What does it mean to “Take up your Cross”??

[TotalVictory]

It’s a gripping phrase; full of challenge, and hope, and possibilities.
Take up your cross, and follow Him.
It’s a thought that has inspired me for some time – yet I’ve really little idea why.

Cross: metaphor for hardship, misery, exclusion, pain, suffering.
Except Jesus says He has come that we might have LIFE – and have it more abundantly. Doesn’t that conflict a bit with our “cross” vision?

Cross: consequences – on this present earth anyhow – for joining the kingdom forces of God and living it’s realities now. Well, what about it; is not there a certain contentment that comes when we know we live and bask in His very Grace? Consequences be damned; the King of the Universe smiles upon me and I am at peace.

Or is the Cross something like a privilege; take it, hold it, cherish it. You merely follow in the footprints of He who bore HIS cross and ALSO considered it a kind of honor. A symbol of such love, and responsibility, (for us) and commitment, the likes of which could only come from the Father above.

Or is the Cross LIFE! immeasurable and full. Only the kind of life given by almighty God could look upon this human instrument of torture and humiliation – and transform it into such a demonstration of love and hope and TotalVictory!

Take up my LIFE! And live it in the full confidence that we will remain in the sweet embrace of the Father for eternity!!!

Take up your Cross…

What does that mean to you??
(PS – I have no idea how to translate this into UR terms; except maybe that the Cross WAS for the entire world – and Universe! And is clearly seen to unveil the TotalVictory of Christ…)

TotalVictory
Bobx3

[JasonPratt]

Still recouping from the croupy crud.

But I’ll assay this: one of the most primary notions in the New Testament is that if we are not willing to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of other persons, then we will by no means be entering into the kingdom of heaven.

Because that’s what God Himself does, foundationally, for all of us. If we aren’t cooperating with Him in that, then we’re rebelling.

So when we’re called to take up our cross, and follow Jesus, that’s what I think about.

Relatedly, good and evil tend to come down to this: are we going to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of other persons, or are we going to sacrifice other persons for the sake of ourselves?

(And there’s the link to UR that you were wondering about, Bob. But I’ll let other people unpack and detail that comparison, in regard to various ideas of God’s judgment.)

[SLJ]

This is a great topic, but I only have time for a quick reply, so if this is not well written, please excuse!

To me that phrase ‘take up your cross’ seems to refer to a sharing in the life, work, and sacrifice of Christ–so for me that has a universalist import as Christ came because ‘God so loved the world’ and that ‘the world might be saved through him’.

I see the church as the Body of Christ present on earth carrying on his work. The cross is denying self, laying down my life for my brethren, presenting my body a living sacrifice, etc How that all practically works out is not necessarily definable as it varies from person to person, and from moment to moment.

Sonia

[Melchizedek]

In simplest terms, “take up your cross” means, die to yourself.

[SLJ]

In simplest terms, “take up your cross” means, die to yourself.

But what does it mean to “die to yourself”? It’s sort of an ambiguous ‘christianese’ kinda phrase.

Edited to add: As I think about this, I’m wondering if that is a scriptural statement? I know we christians say it all the time. The only thing that comes to mind is “for I am crucified with Christ, and I no longer live …” Is there anything else? I’d like to explore this more.

Sonia

[TotalVictory]

[size=200]HELP! this is JEFFA[/size]

I edited this post instead of quoting it as I had intended

My sincerest apologied Bobx3 - I hope Auggy or someone can reinstate your post

[JeffA]

It could just mean to shoulder your responsibilities (whatever they may be).

[Melchizedek]

But what does it mean to “die to yourself”? It’s sort of an ambiguous ‘christianese’ kinda phrase.

Edited to add: As I think about this, I’m wondering if that is a scriptural statement? I know we christians say it all the time.

“CHRISTIANESE” – I like that Sonia!!! Yeah – we all tend to lapse into our favorite cliches I guess.

Here’s an interesting text:
Luke 9:23 (New International Version)
Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Might this text kind of be a synthesis of both these ideas as perhaps one idea? Guess one could read it as deny ourselves and THEN take up our cross – sort of a sequence of actions. But it can also be read as if denial of oneself IS taking up his cross.

But the theme of death in a Christian seems quite a central one:
all those “seed” analogies for one example. A seed can’t do what it does unless it first dies.
And then the whole imagery of Baptism; being buried in the water (we don’t bury alive people) then raised again. Raised to NEW (renewed?) life.

Central point seems to be that taking up ones cross is NOT about the hardships that may come from following Christ; rather the cross is about an attitude of the heart. An attitude that recognizes that the thread of evil runs directly through us – our very selves. Thus Pauls talk about battling his own inclinations (ie Romans 7)…

Which all presents a really interesting irony of sorts:
we facilitate our salvation by denying ourselves – so we act out of suspicions against ourselves in order to save ourselves…

Hmmmm except couldn’t that then be said to be a self interested act ???

(Very interesting too that here Jesus talks of a “cross” which He had not yet borne…)

TotalVictory
Bobx3

Exactly. It’s an attitude of the heart. The cross represents death. Are you going to “love one another as I have loved you”, or not? Deny yourself, and take up your cross. Do what Jesus did. Make yourself nothing for the sake of others.

Jesus said the same thing in many different ways.