8:35Mark 8:35

It is Christ's call to take up the cross and follow Him by accepting suffering, reproach and humiliation for His sake and becoming crucified to the world's status and pleasures, without which His glory cannot be shared.Ms 13, 1868, par. 35–36+1 Whoever tries to save earthly life by refusing to follow Him, clinging to it, or keeping advantage at the cost of loyalty to Him will lose it and lose the soul, while whoever loses life for Him and the gospel will save it unto eternal life.Ms 42, 1890, par. 45–46+2 Selfishness itself is death, for as no organ of the body can live by serving only itself and the heart fails if it withholds its lifeblood from hand and head, so the soul that refuses to impart Christ's love diffused through His body will perish.DA 417.2 It turns the mind from temporal concerns to heaven and eternal realities, requiring those entrusted with responsibility in particular to deny self, refuse to trade integrity for worldly gain, and give up idols and precious things to help turn others to God.Ms 42, 1890, par. 45–46+4 Remaining faithful may cost physical life, yet surrendering life for Christ and the gospel saves it and brings spiritual peace and freedom, as those who accepted martyrdom rather than abandon the truth have shown.Lt 170, 1907, par. 17+2

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but whosoever shall lose his life for Christ's sake and the gospel's shall save it, is Christ's call to take up the cross and follow Him.Ms 13, 1868, par. 35–36+1 Following Him requires accepting suffering, reproach, and humiliation for His sake.2SP 325.1–2 His followers must be crucified to the world, giving up hope in its status and pleasures, otherwise they cannot share His glory.2SP 325.1–2

Trying to save earthly life by refusing to follow Christ leads to losing it.DA 410 Clinging to earthly life and making gaining the world the chief aim loses the soul, while giving up life for Christ and the gospel saves it.Ms 42, 1890, par. 45–46 Preserving one's life or advantage at the cost of loyalty to Christ leads to loss, while surrendering it for Christ and the gospel secures life eternal and saves unto eternal life.Ms 25a, 1891, par. 29+1 Preserving life through self-serving choices leads to losing it, while surrendering it for Christ and the gospel leads to its salvation.20MR 285.4

Selfishness is death, and losing the life for Christ and the gospel is the way to save it.DA 417.2 No organ of the body can live if it confines its service to itself, and the heart quickly loses its power if it fails to send its life-blood to the hand and the head.DA 417.2 So the love of Christ is the life-blood diffused through every part of His mystical body, Christians are members one of another, and the soul that refuses to impart will perish.DA 417.2

It was spoken to disciples whose eyes were fixed on the nearer view of earthly life in poverty, humiliation, and suffering.DA 417.3 Sadness oppressed their hearts because they loved their Master, and doubt harassed their minds because they clung to glowing expectations of the Messiah's kingdom and His exaltation to the throne of David.DA 417.3 They found it incomprehensible that the Son of God should live as a humble homeless wanderer to be despised, rejected, and put to death, and should voluntarily go to Jerusalem to meet cruel humiliation and leave them in greater darkness.DA 417.3 It points beyond that present poverty and humiliation to Christ's coming in glory, not in the splendor of an earthly throne but with the glory of God and the hosts of heaven when He shall reward every man according to his works, with the encouragement that some standing there would not taste of death till they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom.DA 417.3

The verse belongs to the account of Jesus' path to suffering and death.DA 410.1 Jesus foresaw the cost of His mission and willingly chose to do God's will to save the lost.DA 410.1 Christ gave His life for humanity, enduring suffering and the cross to bring the world back to loyalty to God.DA 410.2 The joy of that result sustained Him through the shame and pain.DA 410.2

The warning turns the mind away from temporal concerns toward heaven and eternal realities, making earthly interests subordinate to them, for making gain of the world the chief aim and clinging to earthly life loses the soul, while giving up life for Christ and the gospel saves it.Ms 42, 1890, par. 45–46 Those entrusted with responsibility in particular must refuse to trade integrity for worldly gain, since preserving life or advantage at the cost of loyalty to Christ leads to loss, while surrendering it for Christ and the gospel secures life eternal.Ms 25a, 1891, par. 29 Denying self and making any sacrifice is required rather than risking the soul's highest interests for temporal gain or worldly advantage, because preserving one's life through self-serving choices leads to losing it, while surrendering it for Christ and the gospel leads to its salvation.20MR 285.4

Saving the soul comes through self-sacrifice in which disciples deny themselves and refuse to devote all their time, means, and energies to themselves.Lt 170, 1907, par. 17 That same self-denial gives up idols and precious things for God's work and helps turn others to the living God.Ms 142, 1909, par. 13–14 Trying to preserve one's own life through self-exaltation, self-interest, and building oneself up while controlling others is ultimately futile, so that the person loses what he is trying to save and his efforts to save and preserve himself repeatedly fail.2T 389.2 Giving up one's own plans and accepting hardship for Christ and the gospel leads to spiritual peace and freedom.LS 23.4

Remaining faithful to Christ and the gospel may cost physical life, but surrendering life for that cause leads to its saving unto eternal life.Lt 170, 1907, par. 17+1 Some have accepted martyrdom for Christ rather than devote themselves to self-preservation.Lt 170, 1907, par. 17 Luther accepted the danger of death rather than abandoning the truth, affirming that his persecutors could take his body but not his soul.4SP 111.1