: 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.
This teaching had to be a mystery to many there, and they surely walked away wondering what sort of man this Jesus was.
But this teaching runs through all of His Gospel. Consider what He told Nicodemus (found in John 3:5) Jesus answered, Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. 6) That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit. 7) Marvel not that I say unto thee, Ye must be born again.
This goes hand in hand with what He taught in Mark, and what Paul said in 1 Corinthians. Dying to self, to live in Christ.
Yes, Scripture tells us that it is appointed for every man to die once, but this death is the physical/earthy death, not our spiritual death. In Christ Jesus, we have assurance that our spirit will never die!
John 11:25) Jesus said unto her I am the resurrection and the life, he that believeth in me, though her were dead, yet shall he live. 26) And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Praise God! Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
(Inspired by the writings of Joe Stowell)
