Take up your cross

Take up my cross daily has always been a very well quoted verse, but I never fully understood it’s depths until I came upon this quote by A.W. Tozer, while reading “what’s wrong with the gospel” by Keith Green. I thought I’d share the insight it gave:“The cross is the most revolutionary thing ever to appear among men. The cross of Roman times knew no compromise and it never made concessions. It won all its arguments by killing its opponent and silencing him for good. It spared not Christ, but slew Him the same as the rest. He was alive when they hung Him on the cross and completely dead when they took Him off of it. That was the cross the first time it appeared in Christian history. With perfect knowledge of all this, Christ said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” So the cross not only brought Christ’s life to an end, but it also ends the first life and the old life of every one of His true followers. This and nothing less is true Christianity. We must do something about the cross, and there’s only one of two things we can do- flee it or die upon it.”

Just an interesting thought, Crucifixion cannot be performed on yourself, it has to be an external force acting upon you. I think that it puts picking up your cross in perspective. You most certainly can carry it to your place of golgotha, but to be actually crucified, God chooses the means, whatever that may be people, circumstances etc.

Hi ZekeJust an interesting thought, Crucifixion cannot be performed on yourself, it has to be an external force acting upon you. I think that it puts picking up your cross in perspective. You most certainly can carry it to your place of golgotha, but to be actually crucified, God chooses the means, whatever that may be people, circumstances etc.This it true and your balance is true too. The meticulous precision of God's dealings comes through in the scripture; For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. (Rom 8:13 KJV)In other words, in terms of other areas of life, you, you, you, must 'put to death the deeds of the body', but you must do it 'through the Spirit' and not through your own inward strength.Self crucifixion is the masochism performed by the mystic. deja vu?

i don't believe i've ever read where Paul said he was beearing his cross. but i have read where he said "I am crucified with Christ". Jesus didn't bear His Cross forever, but was crucified. and just as He rose again, so should we in newness of life. "And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me." Gal. 2:20

i don't believe i've ever read where Paul said he was beearing his cross. but i have read where he said "I am crucified with Christ". Jesus didn't bear His Cross forever, but was crucified. and just as He rose again, so should we in newness of life.Hi JoeA'the cross' has two different aspects in the New Testament. Christ's cross was unique. He bore is once and rose again; the purpose of His cross bearing was accomplished. But He told His disciples that they were to take up their cross daily. and no resurrection was promised here.Christ's once-for all cross is His 'no' to His own rights and 'yes' to the will of God. His cross accomplished redemption. It did not deal with self but with sin.Our daily cross is 'no' to ourselves and 'yes' to the will of God. Our cross is the means whereby God transforms our characters. It does not deal with sin, but self.

yes, but we're also to reckon ourselves "dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God". that is what i see our cross as. we are crucified with Christ, dead to sin, but alive to God just as Christ is alive.

yes, but we're also to reckon ourselves "dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God". that is what i see our cross as. we are crucified with Christ, dead to sin, but alive to God just as Christ is alive. We are indeed, but the believer's cross does not deal with sin, it deals with self; Christ's cross dealt with sin.

oh yes, i totally agree. we cannot take away our sins. if we could, Christ died in vain. and He certainly did not. apart from Him we are worms, destined for hell where the "worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched." all we can say is thank you Father for sending the Son to be the Savior of the world! (1 John 4:14)

Hi JoeAI was trying to show the different aspects of the principle of the cross in the life of the believer. In a sense it is the same principle in Christ's cross as in ours but the purpose is different. Believers receive all the benefit of salvation as a result of His Cross made real in the power of the Spirit. His Cross deals with both Sin; the congenital consequences of Adam's rebellion, and with sins; our personal transgressions of God's known will.Our cross, the daily opportunities to say 'no, to my right to myself' is the means whereby he shapes our character. This is the process of 'discipleship'.

Hi Joe,Here's a related post:The Old Cross / The New CrossA.W. Tozer

ok, thanks :)