Who's Cross?

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me'" (Matthew 16:24).

Old time church religion adores this verse in Scripture. They take this verse, couple it with a poor understanding of the first chapter in James and a few sporadic verses of Pauline Epistles containing the word "suffer" and presto, a doctrine of suffering for Jesus. Question: who's cross did Jesus instruct His disciples to bear?


Take up his cross... 

Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me." Two things I would like to point out: first, Paul wasn't dead; and second, Paul was never physically crucified. Paul was given revelation by the Holy Spirit as to what Jesus meant when he told his disciples to "take up [their] cross." In the sixteenth chapter of John, Jesus explains to the disciples that He has many more things to teach them, but that they would not be ready to handle them until the Holy Spirit comes upon them. This is one of those truths. Jesus wants us to take up our own cross, to die to our own selves. What is it that you need to die to each and every day?

It is always very encouraging to hear that many of my "heros" of the faith still battle with the same "fleshy" temptations that the enemy throws at me on a daily basis. I like how brother Jesse Duplantis says, "If I crucify my flesh daily, instead of just on Sundays..." That is what Jesus is requiring of us. Daily we must remember to "put to death" the selfish desires that come with our human nature. The more we grow in Christ, the more readily we will recognize and cast down the desires of our sinful humanity. I know I have said it countless times, "Jesus took our sins, stops talking about it all the time," but there is a balance to be had. There is always a balance to be had. Anyone who has been walking with the Lord for more than ten minutes will tell you that just because you are born again life is not suddenly a walk in a cool breeze.  John teaches in his first epistle to "walk in the light as He is in the light" (1John 1:7). That is the only time there is ever a "bubble" of absolute protection around you. The devil cannot get you when you are walking in that light. But let us all be honest with each other, we are not at the point of absolute communion with God each and every minute of each and every day. We are all striving and growing in that area, but we often leave our selves open to demonic attacks. The devil will always be coming after you, always pulling at your earthly, carnal side to get you to fall back into old ways of thinking and living.

Romans 12:2 tell us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. That is another daily practice of putting to death our earthly and worldly ways of thinking and living. 1Corinthians 2:16 tells us that we have the "mind of Christ" - the mind of the Anointed One and His Anointing. We must be ever-growing in that mind, putting to death the old thoughts, actions and habits that go along with our crucified worldly mind. That is what Jesus meant when He instructed us to take up our cross and follow Him. Put to death the selfish, carnal desires of the sinful nature - daily. We have the power to overcome all the temptations and pulls of the sin-nature. That is why God does not remove us from this world at the moment of conversion; that is why Jesus does not put a blinder on the devil's eyes so that he can no longer approach us. He expects us to deal with whatever test, trial, or temptation comes our way. God does not expect us to go around getting our butts whipped each and every day as a sign of our devotion to Him. A sign of our love and honor and reverence for Him is found when we walk in the power and freedom He has given us - operating in the fullness of His Blessing that Jesus paid such a heavy price to purchase for us. "Spare Me Nothing" is not a Scriptural way of thinking. It is an insult to what Jesus did. He already died for you; He already took all the suffering. He does not expect or desire us to follow suit in the same manner, but rather to put to death the carnal desires of our sinful nature and walk in the light and freedom He has purchased.

Just because you feel a "tug" at your flesh to lash out in anger, think a dirty thought you shouldn't, or lie like a dog to your boss, does not mean you are a colossal failure, unsanctified, or weak in your Christianity. It's just a pull. Use the Word of God to punch the devil in the face and move on, because I guarantee you he will do it again. And again. And again. He knows what your weaknesses were, and he will continue to try to exploit them until he is finally removed from this world. Everyday you must make the quality decision to walk in the fullness of the freedom and righteousness Jesus has purchased for us all. Pay no attention to the "tug" you feel in your mind, that's just the enemy trying to get you to follow him into doing something he wants you to do; it's not your dirty, sinful thought, it is the devil's dirty, sinful thought that he is trying to plant in your brain. You are not still some slimy sinner who will hopefully get it right one day. You are the righteousness of God, fully equipped to handle any pressure that the devil applies to your flesh. Get used to it, because I can tell you from experience that the fight is on. And if he cannot beat you he will try to render you useless, and churchy religion about suffering with Jesus is a great way to do that. So do not let it work. Take up your cross daily, not His.