Lose Our Lives for Christ Jesus and for the Gospel!

“Whoever wants to be my disciple MUST deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” – Mark 8:34-35 NIV

 Since Adam [first man created by God] sinned [READ Genesis 1-3], Satan, the enemy of God entered the world and has spread sin to everyone, even though we don’t like or realize it – “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. (Romans 5:12)

Because of this, God, our heavenly Father (Ephesians 4:6) came down into the world from heaven as Jesus Christ, to crucify Himself on the Cross as an atonement of our sins (Hebrews 2:14-15), due to His steadfast love (1 John 4:9-10). This is why Jesus said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:34-35), for “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

Secondly, the Gospel is the word of God, which is there to help us to be the righteousness of God, for Christ Jesus died on the cross to make us become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21) Therefore, the Bible, the full-book of the Gospels is our driving license to the kingdom of heaven, which is our ETERNAL home where there is NO more tears, death, mourning, crying, and pain (Revelation 21:4):

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. (Philippians 1:27-28, 2 Corinthians 5:1)

Because of the wonderful kingdom of God waiting for us, we should deny ourselves and completely surrender to Jesus, our Lord, Savior (1 Corinthians 8:6), and keep abiding the Holy Spirit, whom God poured into us as our guidance/advocate/friend to help us in the walk with the Lord (John 14:15-17,26,27) – “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:8)

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who DOES the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body… You have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. (Philippians 3:18-21, Colossians 3:1-3)