A Christian must deny his life for Christ

[Kokavkrystallos]

A Christian must deny his life for Christ.​

This is in the text, “Let him…take up his cross.” Suffering for Christ must be free and spontaneous. He who suffers against his will bears the cross; he who suffers willingly takes up the cross. A fair virgin fell in love with Crates (1) for his learning. He showed her his staff and his scrip. “This,” he said, “is your dowry.” Christ shows us His cross. If we will not have Him upon these terms, the match is not likely to go on. Sufferings will abide us (Act 14:22; 20:23; 2Ti 3:12). The devil has not grown kinder than he was.

Some think of reigning with Christ, but not of suffering. Joseph dreamed of his advancement but not of his imprisonment (Gen 37:5-11). The flesh cries out, “This cross is uneasy! There are nails in the yoke that tear.” But life must be denied, yea, hated for Christ. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother…and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Luk 14:26). Love for Christ must outweigh life. “They loved not their lives unto the death” (Rev 12:11). Paul carried the image of Christ in his heart as a saint, the message of Christ in his mouth as a minister, and the marks of Christ in his body as a martyr (Gal 6:17). The primitive worthies snatched up torments as so many crowns and were content to shed their blood for Christ, knowing they would exchange their sanguine for white robes. The prophet Isaiah was killed with a saw, Jeremiah with stones, Amos with an iron bar. Luke was hanged on an olive tree.

I read that Irenaeus was carried to a place where a cross was set on one side and an idol on the other. He was given a choice either to bow to the idol or suffer on the cross. He chose the latter.

Basil speaks of a virgin condemned to the fire. She was offered her life and estate if she would bow down to an image. She answered, “Let life and money go; welcome Christ.” Though every Christian is not actually a martyr, yet he has a preparation of mind and is ready to suffer if God calls. Luther said he would rather be a martyr than a monarch. Let us then take up the cross!

Can wicked men be content to suffer for their lusts, and shall we not suffer for Christ? We are to look upon our sufferings as a badge of honor. If we receive honor when we are reproached for Christ, much more shall we receive it when we die for Him. “The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon” us (1Pe 4:14). Our sufferings for Christ propagate religion. Paul’s being bound made the gospel to be more enlarged (Phi 1:12). Justin Martyr was converted to the faith by beholding the heroic patience and courage of the Christians in their sufferings.

The cross leads to the crown. “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him” (2Ti 2:12). Who would not be willing to venture on the seas, though rough and tempestuous, if he were sure to be crowned as soon as he came ashore? Persecutors may take away from us our goods, but not our God; our liberty, but not our freedom of conscience; our head, but not our crown (Rev 2:10).

He who cannot deny his life for Christ will deny Christ. And he who is ashamed of Christ, Christ will be ashamed of him. “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mar 8:38)."
(1)Crates of Thebes (c. 365-c. 285 BC) – Cynic philosopher, who gave away his money to live a life of poverty on the streets of Athens.

- From, Thomas Watson, The Duty of Self Denial