When Martin Luther launched the Protestant Reformation in 1517 by
posting his 95 Theses on the door at Wittenberg, he affirmed in the fourth
thesis that salvation required self- hate.
He wrote that:
“Self-hate remains right up to entrance into the kingdom of heaven.”
—Martin Luther
So Jesus says that to be true followers of Him, we must DENY ourselves.
The original Greek word for “deny” means
“to refuse to associate with.”
The thought is . . . that if you want to be Christ’s disciple, and receive
forgiveness and eternal life, you must refuse to associate any longer with
the person you are!
I have to repeat that:
The thought is . . . that if you want to be Christ’s disciple, and receive
forgiveness and eternal life, you must refuse to associate any longer with
the person you are!
I have to repeat that again:
The thought is . . . that if you want to be Christ’s disciple, and receive
forgiveness and eternal life, you must refuse to associate any longer with
the person you are!
I’m tempted to repeat it again, but I’m afraid you’ll stop reading,
so I won’t.
You’re sick of your sinful self and want nothing
to do with you anymore.
It’s not exactly a friendly invitation, is it?
Yet it’s the RIGHT invitation. It’s the TRUE invitation.
And we get the specifics in Matthew 10:38:
“If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not
worthy of being mine” (Matthew 10:38 NLT).
In Jesus’ time, people associated a cross with one thing and one thing only:
A cross was an instrument of death.
Jesus is saying that if you’re not willing to have conflict with the world to the
degree that it could cost you your life, you’re not worthy of Him.
Being a genuine Christian is about losing your life!
It’s not a man-centered theology.
It’s a Christ-centered theology that says,
“I give everything to Christ, no matter what it costs me, even if it
costs me my life.”
This is already being demonstrated in several parts of the world right now .
. . and we may be entering a season when we will see persecution of
Christian faith permeate the United States.
Let’s be ready.
Let’s stand strong.
Let’s continue to trust Him.
This is true Christianity.
Anything less is Jesus Lite.
Thoughts?
—- —- —-
I’m thanking God for YOU this Thanksgiving!
Thank you for your prayers, for reading my humble thoughts
and for your notes of encouragement.
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Love,
Susie
