Articles
Take Up Your Cross
Take Up Your Cross
The cross in Jesus' time was used by the Romans as a method of execution. If you were nailed to a cross you only came down after you died. It not only was very slow and painful, it was very public and humiliating. It exposed you as being considered the vilest of the offenders against Roman law. You would first be harshly beaten and then your bloody body would be nailed to a cross and lifted up. You would hang there in public view without clothing. Your offense would be written on a board and placed above your head for all to read. Then you died.
Jesus knew that such an awful death was waiting for him. 'If I be lifted up … signifying what manner of death he would die' (John 12:32-33). He had earlier said: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up" (John 3:14). Then again in John 8:28 he spoke of them 'lifting up the Son of Man'. He spoke of this to signify that He was to be crucified. He openly spoke of his coming crucifixion (Matt. 20:19; 26:2). After His so-called trial, the Bible simply reads: "They crucified him" (Mark 15:24). He died.
When He thus spoke of others taking up 'their cross', such did not indicate a temporary burden but death. To be a disciple of Jesus one must die: he must die to the world, to the old life, and to self. Paul said: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). Thus he would boast only in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, "by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Gal. 6:14).
Each of us must have crucified the old self "with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin" (Rom. 6:6). We must 'put to death' the old man with its sin, be buried in baptism, and be raised in newness of life. "If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live (Rom. 8:13). "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry" (Col. 3:5).
It is true that as disciples we must each bear our own burdens (Gal. 6:5) and that we must then share in helping our brethren bear their burdens (Gal. 6:2; Rom. 15:1; 1Thess. 5:14). Of first importance is dying WITH Jesus and dying TO sin and self. You cannot follow Jesus if you are yet a law unto yourself. Thus Jesus said: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Mark 8:34). Hugh DeLong
