Are you Living the Crucified Life?

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me."

Matthew 16:24 NASB

"Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."

Luke 14:27 NASB

Much of what is passed off as Christianity today is not Christianity. As a result many are decieved into following a false gospel, and others are turned off by the hypocrisy that they observe in those who are not living according to the Biblical standard.

Jesus describes two gates. One is small, the entrance to a narrow path leading to eternal life. The other is a wide gate and a broad path. The majority of people will find themselves on this broad path that ultimately leads to destruction. Sadly few find the true way. He warns us to beware of false prophets who come to lead people away from the truth. Unfortunately many who consider themselves Christians will discover that they were on the wrong path someday. It is not enough to call Jesus "Lord" if you are not living an obedient lifestyle (Matt 7:13-23).

The issue according to Jesus is lawlessness, a life not surrendered to His control. An individual may pick and choose what areas of his or her life to hold back, or they may have their own personal priorities that they are living for, God however, demands our all, our absolute commitment.

Jesus describes this as taking up our crosses and following Him. A man on his way to be crucified carried the heavy upper beam of the instrument he was to die on. This individual was as good as dead at this point. He no longer had any plans of his own. All of his hopes and dreams were over. 

We are invited to follow Jesus into this death to self. When we surrender our lives to Him we are giving up our plans and purposes in exchange for His will for our lives. Nothing we possess, none of our relationships, can stand in the way of our service to Him (Luke 14:26-33). This is what Jesus is teaching us, and this is what He requires of those who would follow Him. It is a narrow gate to squeeze through if we truly desire to be a follower of Jesus.

This death to self is necessary if we are to experience a resurrection to a new way of life.

For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.

Romans 6:5-7 NASB

It isn't as simple as just saying a prayer but living your life according to how you want to live it. Self on the throne is the problem to start with.

For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 

Romans 8:5-8 NASB

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another so that you may not do the things that you please.

Galatians 5:16:17 NASB

There are two paths to take, pursuing the flesh or following the Spirit. What does this look like?

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Galatians 5:19-26 NASB

So look at what so many pass off as Christianity today. So much of what is seen is described in the first section of this passage. The deeds of the flesh are quite evident, with very little love, patience, gentleness, self control, etc. I do not mean to be judgemental, I am sounding an alarm. This passage tells us plainly that those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh! There are many on the broad path and few on the narrow. 

The cross is a barrier between the follower of Christ and the world (Galatians 6:14). If we have truly been crucified with Christ we are no longer the ones living our lives out. It is Jesus, living through us as we follow Him by faith (Galatians 2:20). And if Jesus is living through us our lives will bear the fruit of that reality.