And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Taking his cross means accepting the cost and suffering of discipleship instead of trying to escape it, denying self and crucifying sinful desires, affections and lusts while keeping the eyes on Jesus. Following after him means confessing him before men even under opposition, going where he leads rather than trusting one's own judgment, and preferring God's way and will to one's own in daily self-denial and conflict. It requires loving Christ more than father, mother, son or daughter and putting him and his service first above family, friends, possessions and personal desires, even when obedience brings scorn, estrangement and division. It means refusing to save life and good name by dressing, talking and acting like the world, serving the world and choosing worldly peace, and instead leaving all, enduring reproach for his sake and esteeming his cross greater riches than any worldly treasure. Whoever will not bear this cross and follow is not worthy of him, placing earthly ties above him and showing failure to value him as one should, and in the final review those who refuse the cross are disowned and blotted from the book of life while those who take it and follow are acknowledged as his and counted worthy of everlasting life.
Meaning of Taking Cross
Taking the cross means accepting the sacrifices, suffering, cost, trials and crosses involved in following Jesus rather than trying to escape them, keeping the eyes on Him, even when loyalty brings estrangement from family or other suffering, and refusing this cross-bearing following leaves a person unworthy of Him and placing earthly ties above Him. Taking the cross involves denying self in order to come after Him, surrendering the heart and affections to God, crucifying sinful desires, affections and lusts, and bringing thoughts into obedience to Christ, putting love for Him above love for father, mother, son or daughter. It is a warning to count the cost and not live a life of deception that deludes the soul, calling for unconditional surrender and willingness to suffer with Him while trusting Him as Saviour.
Taking the cross and following closely after Him means confessing Him before men even when father, mother, son or daughter oppose, loving Him more than them, and enduring temptation and discouragement. It means denying self, accepting the cross, and going where He leads instead of trusting one's own judgment and abilities, which workers who rely on themselves fail to do. Taking the cross means accepting truth when one sees the suffering it will bring, bearing all that must be passed through for truth's sake, even forsaking father, mother, sisters and brothers if obedience requires it. It comes as a crisis forcing the question whether to forsake all for truth's sake, including disappointing parents' high hopes and the expense they have paid, and deciding rightly requires grace and strength from above.
When truth is presented some see the cross involved and refuse it, while other family members yield to the Holy Spirit and open their hearts to Jesus, and others refuse light from heaven in order to avoid separation, remain in darkness and unbelief, turn away from God's requirements, stop their ears against His word, and turn to fables. The division and charge of creating disunion and dissension is not caused by Christ but by truth working on the human heart. Taking the cross and following Him in that setting means choosing Him over the world and over neighbors and family ties, refusing concession to the world, refusing to be bound with it for the fires of the last days, and refusing to let worldliness fill every space and shut out His light. It means instead giving God the whole heart, taking His yoke and lifting His burden, keeping the Father's commandments through His merits, abiding in His love, coming into harmony with heaven, and following in His footsteps rather than pulling away from His yoke and working in harmony with evil.
Following after Him requires preferring God's way and will to one's own way and will, yielding an unconsecrated will that leads to certain death, and having the heart right and consecrated so the mind and will follow, with no friend or relative too dear to sacrifice or leave in order to obey Him. Loving them more than Him makes a person unworthy of Him and without part with Him, and the sacrifice is to be made right now, forming character, establishing a person in the hearts of fellow believers, and keeping the path straight under God's leading. Reaching heaven requires daily self-denial and conflict in following Him. Going to church to hear sermons, having a good happy feeling, having the emotions stirred, shedding a few tears, holding a general belief that Jesus is the Saviour of the world, and having a name on the church books does not make a person a Christian or give hope of salvation, for many on the books know no more about practical godliness than sinners. This fair-weather Christianity withers away under the sun of scorching trial, because the test of temptation reveals whether people are truly sons and daughters of God, and superficial goodness will weigh nothing with Him, especially at the final judgment which will be more severe than present trials.
Christ Above Family and World
To be worthy of Christ is to love Him more than father, mother, son, or daughter, and to put Him and His service first above family, friends, possessions, and personal desires. Taking the cross is denying self in order to come after Him, and no friend or relative is too dear to sacrifice or leave in order to obey and follow Him. To refuse that cross-bearing following is to place earthly ties above Him, to fail to value Him as one should, and to live a life of deception that deludes the soul. Accepting Christ brings trials and family division, for the portion of the family that refuses to believe to the saving of the soul becomes at enmity with those who do believe. Obedience brings scorn, ridicule, estrangement, and the charge of creating disunion and dissension, yet family opposition is no excuse for refusing the gospel or turning from the truth. Worthiness requires confessing Him before men even when father, mother, son, or daughter oppose, and enduring temptation and discouragement rather than yielding.
Loyalty to family or friends must never turn one away from obedience, and a person cannot excuse refusing the Sabbath because friends do not keep it. Christ's claims must come before their approval, and His requirements are reasonable and can be obeyed. Faithfulness may require accepting hardship and loss rather than giving up obedience to preserve family peace. A mother and her daughter endured expulsion from their home rather than abandon the seventh-day Sabbath, and the mother would not promise to stop attending meetings. To disobey God to keep peace would have made her unfaithful to Him and, in turn, unfaithful in her duties as wife and mother.
Taking the cross means refusing to save one's life and good name by dressing, talking, and acting like the world, and by uniting with professed Christians for influence and approval. It means refusing to serve the world, to be ashamed of the cross, to study one's own convenience instead of God's will, to choose worldly peace and concession to the world, and to let worldliness fill every space and shut out Christ's light. Those who give up convictions to please relatives choose worldly peace over unity with Christ. Instead it means leaving all, denying self, enduring reproach for His sake, and choosing Christ before the world and every earthly friend, neighbor, and family tie. His cross is to be esteemed greater riches than any worldly treasure, with refusal to be bound with the world for the fires of the last days, giving God the whole heart, taking His yoke and lifting His burden, keeping the Father's commandments, abiding in His love, and following in His footsteps. Baptismal vows bind believers to this unconditional surrender, willingness to suffer with Christ, and trust in Him as Saviour, choosing His way rather than the world or one's own way.
Worthiness and Faithful Following
Whoever will not take up the cross and follow after is not worthy, because refusal puts earthly ties above Him and shows failure to value Him as He should be valued. The saying stands as a warning to count the cost and not to live a life of deception that deludes the soul. Giving up conviction to please relatives is choosing worldly peace over unity with Him. Loving father, mother, son, daughter, friends, possessions, or personal desires more than Him leaves a person unworthy of Him and with no part with Him.
In ministry this faithfulness may cost life in this world, yet those who give up their lives for His sake will receive eternal life when He comes. In the review of every case before Him in the heavenly sanctuary before He ceases to plead, those who refuse the cross are pronounced unworthy of His protection and love. They are disowned before the Father and the holy angels, blotted from the book of life, and lose their life beyond redemption. Those who take the cross and follow have their names repeated by Him, are acknowledged as His jewels, and are counted worthy of everlasting life, with every error and past sin blotted out, and they are marked on the forehead to be passed over by the destroying angel.
Taking up the cross requires wholehearted, practical doing of His words rather than being Christians in name only. It means giving time and life to His work for others rather than to selfish indulgence. It means following His example in willingness to be taught and to serve others rather than expecting worldly honor or reward. Young people are called by it to leave indifference and shame about the cross, to seek God's will, and to follow through devoted, active work to save souls. That work includes sacrificing pleasure, natural desires, time, and means to help save others, and those who refuse their duty are unworthy of Him, while eternal life belongs to those who do their Lord's will.
Those who take up the cross and faithfully follow even through trials are honored by Him, choosing Him over worldly influences and idols. Making the sacrifice right now forms character, establishes one in the hearts of fellow believers, and keeps the path straight under God's leading.
Taking his cross means accepting the cost and suffering of discipleship instead of trying to escape it, denying self and crucifying sinful desires, affections and lusts while keeping the eyes on Jesus. Following after him means confessing him before men even under opposition, going where he leads rather than trusting one's own judgment, and preferring God's way and will to one's own in daily self-denial and conflict. It requires loving Christ more than father, mother, son or daughter and putting him and his service first above family, friends, possessions and personal desires, even when obedience brings scorn, estrangement and division. It means refusing to save life and good name by dressing, talking and acting like the world, serving the world and choosing worldly peace, and instead leaving all, enduring reproach for his sake and esteeming his cross greater riches than any worldly treasure. Whoever will not bear this cross and follow is not worthy of him, placing earthly ties above him and showing failure to value him as one should, and in the final review those who refuse the cross are disowned and blotted from the book of life while those who take it and follow are acknowledged as his and counted worthy of everlasting life.
Meaning of Taking Cross
Taking the cross means accepting the sacrifices, suffering, cost, trials and crosses involved in following Jesus rather than trying to escape them, keeping the eyes on Him, even when loyalty brings estrangement from family or other suffering, and refusing this cross-bearing following leaves a person unworthy of Him and placing earthly ties above Him. Taking the cross involves denying self in order to come after Him, surrendering the heart and affections to God, crucifying sinful desires, affections and lusts, and bringing thoughts into obedience to Christ, putting love for Him above love for father, mother, son or daughter. It is a warning to count the cost and not live a life of deception that deludes the soul, calling for unconditional surrender and willingness to suffer with Him while trusting Him as Saviour.
Taking the cross and following closely after Him means confessing Him before men even when father, mother, son or daughter oppose, loving Him more than them, and enduring temptation and discouragement. It means denying self, accepting the cross, and going where He leads instead of trusting one's own judgment and abilities, which workers who rely on themselves fail to do. Taking the cross means accepting truth when one sees the suffering it will bring, bearing all that must be passed through for truth's sake, even forsaking father, mother, sisters and brothers if obedience requires it. It comes as a crisis forcing the question whether to forsake all for truth's sake, including disappointing parents' high hopes and the expense they have paid, and deciding rightly requires grace and strength from above.
When truth is presented some see the cross involved and refuse it, while other family members yield to the Holy Spirit and open their hearts to Jesus, and others refuse light from heaven in order to avoid separation, remain in darkness and unbelief, turn away from God's requirements, stop their ears against His word, and turn to fables. The division and charge of creating disunion and dissension is not caused by Christ but by truth working on the human heart. Taking the cross and following Him in that setting means choosing Him over the world and over neighbors and family ties, refusing concession to the world, refusing to be bound with it for the fires of the last days, and refusing to let worldliness fill every space and shut out His light. It means instead giving God the whole heart, taking His yoke and lifting His burden, keeping the Father's commandments through His merits, abiding in His love, coming into harmony with heaven, and following in His footsteps rather than pulling away from His yoke and working in harmony with evil.
Following after Him requires preferring God's way and will to one's own way and will, yielding an unconsecrated will that leads to certain death, and having the heart right and consecrated so the mind and will follow, with no friend or relative too dear to sacrifice or leave in order to obey Him. Loving them more than Him makes a person unworthy of Him and without part with Him, and the sacrifice is to be made right now, forming character, establishing a person in the hearts of fellow believers, and keeping the path straight under God's leading. Reaching heaven requires daily self-denial and conflict in following Him. Going to church to hear sermons, having a good happy feeling, having the emotions stirred, shedding a few tears, holding a general belief that Jesus is the Saviour of the world, and having a name on the church books does not make a person a Christian or give hope of salvation, for many on the books know no more about practical godliness than sinners. This fair-weather Christianity withers away under the sun of scorching trial, because the test of temptation reveals whether people are truly sons and daughters of God, and superficial goodness will weigh nothing with Him, especially at the final judgment which will be more severe than present trials.
Christ Above Family and World
To be worthy of Christ is to love Him more than father, mother, son, or daughter, and to put Him and His service first above family, friends, possessions, and personal desires. Taking the cross is denying self in order to come after Him, and no friend or relative is too dear to sacrifice or leave in order to obey and follow Him. To refuse that cross-bearing following is to place earthly ties above Him, to fail to value Him as one should, and to live a life of deception that deludes the soul. Accepting Christ brings trials and family division, for the portion of the family that refuses to believe to the saving of the soul becomes at enmity with those who do believe. Obedience brings scorn, ridicule, estrangement, and the charge of creating disunion and dissension, yet family opposition is no excuse for refusing the gospel or turning from the truth. Worthiness requires confessing Him before men even when father, mother, son, or daughter oppose, and enduring temptation and discouragement rather than yielding.
Loyalty to family or friends must never turn one away from obedience, and a person cannot excuse refusing the Sabbath because friends do not keep it. Christ's claims must come before their approval, and His requirements are reasonable and can be obeyed. Faithfulness may require accepting hardship and loss rather than giving up obedience to preserve family peace. A mother and her daughter endured expulsion from their home rather than abandon the seventh-day Sabbath, and the mother would not promise to stop attending meetings. To disobey God to keep peace would have made her unfaithful to Him and, in turn, unfaithful in her duties as wife and mother.
Taking the cross means refusing to save one's life and good name by dressing, talking, and acting like the world, and by uniting with professed Christians for influence and approval. It means refusing to serve the world, to be ashamed of the cross, to study one's own convenience instead of God's will, to choose worldly peace and concession to the world, and to let worldliness fill every space and shut out Christ's light. Those who give up convictions to please relatives choose worldly peace over unity with Christ. Instead it means leaving all, denying self, enduring reproach for His sake, and choosing Christ before the world and every earthly friend, neighbor, and family tie. His cross is to be esteemed greater riches than any worldly treasure, with refusal to be bound with the world for the fires of the last days, giving God the whole heart, taking His yoke and lifting His burden, keeping the Father's commandments, abiding in His love, and following in His footsteps. Baptismal vows bind believers to this unconditional surrender, willingness to suffer with Christ, and trust in Him as Saviour, choosing His way rather than the world or one's own way.
Worthiness and Faithful Following
Whoever will not take up the cross and follow after is not worthy, because refusal puts earthly ties above Him and shows failure to value Him as He should be valued. The saying stands as a warning to count the cost and not to live a life of deception that deludes the soul. Giving up conviction to please relatives is choosing worldly peace over unity with Him. Loving father, mother, son, daughter, friends, possessions, or personal desires more than Him leaves a person unworthy of Him and with no part with Him.
In ministry this faithfulness may cost life in this world, yet those who give up their lives for His sake will receive eternal life when He comes. In the review of every case before Him in the heavenly sanctuary before He ceases to plead, those who refuse the cross are pronounced unworthy of His protection and love. They are disowned before the Father and the holy angels, blotted from the book of life, and lose their life beyond redemption. Those who take the cross and follow have their names repeated by Him, are acknowledged as His jewels, and are counted worthy of everlasting life, with every error and past sin blotted out, and they are marked on the forehead to be passed over by the destroying angel.
Taking up the cross requires wholehearted, practical doing of His words rather than being Christians in name only. It means giving time and life to His work for others rather than to selfish indulgence. It means following His example in willingness to be taught and to serve others rather than expecting worldly honor or reward. Young people are called by it to leave indifference and shame about the cross, to seek God's will, and to follow through devoted, active work to save souls. That work includes sacrificing pleasure, natural desires, time, and means to help save others, and those who refuse their duty are unworthy of Him, while eternal life belongs to those who do their Lord's will.
Those who take up the cross and faithfully follow even through trials are honored by Him, choosing Him over worldly influences and idols. Making the sacrifice right now forms character, establishes one in the hearts of fellow believers, and keeps the path straight under God's leading.