Obey and Die

Brethren,

I was struck with a thought this morning, that Jesus was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Phil. 2:8). Matthew Henry makes an accurate statement when he says that death by crucifixion is a slow, long, drawn-out struggle. I would also imagine the victim goes into spasms, death throes, periods of calm, and then sporadically jerk and struggle again. Death is certain, death is looming...but death is excruciatingly delayed until the last breath of air expirates in final surrender. At this point, the victim bows the head and goes limp forever.

Brethren, like Christ, are we being obedient unto death, even the death of the cross? Know that although the "Old Man" has indeed been crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6) that the "body of sin" might be destroyed, men are still able to stuggle and thrash and fight against the nails pinning them to the wood. Futile thrashing! Futile rebellion! Brethren, such opposition to death only exacerbates the pain. Mortification is a process which is slow and painful by itself - our strugglings against it only draw out the agony and make it worse.

Why not instead take the example of Christ, and just bow our heads. He was the first to die between the three! Pity that God should have to break our legs because we have not died in the time that we should have. Sometimes God has to facilitate our deaths - and we still rebel - even on broken legs! O, dear saints, we will find that the sooner we die, the sooner the world can ram any spear it wishes into our sides without a peep or jerk from us. Then God can quake the rocks of the world through our obedience and cause the spear-jammers to confess: "Truly, Jesus Christ is the Son of God!"

- Brother Paul

Hi Paul,

Thanks for sharing this. [i]Why not take the example of Christ, and bow our heads. He was the first to die between the three! Pity that God should have to "break our legs" because we have not died in the time that we should have. We will find that if we die, the world can ram any spear it wishes into our sides without a peep or jerk from us. [/i]

I have found that 'dying' (though we already be dead with Christ that are in Christ) is often as simple as putting one foot in front of the other and going to do His perfect will. I'm thinking now of Solomon's words in Proverbs about slumber and slothfulness. Or Paul the Apostle's words in Ephesians that we should work with our hand the things that are good that we may have to give to those that are in need. Dying is sometimes grabbing ourselves by the nap of the neck and forcing ourselves to get about the work. Our Spiritual poverty comes as an armed bandit when we slumber.

"Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is
earthly; fornication, impurity, passion, evil
desire, and greed (which is idolatry.) On
account of these things the wrath of God is
coming upon the disobedient. These are the
ways in which you also once walked, when you
were living that life. But now you must rid
yourselves of all such things..."

COLOSSIANS 3:5-8

This reminded me of something I read recently...

Crucifixion is a long and painful process, a lingering and agonizing death, from the moment the condemned man’s hands are nailed, to the moment when he breathes his last. It is the same way with my crucified self. There comes a moment when I yield mentally to the crucifixion of my old self with Christ and accept the principles of the Christian life, after which there may ensue, perhaps must ensue, a period of tortured, struggling life...

We will not come down from the Cross; we seek the lowest place and give up our rights and deny ourselves. But our spirits are worn down and we are on the verge of breakdown. We are consumed by our hurt pride, our struggling jealousy, our wounded self-love. At first they struggle to live, then at last they are weary to die. What is the point of it all? Probably that before we can hate ourselves enough to jettison ourselves to death, we must know ourselves as we truly are.

This crucifixion brings out the very worst in us; there is no veneer of respectability or hypocrisy left on the crucified man. But oh! How the old man will cry out to live. Never before have we guessed the depth or strength of sin in our lives until we yield them up to crucifixion. It is not the realization of what we must do that appalls us, but the realization of what we are; the coming to light of that life which struggles at all costs to live.

There wasn’t an evil passion that existed that wasn’t brought to light in the wilderness journey of Israel. From the moment they set out on their journey from Egypt, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, the serpent was still writhing, struggling to live, weary to die.

“How long?” We cry. For each it is different, each must fully see, learn, and accept. For some it comes quickly for others a lifetime of struggle persists. But the lifetime struggle is not God’s will, for He purposed our peace, and the power of the new Resurrection life of Jesus which can only operate after the final death sentence has been passed and continues to be passed, moment by moment.

-from Missing the Way by Patricia St. John

Very true, brother Robert, and I can identify with poverty slipping through the backdoor while we slumber. I can only accomplish one will, as you say - either mine own or the Father's - and consequently die to one or the other.

I have found that if I desire die to mine own, it is often akin to "bucking against the nails"; the picture that comes to mind is a man in horrific pain, spasming and arching his back on a cross. But does it always have to be this painful to do the will of God?

Revelation 9:6 says that men will seek death in those days and not find it - they shall [i]desire[/i] to die, and death shall flee from them. Now, before anyone accuses me of bad hermeneutics, I realize that this scripture is not usually interpreted in the context of what we're discussing in this devotional! I only mention it because such a desire also seems to be quite the common plight of many a Christian! You ask certain people here in these forums, and they'll unhesitatingly tell you, "Yes! My only desire is to die to self and live for God! But my pathetic life only seems to echo Paul's dismal cry in Romans 7..."

I am also one. I can still feel the spear jabs, and I often buck against the nails, unwilling and writhing. The death we must die is a daily death, and my unspoken prayer each morning is that the Lord haste my death for the day. My desire is to be dead to PaulWest, and not only that, but to also bring forth the correct elements of faith when stabbed by the world. The Lord's side brought forth blood and water when He was stabbed, and for me, I would also that blood and water flow from my vessel: let the world see the evidence of the power of Jesu's blood working through me, accompanied by the witness of the Holy Spirit! Yes, let them see these things gush forth when the spearhead is pulled out.

Brother Paul

"Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly; fornication, impurity, passion, evil
desire, and greed (which is idolatry.) On
account of these things the wrath of God is
coming upon the disobedient. These are the
ways in which you also once walked, when you
were living that life. But now you must rid
yourselves of all such things..."

COLOSSIANS 3:5-8

Amen.

Very humbling reminder of our obligtion to follow His example.
May you all have a blessed Christmas.
Blessings Greg