“When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, ‘Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.’ ” Mark 8:34
After Christ taught His disciples about His upcoming sufferings, death, and resurrection (8:31-33), He then explains to them that suffering would also be part of their destiny as well as His (8:34-38). These are conditions for discipleship, not salvation from hell. Salvation from hell is free and cannot be lost and is based solely on faith alone in Christ alone (Acts 16:31 Ephes. 2:8-9). Discipleship is costly and can be lost (Luke 14:25-33; John 8:31-32; 13:34-35; 15:1-8).
What does discipleship include? Jesus says, “Let him…”
- “deny himself” (8:34b). A disciple must replace his or her own preferences and plans with Christ’s. This also includes denying the lies we believe that keep us from doing this.
- “take up his cross” (8:34c). A disciple must be willing to publicly identify with Christ even if it means shame, suffering, and physical death. Taking up one’s cross also means submission. We are to submit to Christ’s control in our lives.
- “follow Me” (8:34d). A disciple faithfully follows Christ’s leading and obeys His instructions. Jesus wants to teach us how to live a life that glorifies Him and then live that life for Him.
Why are believers to live like this? Jesus gives us motivation in Mark 8:35-38: Because believers will gain eternal rewards that are much more valuable than what “the world” has to offer (8:35-37; cf. I Cor. 3:11-15). To “save his life” in this context (8:35a), is to live selfishly by denying Christ for fear of suffering and shame (cf. 8:31-33). When we live selfishly in our Christian lives, we will “lose” our lives in a deeper more enduring way in eternity. Like a rich man who “gains the whole world” living selfishly, but “loses his own soul” from gaining eternal rewards before God (8:36-37).
Instead of finding our lives and losing the eternal value of life, we are to “lose” life now for Christ and His gospel to “save” or preserve a richer life in the life to come (8:35b). To “lose his life” refers to self-sacrificing service for Christ. Every moment that believers lose some aspect of their physical lives for the sake of Christ – when they suffer pain and shame because of their commitment to Christ – they are going to find a richer life for themselves in eternity. The more of this life that they lose, the more of that life they will gain.
Instead of being “ashamed” of Christ at His coming, believers will have confidence before the Judgment Seat of Christ as they give an account to Him of what they did for Him (8:38; cf. Rom. 14:10-12; I John 2:28).
Imagine standing before Jesus at the Judgment Seat of Christ and He asks you what you did for Him during your Christian life on earth (Rom. 14:12; 2 Cor. 5:10). If as a Christian, all you did was live for yourself and this world, think of the shame you will have as you stand there before the Lord with nothing to say (I John 2:28). Also, when you see other Christians receiving rewards from Christ and you receive nothing, imagine the regret you will have in terms of what could have been yours (Matt. 25:19-30; Luke 19:20-26; I Cor 3:15).
Brothers and sisters in Christ, it is not too late for you if you are reading this. Today you can begin this discipleship journey with Jesus Christ. Make this decision today to follow Jesus no matter what the cost. You will not regret it especially when you stand before Him at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Jesus will make your commitment to Him eternally worthwhile!