What does it mean to deny yourself and pick up your cross? Part 2

Here is part 2 of my study on just 16:24. This part will only deal with the imperative portion of the text. You can read part 1 here. Remember, I am not a scholar by any means although I am in school learning to become a biblical scholar. This is using the tools that I have learned in Greek class and inductive Bible Study class to open the Scriptures more. There could be errors that I have made.

Matthew 16:24

Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

In the last post, I looked at some context surrounding the text and also looked at the conditional part of the If-Then statement.

Starting with "let him deny." It is in the Aorist tense and middle deponent voice. A middle deponent voice is translated as an active voice. This shows an ambiguous past action of denying. The word for "let him deny" is ἀπαρνέομαι and means "to forget one's self" or give up one's self and interests. In this case, the interests are the person who wants to follow Christ. Christ requires that you do not get and interest that are of your thinking. He does not answer that interest you should have but that will be answered later. Not only interest does Christ required but one also must give up his life. Remember, Jesus has just rebuked Peter for not having the interest of God (Matt. 16:23). So that is one thing that Peter did not understand that he was required to do to follow Jesus. Peter had is own interests in mind when he rebuked Jesus for saying that he will not die.

The next verb is take up. It is αἴρω and means "to take upon one's self and carry what has been raised up". It is also in the aorist tense and it is actually in the active voice. The person is to bear the cross. That is what Jesus was talking about throughout this passage. He is telling His disciples that He will bear the cross and now He is telling them that they must also bore the cross. This shows the denying one's self. The cross was the Roman execution tool for non-Romans. Jesus is saying that they must be willing to lose their life.

The final verb is follow, or ἀκολουθείτω. It is in the present active imperative. This is a current action. The person that wishes or intends to follow Christ, they must be currently following Jesus. This is not just tagging along. The Greek actually means "to cleave steadfastly to one, conform wholly to his example, in living and if need be in also death." This would be like becoming a disciple of Christ and willing to give your desires and be willing to die. This verb answers whose interests we should and the reason for laying down are life.

This is huge and needs to be understood. Jesus wants you to desires what he wants and to become like him. John talks about this is 1 John 2:9, "whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked." There is this growing to be walking like him. This is so big in this church culture that appeals to the what we want. This may seem radical, and it is, but this what a Christian following Christ should be doing. This become like Christ shows what Christ really was like. This shows that Christianity is different and then opens the door to witnessing to people. What a way to live so God is honored.

Note: all Greek letters and quotes are from BlueLetterBible.com.

What does it mean to deny yourself and pick up your cross? Part 1

This blog post was the morning devotional for my Bible study. Because it has taken to long to do the next part, so here is the first part. I want to first inform you that I am not a scholar by any means although I am in school learning to become a biblical scholar. This is using the tools that I have learned in Greek class and inductive Bible Study class to open the Scriptures more. Please discern my work for errors. Thanks.

Matthew 16:24

Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Lets start back on verse 13. Verse 13 starts the story where Peter proclaims to Christ that Jesus is the Son of Man. Now in verse 21, Matthew records that Jesus tells His disciples that He will suffer many things in Jerusalem at the hand of the religious elite. Jesus also says that He will be killed and raised up on the third day. This was the sign of Jonah that Jesus talked about in 16:6 to the Pharisees. Verse 22 tells us about the other side of Peter. Matthew records that Peter told Jesus to the side and rebuked Him about this foretelling of His death. Peter was denying what God had said. (This could be its own blog post on Where Theology Meets Life but I need to continue.) Peter then felt the heat when Jesus rebuked him, calling Peter Satan in verse 23. The main rebuke was about Peter not having the mind of God. (This is also another post and could relate to the saying of people who are too heavenly minded are no earthly good.)

So after this little exchange between Peter and the Lord, we come to verse 24. Jesus is now addressing all the disciples. Jesus starts with an "if, than" statement. The conditional part of the statement is, "If anyone would come after me." We will look at this first. "Anyone" in the Greek has a meaning of "certain ones." This noun gives not limits on who can follow Christ. The verb that used with it shows that it is limited. Now in the Greek, the word that is translated as "would" is actually present tense. The word used is θέλω (thelō) which means to will or intend. This includes the to desire or wish (which is how the NASB translates it.) This verb shows a current desire to come after Jesus. This verb is the main verb of the clause and show that the certain ones are the ones with a desire. This limits the people to those that will come after Jesus.

Next verb is come. It has a meaning to follow. In its location, it applies to Me. That Me is Jesus. The verb come is in the Aorist Active Infinitive. Aorist is past-tense, Active voice means that the subject is currently doing the verb, and infinitive mood is used to not limit by number and person. In this case, "to come" shows that everyone can come to Jesus who desires. This gives the sense that they are following him. "After" is an adverb and is talking about following as a guide. So both "to come" and "after" show a following after Jesus.

1 John 2:18-27

¹⁸ Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. ¹⁹ They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. ²⁰ But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. ²¹ I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. ²² Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. ²³ No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. ²⁴ Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. ²⁵ And this is the promise that he made to us— eternal life.

²⁶ I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. ²⁷ But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

Continuing on through chapter 2. John starts to warn about the coming antichrist and the lesser antichrists. As John addresses new Christians, he tells them that is the last days. The world is going to be coming to an end when Christ returns. Peter warns the people in his first epistle, "The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers." (4:7) Luke in the book of Acts quotes Peter saying "But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams(.)' " (2:16-17) It is clear to John that the final hour is here since there is a rise of antichrists. The Antichrist has not yet come but other false teachers and prophets have already came to deceive the Christians. So John is warning the new Christians in Asia Minor that the spirit of the antichrist is upon them.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Paul gives us what the Antichrist is going to do when he comes, Matthew 24:15 and also Daniel 8:9-11 and 11:31-38. This is not the focus of John at this point. John is preparing to talk about the antichrists that are coming now. Matthew 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves(,)" and Matthew 24:24 "For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect (,)" explain that many false teachers will come some appearing to be like Christians. So John is warning this new Christians that false teacher are here now. In verse 19, John starts to explain the different characteristics of an antichrist. The first characteristic is the fact that antichrists will rise and leave Christian groups. John is providing these new Christians a test of preservation. 1 Timothy 4:1-3 states that some will depart from the faith by evil spirits, while Paul explains to the Ephesian Elders that will arise and take away disciples (Acts 20:29-30). These antichrist are going to appear like Christians and might more some time. In due time, they will leave and take some disciples, if possible, with them.

John stresses that if they did not leave, they would be Christians but since they did leave that are not. Note to stress, not all be people that leave a Christian group or church is not a believer. Some leave because of doctrine issues or style issues. Some also leave because they were not of the faith. This last group is what John is referring to. The elect will prevail and continue to worship with Christians. Psalms 37:28 states that "For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off." John also says that once some on is in the hands of God, they can never get plucked out (John 10:28-30).

Another reason that Christians would remain in Christian circles is that they have an anointing from the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians 1:13-14, Paul tells the people in Ephesus that they get the Holy Spirit as a deposit for the inheritance that is to come in Heaven. Not only is it a deposit, it also allows us to know all things (vs 20). The Holy Spirit is what informs us when we are lied to by the antichrists. John writes in his gospel, that the Holy Spirit "will bear witness about (Christ) me." (15:26) The Holy Spirit is our build in lie detector for false teachings. We know all truth because the Holy Spirit passes the truth to us from God the Father. So John stress that lies are not in truth.

Take notice that John also tells these young Christians that they already know the truth. This truth is the message that they heard from the beginning (1 John 1:1). This is the Gospel message. The truth that they need to understand is the truth for which John testified to them when they first started to believe. John testified to them what he say when we was with Christ. This is the truth which John wants them to get a hold of. This truth, which John told them, has no lies in it. So John is warning them, that no lie is of the truth.

So in verse 22, John gives us the 2nd characteristic of an antichrist. An antichrist is going to deny Christ. So not only have they left the church or fellowship, they deny Christ. Since John warned them that lies are not part of the truth, he says a liar will deny Jesus. This lie is from the spirit of the antichrist. That make the readers remember that John is of the truth. Verse 23 John tells us that no liar is of God, no one that denies the deity of the Son will have God the Father. This is not the only time John has said this. He repeats it many times in his gospel where he says know Christ know the Father (8:19), Jesus and God are one (10:13), and hate Jesus you hate God (15:23 & 24). This marks shows that Jesus and God can not be separate in anyway. Look at many of the false religions and we see this very denial of Jesus and others saying that there are more than one way to heaven.

John makes an urge to the readers of the letter that they must remain in the truth that was taught to them when they first believed. This is an important message that we to must remember. Since the antichrist is going to deny the deity of Christ, we must remember that only Christ is way to get to Heaven. The truth that we read in the Bible is still valid today as it was when John wrote this letter. Remaining in this truth is what lets us remain in Christ and God the Father. This is a parallel with John 15 where John tells us about the Christ as the vine. This truth of the gospel keeps us with Christ and therefore with God the Father. This truth also gives us the promise of eternal life (vs. 25). This when we came to God on his terms and trusted him to save us from his holy wrath because of our sinful condition. Salvation in Christ is a promise of eternal life with him in paradise.

As the truth is that Jesus is the Son of the living God and God, we see that they not only will the antichrist deny the deity of Christ but he will try to deceive people. The antichrist are trying to deceive the Christians that they left to follow them in their destructive ways. Christ tells us that they will come and try to deceive the elect if they can (Mark 13:22). Paul mentions quite about that false teacher will deceive the members of the different churches. How much more must we remain in the truth that saves us now? They are people now trying to deceive the elect. A good example is the universal atonement that all will be saved by Christ even if they do not believed in him. What a preposterous idea that the Bible does not even mention. Again the way to defend against these false teachers in the Spirit that transcends all understanding. The same Spirit that John talked about in verse 20. This is the key to defend our souls from the evil one. Walk in truth of the Gospel. This is what John wants us to understand. That only God can helps us and that is through his Holy Spirit, that same Spirit that was given to us by God as a deposit for our souls.

Someday.

Someday I will but an actually Bible study of 1 John. But for now on England File, I have study of singleness. You can get all the posts here. Thanks

~mike

1 John 2:15-17

15 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. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
(1 John 2:15-17 ESV Taken from BibleGateway.com)

John is continuing to define an authentic Christian, someone who truly follows Jesus. John continues by saying that there are 2 types of love we have: love of the world and our love for God. John makes it clear that a love of the world is against the love of the God. Why can a Christian not love the world and God at the same time?

James enlighten us from chapter 4 verse 4 by saying, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” So friendship to world, or like what the worlds gives you, is an enemy to God. The Greek word uses in the love of the world is agapao (G25). According to BlueLetterBible.com, agapao means in view of love towards humans it to welcome, to entertain, or to love dearly. This is the type of love Jesus was talking about in Matthew 5:44 when he was telling us to love our enemies. It is also a love that we should give God (Matt 22:37). It also has a definition for our love to things or stuff. In that case it means to be well pleased or to be contented at or with a thing. In Greek, the love used to show God love to is agapē (G26). That means affection, good will, benevolence, and brotherly love. Another word used is the King James is charity, also used to show God’s charity in offering salvation to us. Agapē is normal used to show God’s love for us. Paul used the same type of love in Romans 5:8, when he wrote, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

A reason that a love of the world is wrong is that we once followed it ways. Paul says in Ephesians 2:2 that we “once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.” This walk was in sin and against God. That is why Jesus tells in the Gospels that he has taken out of the world. He has freed us from the hold the world has on us.

John continues is verse 16 to tell us, Christians, that the flesh is part of the world. Paul says, “Those in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:8) Paul also told the Ephesians, “we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” The desire of the flesh is completely against God (Galatians 5:17). So the natural tendencies of man are natural against God. Romans 3:23 says, “all have sinned and fallen short of God’s Glory.” Proverbs also tells us that our eyes are never satisfied (Proverbs 27:20).

As the desires of flesh and eyes are not of God because of the natural ability to sin, pride in our possessions is also against God. In Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction.” The Bible states that God is against prideful people (Proverbs 8:13).

I think the reason that God is against the flesh and its desire is comes down to the fact that this world that hates God will pass away. Isaiah wrote, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” David knew that this world was only a temporary place when he wrote Psalms 102:3-12 & 25-28:

3 For my days pass away like smoke,
and my bones burn like a furnace.
4 My heart is struck down like grass and has withered;
I forget to eat my bread.
5 Because of my loud groaning
my bones cling to my flesh.
6 I am like a desert owl of the wilderness,
like an owl of the waste places;
7 I lie awake;
I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.
8 All the day my enemies taunt me;
those who deride me use my name for a curse.
9 For I eat ashes like bread
and mingle tears with my drink,
10 because of your indignation and anger;
for you have taken me up and thrown me down.
11 My days are like an evening shadow;
I wither away like grass.
12 But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever;
you are remembered throughout all generations.

25 Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26 They will perish, but you will remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
27 but you are the same, and your years have no end.
28 The children of your servants shall dwell secure;
their offspring shall be established before you.

After all of this, there is a separation between God and the world. They are 2 different masters and they are against each other. Jesus tells us that we cannot serve two masters. So which one will you choose? Will you love the world and it thing or will you love God and be called out of this world? Verse 17 is part of what we need to believe, that the world will pass away and at that time we will be judged accordingly. God has a great gift called salvation thru Christ. Even though God loves his creation so much he gave his Son to save it. He still must punish us for the sin we enjoy before knowing him. Romans 6:23 clear expresses, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” All that God asks is that you repent and believe in him. Then you will serve the God your father instead of the world. In the words of Todd Friel from The Way of the Master Radio show, “Go serve your God and King.”

Father God, we were creation love ourselves so much that we made you jealous by serving false God. Before we knew you, we loved our sin. Now the Holy Spirit has turned are hearts to you. We thank you for that gift of salvation you gave through your Son. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

1 John 2:7-14

7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. 14 I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
(ESV Taken from BibleGateway.com)


Up to 1 John 2:6, John was telling us what Christians will look like. Christians are to be walking in the light with the Lord. They realize that they are sinners and know that the Christ is our advocate or intercessor to God for our forgiveness. It comes down that we are supposed to walk life like Jesus. John also tells the us that there are people that say they walk in the light but they are liars. As John continues to write, John gives us a new commandment. This commandment is new but it is really an old one (1 John 2:7-8). The old commandment is one Jesus gave his disciples before during his last time talking to them before his arrest. Jesus say,” A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35). In the Gospel of John, John writes that the disciples are to love each other. This must have been a huge impact in John's life because his gospels and letters all talk about love. This old commandment that John is talking about is something they people heard or even when the gospel was correctly preached to new believers heard. John Piper said in a sermon, "John means for this to be very encouraging. He is not writing to load any new duty on the believers. He has nothing new to say. It's the same old "word" they received when they first heard the gospel. It was part of the foundational gospel message. It is not stage two. It is not a counsel of perfection for monks and nuns. The commandment of love 'is the word which you have heard'" (DesiringGod.org). The 2 greatest commandments is love God and love everyone else.

John tells us in 9-11 that the new commandment is to love our fellow Christians and not to hate them. If you hate fellow Christians, John warns us that we live in darkness. What kind of love is John talking about? The love that uses in the Greek is agapaō (Strong #G25) or to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly. This is the same love that Matthew uses when Jesus tells us the greatest commandments. In the KJV, agapaō is used 135 times for love and 7 for beloved. It is used when Jesus tells the rich man to sell his possessions in Mark 10:21. It used a lot when Jesus loved the people he was helping. I think that is what John is telling us here. That we must love everyone especially our fellow Christians like how Christ loved people. This goes along with 1 John 1:8 & 10. If you hate your brother John says it is like murder (1 John 3:15). So when you hate your brother, you have stepped off into the darkness. The light of Christ is no longer shining because of the evilness in your heart to the person. This different when we love our fellow Christians. We continue down the path of light. Jesus told his disciples before they left for Bethany, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him" (John 11:9-10). This is an answer to the disciples questioning him going back to Judea. But the application is still the same. If we live in the light of Jesus, we will not stumble because we continue down the path of light. We can see where we are going. David said in Psalms 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Since John says Jesus is the Word of God. Let us learn from Jesus on how love. Let us follow his example of loving people to remain on the narrow road to heaven that is lit up by God and not down the dark wide road to hell.



O loving and graceful father. Thank you for the example of love that your Son has shown us. Lord, allows us to love the same way and continue down the path of life fulfilling your will. I pray this in the name of your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

1 John 2:1-6

1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.  (ESV)

 

I just love reading John. He words always seems to be one that talks to me. So lets continue on with 1 John 2:1-6.  John seems to teach like he a parent, but yet he understands the that most of the people are adults and are just less mature Christians. In verse 1, John  continues the "I write you" stuff thing by talking about sin. In chapter 1 verse 8-10 claiming to have fellowship with the Lord God Almighty and yet walk in darkness. We are liars and the truth or Christ (what ever you choose) is not in us. BUT, if we know we sin and ask the God for forgiveness, we are forgiven and then purify of all unrighteousness. John is telling us this so we know that we must walk in the light but if claim to fellowship with God. But sometimes we slip and that is why Christ is an advocate for us. In the ancient Greek, advocate is paraklētos (G3875 Strong's) which means an intercessor, consoler or an advocate and comforter. (Three times in the gospel of John, Jesus refers the Holy Spirit as a comforter (ESV says helper), which is the same Greek word.)

Since Christ is advocate for our sins, he became an atonement or propitiation for the world sins according to verse 2.  Paul writes in Romans 3:24-25, "through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith." God crushed his Son (Isaiah 53:10) for our sins. John stress that it was not only for Christians but for the whole world. God loved the world and came to save it (John 3:16-17). 

Verse 3 makes a claim to know Christ is to obey him. That is what also write in John 14:15 & 21. An example in the old testament is King David. King David obeyed God after he was corrected by the prophet after is affair/murder. Verse 4 tells that people who do not walk with the Lord and claim they do are liars because the truth is not in him. This truth is Christ. This truth is God's words (John 17:24-26) and God's Words is Christ (john 1:14) If we remain in Christ, we come to know Christ. Also if we remain in Christ, our love for God is perfected. This is because Christ remained in God's love (John 15:9-10) and was the perfect sacrifice. for our sins. And this comes to the last verse I am going to talk about in this post. Verse 6 says 'whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. " Abides also means to remain to obey. So if we remain in Christ and the truth, then he must walk as Jesus did. He must love our brothers and love God. We need to make disciples for Christ. Is that not what Christ did?

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that as Christians that we live like the example of your son. That we not only show that we are Christians by the way we act but also that we tell people about your son. I pray that your will is done in their life and ours as we spread the word of you around the world. I pray all this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.