We read yesterday where Jesus issued a ‘new commandment’ that we are to love one another as HE loved us…and that this would be the single identifying mark of who His disciples truly were. (John 13:34-35) I suppose that fits in with His teachings about how you will ‘know them by their fruit’.
But keep in mind, His love is the standard…not how we ‘think’ we love others on a good day…or when we compare ourselves with the way ‘others’ do it. That is unwise. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.” (Luke 6:32)
His Love. His Standard. As in 1 Cor 13 kind of love. And without His nature IN us, it ain’t gonna happen.
So this ‘laying down’ one’s life… does any scenario pop up in your head like it always has in mine? You know…you see a child in the middle of the road and you dart out and push the child to safety as the truck runs you over. Or maybe you are like a secret service agent and you ‘take a bullet’ for someone else and die in the process. Maybe it’s not that extreme or dramatic and you just donate a kidney to someone in need.
But is this what Jesus had in mind when he talked about the need to ‘lay down one’s life’?
I don’t believe so. You do know Paul wrote that one could actually offer up their body to be burned… but if they did not have the ‘God kind of love’, the act itself would profit them nothing. ( 1 Cor 13:3)
The life Jesus referred to that needed to be ‘laid down’ for His sake pertains to our ‘old sinful life’ and nature.
When man was originally created back in Genesis 1:26, he was made in the likeness and image of God. He was pure and holy and had the character and likeness of God.
But sin messed that all up. Sin opened the door for death to enter and it affected all of humanity as it was passed down from Adam. (Rom 5:12) You might say that we ‘exchanged our glory for the image of an ox…or …a ‘beast’. (Psalm 106:20)
An ‘image…of …a beast’. Interesting.
Adam had the choice of the two trees. One was a tree of ‘life’, the other, if eaten off of, brought death.
We no longer bore God’s image…rather we exchanged or inherited the image…of Satan. We were no longer a ‘chip off the old block’ of our Father, God. Now we all were ‘sons of disobedience. Sound questionable? Go read what Jesus told the Pharisees in John 8:44: “You are of your father the devil and do what he wants you to do…”
The serpent deceived Eve- appealing to the ‘lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the boastful pride of life’ and she ate. (Genesis 3) And she/they died …because sin separated us all from God.
That’s what sin does. (Isa 59:2). There is no real ‘life’ apart from Him. Now go read John 5:40…what does Jesus tell those religious leaders why all their studying of scripture would not bring them life because why …….? (no, really, go look that verse up right now)
Today, we still have the same choice. And the same temptation that was presented to Adam and Eve. (1 John 2:15-17)
Romans 8:13 says if we continue to yield to or follow the flesh nature…we will ‘die’.
Prior to coming to Christ, we were ‘dead, in darkness, and held captive by Satan and the powers of darkness’. ( Eph 2:1-3; Acts 26:18; 1 John 5:19)
Everything within us…or old nature was carnal and hostile to God. We were incapable of pleasing God or being subject to His law. (Rom 8:7) A law, I might add, that is summed up as ‘loving others as He loved us’.
Why were we incapable of living this out? Our old corrupt sinful nature was the reason. It was, by the way, a nature we inherited. We were born in to sin.
Jesus came to set us free. And make us new.
Everything in our old sinful life was diametrically opposed to God’s nature of love. Which was why He came to not only redeem us, but to transform us. He came to make us a ‘new creation’. That is what this whole walk of salvation is about. Being conformed to the nature and likeness of Him. (Romans 8:29).
Sadly today, countless people sitting on church pews weekly have been mislead to believe that if they just ‘show up’ and are ‘faithful’ and ‘say the right words’, that this process of ‘transformation’ will just sort of magically happen when they die and show up in heaven.
But scripture would teach otherwise. Paul warns repeatedly of doctrines that do not conform us to godliness, but rather just give us the sense of a ‘form of godliness but denying the power’. (2 Tim 3:5)
The power to do what?
To change us. To make us a ‘new creation’ where the old is gone and all things become new. (2 Cor 5:17)
But in order for this to happen, we have this small part to play. It’s called ‘taking up your cross and following Jesus.” You in a sense, are ‘laying down’ your old life. And as you follow in obedience, you begin to ‘decrease’ and He begins to ‘increase’.
Romans 8:14 tells you exactly who the children of God are…the ones who are “led by the Spirit of God”.
And there is some suffering along the way. This ‘old man’, this ‘flesh nature’ does not want to die. But if/when we do turn to Him with all our hearts, it is by His grace that He empowers us to overcome all the wiles of the devil and flesh and the world.
Peter writes that we should not be perplexed when we encounter various trials and tests as though something strange is happening. It’s a part of the process of ‘dying’ and ‘laying down this old nature. But he also goes on to say that ‘he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin and no longer lives the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men but for the will of God.” (1 Pet 4:12, 1-2)
Living for the will of God. That is no small thing given we are told that ‘not everyone who says ‘Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of the Father in heaven.” (Matt 7:21) John also writes to confirm this: “he who does the will of God abides forever”. ( 1 John 2:17)
Paul would later write to some who were hung up on the rite of circumcision saying ‘circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision in nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.” ( 1 Cor 7:19)
And we know that all the commandments and the Law and the prophets are summed up nicely in this statement: We will love God with ALL our hearts and love our neighbor as yourself.” (Matt 22:37-40)
But let me remind you…it all goes back to the heart. Coming to Christ means surrendering your whole heart to Him. No strings attached. Lots to learn from with the conversation Jesus had with the rich, young ruler in Mark 10:17-22
I think we can be quick to say, or assume, that ‘of course we love God with all our hearts’.
But do we? Is there any way of being able to tell?
Actually, there is and I’d like to leave you with this today for your own prayerful consideration.
When a person ‘comes to the Lord’…saying in a matter of words or actions that they are turning their life over to Jesus, …God takes them at their word. And then He will test the heart to see how serious they are and if they truly mean it.
God will begin to deal with sin.
If you don’t want to deal with sin in your life, can I just tell you that Jesus doesn’t have your whole heart. And once that becomes apparent, it kind of shuts down the peace and the protection and the blessings that God wants to pour out in your life.
What area in your heart do you know God has been dealing with you on, and you’ve been reluctant to turn it loose, repent, confess, and allow Him to remove it from your life. Your ‘shrinking back’ or reluctance to surrender is a way of telling God that you love that sin more than you love Him. Which now makes it an idol.
And before you get offended or upset with this reality, please know this: He doesn’t expect you to do this on your own, nor is He waiting for YOU to ‘clean up your life’ before you come to Him. He wants to do it for you…and He knows you better than you know yourself. It’s His kindness that leads you to repentance.
What are you holding on to?
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