Death to Self

Mark 8:34-35
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

Bible Knowledge Commentary: "When the Roman Empire crucified a criminal or captive, the victim was often forced to carry his cross part of the way to the crucifixion site, carrying his cross through the heart of the city." 

"The picture is of a man, already condemned, required to carry the beam of his own cross to the place of execution. Disciples from Galilee knew what this meant, for hundreds of men had been executed by this means in their region."

In Matthew 10:38 . If anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Are We Really Following Christ?

The modern-day of slavery. would be to walk down a hallway toward an electric chair. Death is the destiny. At least we are not first and, hopefully, we are not alone. If we "deny ourselves," and commit ourselves to death, we can no longer place any hope in this world. By "taking up our cross", it is as if all our natural passions and desires are doomed.

Luke 14:25-33  Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it-- 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’? 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

The Death Sentence
Galatians 5:24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 

You cannot belong to Christ Jesus unless you crucify all self-indulgent passions and desires.

1 Peter 2:24 And he personally bore our sins in his own body on the cross, so that we might be dead to sin and be alive to all that is good.

Consider Yourself Dead. God Bless,
-Esmeralda Kachmar

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