Cost of Discipleship - Pt 33 - Dead to our own will
Chapter 4- Discipleship and the Cross (continued)
Bonhoeffer- 'Only the man who is dead to his own will can follow Christ. In fact every command of Jesus is a call to die, with all our affections and lusts. But we do not want to die, and therefore Jesus Christ and his call are necessarily our death as well as our life. The call to discipleship, the baptism in the name of Jesus Christ means both death and life. The call of Christ, his baptism, sets the Christian in the middle of the daily arena against sin and the devil. Every day he encounters new temptations, and every day he must suffer anew for Jesus Christ's sake. The wounds and scars he receives in the fray are living tokens of this participation in the cross of his Lord. But there is another kind of suffering and shame which the Christian is not spared. While it is true that only the sufferings of Christ are a means of atonement, yet since he has suffered for and borne the sins of the whole world and shares with his disciples the fruits of his passion, the Christian also has to undergo temptation, he too has to bear the sins of others; he too must bear the shame and be driven like a scapegoat from the gate of the city. But he would certainly break down under the burden, but for the support of him who bore the sins of all. The passion of Christ strengthens him to overcome the sins of others by forgiving them. He becomes the bearer of other men's burdens-- "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.' (Gal 6:2) As Christ bears our burdens, so ought we to bear the burdens of our fellow-men. The law of Christ, which it is our duty to fulfil is the bearing of the cross. My brother's burden which I must bear is not only his outward lot, his natural characteristics and gifts, but quite literally his sin. And the only way to bear that sin is by forgiving it in the power of the cross of Christ in which I now share. Thus the call to follow Christ always means a call to share the work of forgiving men their sins. Forgiveness is the Christlike suffering which it is the Christian's duty to bear.'
My thoughts-
Dead to our own will.
We do have a will and many would say that simply because we have that will that we are entitled to do what we please with that will. They'll say it's our duty to exert our own will or else why were we given a will at all. If we have to submit that will, why does it exist? That is the pure undiluted truth of SATAN- SELF.
God did NOT have to create any other being in existence. God with God in the beginning, they did NOT have to create anything with a will of its own. They could have created mindless, will-less things but then what exactly do they have but a bunch of lifeless yet animated dolls flittering about existence.
I say lifeless because the whole essence of our beings, of angel beings is a life with a will.
Take away the will and you have an automaton left.
People who have lost their wills scarcely find it worthwhile to live- in fact a lot of them don't. And I do NOT Mean those who are dead to their own wills by choice, I mean those who have no will not even that of another's. A person whose will has been beaten out of them-physically, emotionally, mentally- it doesn't matter how but that person leads a lifeless life, their existence is horrific, empty, hollow. People who try to get others to give up their own will in order to take on their wills is a dangerous, awful thing. Taking on the will of another, losing your own will to another's sinful will is just as dangerous as keeping your own will instead of submitting it to God's will.
Being dead to our own will in favor of being alive to Christ's will, choosing HIS Will for our life is actually choosing LIFE EVERLASTING something we can NEVER ever hope to achieve by our own will. I cannot will myself eternal life. I can choose Christ who can through HIS will offer me eternal life.
Giving up self is something it seems almost every fiber or our beings screams out against, why is that? Why the war? Because we have been so indoctrinated by Satan and Satan's will that from the moment we are born we are being pushed to hold our own will to the highest esteem. What we want, what we desire are our rights. Wanting the biggest, best, most, is pushed at us from all sides. Becoming something remarkable is cause for celebration while being mundane is overlooked. Some selflessness is applauded and thrust into the limelight and that's not a bad thing, but Satan tries to corrupt wherever he can and the more selfless the act, the more he is hard at work laying his snares.
Bonhoeffer says this-- 'The call of Christ, his baptism, sets the Christian in the middle of the daily arena against sin and the devil.'
Truth.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Why are we given armor if we aren't supposed to use it? If it wouldn't be necessary to use it? Why are we told we WRESTLE not against flesh and blood but against PRINCIPALITIES, POWERS, RULERS of DARKNESS, SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS in HIGH PLACES.
This wrestling needs ARMOR, it's not the playful wrestling for wrestling titles, but spiritual wrestling for ETERNAL LIFE! The WILES OF THE DEVIL, he is our enemy, he is after us!
Bonhoeffer says this-- 'The call of Christ, his baptism, sets the Christian in the middle of the daily arena against sin and the devil.'
TRUTH.
Bonhoeffer says this-- ' Every day he encounters new temptations, and every day he must suffer anew for Jesus Christ's sake. The wounds and scars he receives in the fray are living tokens of this participation in the cross of his Lord'
EVERY DAY! We can't think for a moment that we will be able to get a day off from Satan. He doesn't GIVE any sick days! There are NO vacations from Satan! Every single day we are FACING temptations, new ones and old ones! When you think you've had an easy day because you believe you've faced old temptations and conquered them, then you better examine your day again because there could be new temptations creeping in that haven't had your attention. We can't let our guard down. We have to submit wholly to CHRIST and that means crucifying our own flesh, our own lusts, our own desires. These things that Satan wants us to believe are HARMLESS, but aren't, these are the things we have to pick up our cross and carry it expecting WOUNDS and SCARS and it's all for the sake of our SAVIOR! We are choosing to LIVE for CHRIST in HIS WORLD, HIS WAY, HIS LOVE. We are choosing this and it's in exact opposition to the ways of the world. If you are living in harmony with the world, you have to ask yourself if you are truly living for Christ.
Bonhoeffer- ' Forgiveness is the Christlike suffering which it is the Christian's duty to bear.'
We do not have the power to forgive to give the grace of eternal life, only Christ has that power, but we have to forgive others always. When we choose NOT to forgive others then we will not be forgiven ourselves and this is something we can never forget.
Mat_6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you
Mat_6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Mar_11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
1Jn_5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
1Jn_5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
In Christ we can find forgiveness. In Christ we can ask for forgiveness for others. In Christ we can forgive. By ourselves we can do nothing!
There is so much more to LIFE than the daily grind that Satan has turned life into, there is a whole spiritual world filled with the love of CHRIST and it is up to us to CHOOSE to live for Christ to become a TRUE DISCIPLE of CHRIST'S all by HIS GRACE and MERCY, HIS LOVE!
Bonhoeffer- 'Only the man who is dead to his own will can follow Christ. In fact every command of Jesus is a call to die, with all our affections and lusts. But we do not want to die, and therefore Jesus Christ and his call are necessarily our death as well as our life. The call to discipleship, the baptism in the name of Jesus Christ means both death and life. The call of Christ, his baptism, sets the Christian in the middle of the daily arena against sin and the devil. Every day he encounters new temptations, and every day he must suffer anew for Jesus Christ's sake. The wounds and scars he receives in the fray are living tokens of this participation in the cross of his Lord. But there is another kind of suffering and shame which the Christian is not spared. While it is true that only the sufferings of Christ are a means of atonement, yet since he has suffered for and borne the sins of the whole world and shares with his disciples the fruits of his passion, the Christian also has to undergo temptation, he too has to bear the sins of others; he too must bear the shame and be driven like a scapegoat from the gate of the city. But he would certainly break down under the burden, but for the support of him who bore the sins of all. The passion of Christ strengthens him to overcome the sins of others by forgiving them. He becomes the bearer of other men's burdens-- "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.' (Gal 6:2) As Christ bears our burdens, so ought we to bear the burdens of our fellow-men. The law of Christ, which it is our duty to fulfil is the bearing of the cross. My brother's burden which I must bear is not only his outward lot, his natural characteristics and gifts, but quite literally his sin. And the only way to bear that sin is by forgiving it in the power of the cross of Christ in which I now share. Thus the call to follow Christ always means a call to share the work of forgiving men their sins. Forgiveness is the Christlike suffering which it is the Christian's duty to bear.'
My thoughts-
Dead to our own will.
We do have a will and many would say that simply because we have that will that we are entitled to do what we please with that will. They'll say it's our duty to exert our own will or else why were we given a will at all. If we have to submit that will, why does it exist? That is the pure undiluted truth of SATAN- SELF.
God did NOT have to create any other being in existence. God with God in the beginning, they did NOT have to create anything with a will of its own. They could have created mindless, will-less things but then what exactly do they have but a bunch of lifeless yet animated dolls flittering about existence.
I say lifeless because the whole essence of our beings, of angel beings is a life with a will.
Take away the will and you have an automaton left.
People who have lost their wills scarcely find it worthwhile to live- in fact a lot of them don't. And I do NOT Mean those who are dead to their own wills by choice, I mean those who have no will not even that of another's. A person whose will has been beaten out of them-physically, emotionally, mentally- it doesn't matter how but that person leads a lifeless life, their existence is horrific, empty, hollow. People who try to get others to give up their own will in order to take on their wills is a dangerous, awful thing. Taking on the will of another, losing your own will to another's sinful will is just as dangerous as keeping your own will instead of submitting it to God's will.
Being dead to our own will in favor of being alive to Christ's will, choosing HIS Will for our life is actually choosing LIFE EVERLASTING something we can NEVER ever hope to achieve by our own will. I cannot will myself eternal life. I can choose Christ who can through HIS will offer me eternal life.
Giving up self is something it seems almost every fiber or our beings screams out against, why is that? Why the war? Because we have been so indoctrinated by Satan and Satan's will that from the moment we are born we are being pushed to hold our own will to the highest esteem. What we want, what we desire are our rights. Wanting the biggest, best, most, is pushed at us from all sides. Becoming something remarkable is cause for celebration while being mundane is overlooked. Some selflessness is applauded and thrust into the limelight and that's not a bad thing, but Satan tries to corrupt wherever he can and the more selfless the act, the more he is hard at work laying his snares.
Bonhoeffer says this-- 'The call of Christ, his baptism, sets the Christian in the middle of the daily arena against sin and the devil.'
Truth.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Why are we given armor if we aren't supposed to use it? If it wouldn't be necessary to use it? Why are we told we WRESTLE not against flesh and blood but against PRINCIPALITIES, POWERS, RULERS of DARKNESS, SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS in HIGH PLACES.
This wrestling needs ARMOR, it's not the playful wrestling for wrestling titles, but spiritual wrestling for ETERNAL LIFE! The WILES OF THE DEVIL, he is our enemy, he is after us!
Bonhoeffer says this-- 'The call of Christ, his baptism, sets the Christian in the middle of the daily arena against sin and the devil.'
TRUTH.
Bonhoeffer says this-- ' Every day he encounters new temptations, and every day he must suffer anew for Jesus Christ's sake. The wounds and scars he receives in the fray are living tokens of this participation in the cross of his Lord'
EVERY DAY! We can't think for a moment that we will be able to get a day off from Satan. He doesn't GIVE any sick days! There are NO vacations from Satan! Every single day we are FACING temptations, new ones and old ones! When you think you've had an easy day because you believe you've faced old temptations and conquered them, then you better examine your day again because there could be new temptations creeping in that haven't had your attention. We can't let our guard down. We have to submit wholly to CHRIST and that means crucifying our own flesh, our own lusts, our own desires. These things that Satan wants us to believe are HARMLESS, but aren't, these are the things we have to pick up our cross and carry it expecting WOUNDS and SCARS and it's all for the sake of our SAVIOR! We are choosing to LIVE for CHRIST in HIS WORLD, HIS WAY, HIS LOVE. We are choosing this and it's in exact opposition to the ways of the world. If you are living in harmony with the world, you have to ask yourself if you are truly living for Christ.
Bonhoeffer- ' Forgiveness is the Christlike suffering which it is the Christian's duty to bear.'
We do not have the power to forgive to give the grace of eternal life, only Christ has that power, but we have to forgive others always. When we choose NOT to forgive others then we will not be forgiven ourselves and this is something we can never forget.
Mat_6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you
Mat_6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Mar_11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
1Jn_5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
1Jn_5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
In Christ we can find forgiveness. In Christ we can ask for forgiveness for others. In Christ we can forgive. By ourselves we can do nothing!
There is so much more to LIFE than the daily grind that Satan has turned life into, there is a whole spiritual world filled with the love of CHRIST and it is up to us to CHOOSE to live for Christ to become a TRUE DISCIPLE of CHRIST'S all by HIS GRACE and MERCY, HIS LOVE!