I am troubled by the idea of life. Tell me, what is life? What defines life? And what defines death? Can there be death and life in one; can they co-exist or is that a contradiction in terms? We know that something can seem like life to the human eye - sex, for example - but in fact lead to death.
But maybe death is a myth? Most Christians believe the soul is immortal, thus even in Hell we live forever and never truly "die".
"See now that I myself am He!
There is no god besides me.
I put to death and I bring to life,
I have wounded and I will heal,
and no one can deliver out of my hand."
- Deuteronomy 32:39
The Lord says He will "put to death", so then, how can a soul banished to Hell be immortal? Or maybe is it is a figurative death of our old selves?
Jesus died, right? He went down to the grave with our sin (which we're all very happy about). And Jesus called Himself "Life" (John 14:6). So,that means that Life itself died.
Again, I'll ask, what is life? What is death?
The Lord says He will "put to death", so then, how can a soul banished to Hell be immortal? Or maybe is it is a figurative death of our old selves?
Jesus died, right? He went down to the grave with our sin (which we're all very happy about). And Jesus called Himself "Life" (John 14:6). So,that means that Life itself died.
Again, I'll ask, what is life? What is death?
"...whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it."
- Matthew 16:25
At first glance I find this to be a strange and frustrating passage. "Lose your life to find it. Don't save your life to save it". Seriously Jesus, are you messing with us? How do we apply this?
I am reminded of "The Heavenly Man" by Brother Yun, a courageous pastor, who helped spread the Gospel and revive the Church in Communist China. He truly is, in all depth and breadth and height of the word, fearless.
I like to think I am a becoming a fearless missionary. I am not so worried if something "bad" happens to me in Thailand. I know God is with me, and if He chooses not to protect me from something, well, then it's His will and I'm all for that. Also, I have a desire to witness in countries where Christianity is banned. This to me seems to be a sure-fire way to find my life by not trying to save it.
But there is also the idea of dying to yourself - another "Christian fundamental" I struggle to wrap my mind around.
"...If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
-Mark 8:34
To go after Jesus is to deny ourselves, is is to suffer, it is to follow not our own desires, but His. It is daily, and it is in the small things as much as the big. But I'm not sure how this functions in a modern era such as ours. And I'm not sure how small the small things are. Are they as small as taking the train instead of the car? Are they as small as not buying this brand of clothing, or not listening to that artist, or only taking half your lunch break? And how big are the big things? Are they as big as what university you go to or what course you choose? Are they as big as who you marry and where you live and who you are friends with? Are they as big as not taking that job, or not having children, or never getting married?
This is a ramble of words. Forgive me.
Here is one more verse I find soothing and all-encompassing.
At first glance I find this to be a strange and frustrating passage. "Lose your life to find it. Don't save your life to save it". Seriously Jesus, are you messing with us? How do we apply this?
I am reminded of "The Heavenly Man" by Brother Yun, a courageous pastor, who helped spread the Gospel and revive the Church in Communist China. He truly is, in all depth and breadth and height of the word, fearless.
I like to think I am a becoming a fearless missionary. I am not so worried if something "bad" happens to me in Thailand. I know God is with me, and if He chooses not to protect me from something, well, then it's His will and I'm all for that. Also, I have a desire to witness in countries where Christianity is banned. This to me seems to be a sure-fire way to find my life by not trying to save it.
But there is also the idea of dying to yourself - another "Christian fundamental" I struggle to wrap my mind around.
"...If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
-Mark 8:34
To go after Jesus is to deny ourselves, is is to suffer, it is to follow not our own desires, but His. It is daily, and it is in the small things as much as the big. But I'm not sure how this functions in a modern era such as ours. And I'm not sure how small the small things are. Are they as small as taking the train instead of the car? Are they as small as not buying this brand of clothing, or not listening to that artist, or only taking half your lunch break? And how big are the big things? Are they as big as what university you go to or what course you choose? Are they as big as who you marry and where you live and who you are friends with? Are they as big as not taking that job, or not having children, or never getting married?
This is a ramble of words. Forgive me.
Here is one more verse I find soothing and all-encompassing.
"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life."
- John 5:24
Hey, readers, feel free to add your opinions or thoughts on this subject.
It's like, Ephesians 2 kind of sums it up for me. Its like the way we get it is saying - without God and without the Holy Spirit it is like dying, because it feels and looks and acts like 'death' in a spiritual way. But the way God sees it, he says, actually it is dying because your dying from the person I made you to be to a person your not. It's like dying to your God made self I think. And in those other passages where it says we have to die to ourselves it means the world made ourselves (the not God person) So to give up your worldly body, to give up its life - the only way to do that is to die so that you have nothing and then God can give life. It's like our wordly selves, we are dying constantly, "living in death" or being in death I guess. Am i making any sense?
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