Why We Have to Die...

In the Christian’s life, there are two crosses. One which is well known and accepted, and one which is hidden, and naturally despised. The first, is Christ’s cross which He bore for all men. The second is the Christian’s cross which Christ calls all men to bear. In the following paragraphs, we will examine the similarities and differences of these two crosses.

The cross of Jesus symbolized both the physical and spiritual death caused by sin. As long as men lived on earth without Jesus’ sacrifice, they were cut off from direct communion with God and subjected to eternal death. So, when Jesus died, He restored the connection between heaven and earth and renewed communion between God and men through Himself, our mediator. While still overcoming eternal death with the hope of eternal life.

Jesus showed us what it means to be a complete sacrifice to God. Being fully human, Jesus experienced all the emotions we do. He was tempted just as we are tempted and was acquainted with the weakness of humanity through His own body. Sacrificing Himself for our sakes was not something that came naturally, He had to consciously choose to die and deny Himself resulting with His laying down His life.

 He was the Son of God, and had every right to go back to heaven and leave us to our plight. But He didn’t. His complete self-sacrifice can be seen when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane and three times asked in prayer for His cup of suffering to be removed from Him, but yet each time in self-surrender He finished with “nevertheless, Thy will be done.” In so doing, He became an example to us, By yielding His will, and His weakness to the Lord, He picked up His cross (literally) and saved humanity.

“I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” John 13:15

Herein lays the second cross. For the second cross is found in the first. As Christ, has done, we are to do. We are to lay down our lives and yield to God. Christ laid down His all for our sake. He gave up His life that we might be saved from eternal death and separation from Him. He sacrificed His will so that His Father’s will might be accomplished. Now He asks us to yield to Him.

“For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One (Jesus) died for all, then all (those who love Him) died.” 2 Cor 5:14

To summarize, the two crosses of the Christian’s life are this then:

1.)                Jesus’ death, which resulted in the victory over spiritual and eternal separation with God

2.)                Self’s death which results in eternal life with Jesus

They both are similar in the fact that they require self-denunciation and sacrifice. Yet they are different in the fact that one involved physical death (Jesus’) and one involves death to flesh. They both requires faith, and both differ in that one serves as an example and the other a following of that example. They are comparable because both bring the Christian closer to God. They are divergent because one could only be carried by God and the other is held by humanity. Yet, by a great, divine plan, they are one.

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”