Matthew 16:24–28
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “IF ANY OF YOU WANTS TO BE MY FOLLOWER, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”
To give up your own way means to Repent. The sinful nature needs to be nailed to the cross to die. It requires faith, genuine confession, deep remorse, forgiveness, and denial of this evil world and the sinful lifestyle. A person needs to believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord (God).
If the sin is being repeated after the confession, then the confession wasn’t genuine, and sinful nature survived because its power still commits sins.
Jesus Christ did not survive the cross – He died on it but has risen back to life in Spirit on the 3rd day. The same is expected of us but in a spiritual sense. Our sinful lifestyle needs to die completely to be made new in Christ. Only then will the sin not be repeated. It’s not about our mortal body, which will die regardless, but our souls.
Only then is the veil lifted, and a person receives the Holy Spirit enabling them to do the works planned for them, such as; prophecy, doing miracles, speaking in tongues, healing, discerning, speaking in wisdom/having special knowledge/teaching, serving, etc.
Being a Follower is a radical lifestyle. Many are called, but few are chosen. Those who are chosen dedicate their lives to Jesus Christ. Their worldly ambition died on the cross as well. They gave up everything to do it (money, families, possessions). They are being made Holy and trained to be like Jesus Christ, His FOLLOWERS.
2 Timothy 2:3–4 “Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.”
Galatians 6:14 “As for me, may I never boast about anything EXCEPT THE CROSS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.”
Ephesians 4:11 “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.”
Those who are not called to be chosen are BELIEVERS and are also required to repent. They are expected to live godly lifestyles. Examples are found in:
- Colossians 3:18–25 to 4:1–6
- 1 and 2 Thessalonians
- 1 Timothy