By: Zachary Teasley
In Matthew 10:32-40, Jesus says, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. As New Testament Christians, the cost of true discipleship requires that we deny self and place Christ and His word first before anything else, even our own family. Verse 36 of Matthew 10 echoes this point for it says, “and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.” Galatians 2:20 also makes this point clear, “I have been crucified with Christ; 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 for me.” The act of taking up one’s own cross is very important for us as Christians to grasp and to put into practice daily. During the time of writing of Matthew, and leading up to the time when Jesus was crucified, it was customary in the Roman style of execution, for the victim to physically carry their wooden cross that he was going to be crucified on to the place of execution to face the public. We are mindful that Jesus Christ did not have to physically carry His cross to the place of execution because they selected Simon a Cyrenian to carry Jesus’ cross for Him, see Luke 23:41. Nevertheless, Jesus was scourged and willingly bore the pain and agony on one of the most barbaric forms of punishment leading to death in our history. Taking up your cross does not mean that you are going to carry the cross of Jesus Christ, but it means that we must take up our own cross and bear it. It means we will follow Christ’s example and accept the challenges of standing up and living a self-motivated and dedicated life for Christ. 1st Peter 2:21-25 helps to bring out this point, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” It cannot be overemphasized that in order for us to take up our cross daily and live every moment for Christ entails unselfishness, humility, discipline and daily study on our part. Titus 2:11-13 says, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” As this scripture states, we must deny or give up ungodliness and worldly lust and not allow ourselves to be influenced by societal norms and the traditions of mankind that could cause us to soften and change our understanding of divine biblical laws and doctrine given to us by Jehovah God. We must not allow mankind’s attempts to change the divine holy pattern of scripture because our society now feels it is not current or in touch with today’s societal norms and preferred behaviors. This is why we have studied in 2019 about God’s Divine Structure or Pattern so we may develop a solid foundation and understanding of how God’s Plan has unfolded to our great benefit. Colossians 3:1-4 reminds us that our gaze and our focus must be upward as directed by God’s word, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” Again, be forewarned, our society and the denominational religious world with Satan’s crafty influence are not satisfied with God’s Divine Pattern for salvation and reconciliation into God’s Kingdom, His Church. They are trying to soften or loosen and tear down God’s sacred truths (The Bible) via alterations to make it more acceptable to the masses. For example, traditions in our society can be of a great benefit if it righteous, just, and elicits good results, i.e., Christians staying after church to fellowship, having a birthday/anniversary fellowship once a quarter, a family gathering once a year to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal, having the first prayer after our announcements or officers and enlisted in the military saluting one another, etc… In the Lord’s Body, we must be careful not to allow the secular traditions that violate God’s word to slowly creep in unawares and change spiritual thinking and practice to a looser worldly way of thinking and before we know it “spiritual” events are being held around manmade secular events such as Easter, Halloween, and Christmas. We are reminded to stand up and take up our crosses equipped with God’s armor and fight off false doctrine and false teachers in all forms. Jude 3 exhorts us, Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” Another key point for us to remember as Christians are that we must live in this world but we must remain vigilant and alert so that we do not allow temptations and the negative influences to overtake for this will lead to sin and separation from God. 1st John 2:15, reminds us, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” We must be willing to take up our cross and follow Christ, not the world!