Dead Weight

What is this cross?

The cross of Christ is where Jesus gave up His rightful position, His right to vengeance, His own comfort, His own pleasure, for the sake of others. He chose suffering, because it was necessary to save others.

What does it mean to take up your cross? It wasn’t just the crucifixion. If that was true then we should literally run out and try to get crucified every day. I think we could only do that once. Paul said he died daily. If that was speaking of literal physical death then he got resurrected a lot.

This cross is different than the cross in general. The cross was a symbol of punishment for things you had done wrong. It wasn’t something people volunteered for.

To take up your cross is to take up the cross like Christ. It is not to take up punishment for things you have done wrong. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, and you are risen with him. Jesus already took that punishment on Himself.

He went voluntarily. “His” cross is different. It was the Lord willingly giving up His life for others. To take up that cross is to give up your own life for others.
What does it mean to take up your cross? It is like Jesus taking up His cross. Willingly putting Himself aside for the good of others.

The first step is forsaking yourself. In our day self-fulfillment is the rage. The only way to true fulfillment is through self-denial. To deny the lusts of the flesh.
“Look out for number one..” “All that matters is to make yourself happy.” The discover your “true self” psychological doctrine. “Gotta be true to myself.”

I want to be true to Christ.