Luke 9:23 (KJV)
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me
In a world where popular Christianity seems to focus on what a person can get away with and still make it to heaven, the Bible—especially the words of Christ—sets an awfully high standard for true faith. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told His disciples that their righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees. He also said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”[1]
That standard is so high that much of modern Christianity attempts to dismiss Christ’s words before the cross as irrelevant to Christian liberty.
I take exception.
Jesus sets another high standard in Luke 9:23. Anyone who follows Him must:
• Deny himself,
• Take up his cross,
• And do it daily.
Daily faith, daily obedience, daily surrender. Christianity is daily righteousness, daily self-denial, and daily bearing the yoke of Christ—or it is no Christianity at all.
It’s a high standard, but it is possible. Not through sheer determination, hard work, or personal discipline, but through one means alone. Paul put it this way:
1 Corinthians 15:31 – “I die daily.”
#DailyDiscipleship #TakeUpYourCross #DieDaily #FollowChrist #BiblicalChristianity
Dying Daily: The High Standard of True Christianity
[1] Matthew 5:48 (KJV)
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Choose one specific area of your life today where you will practice self-denial for Christ—whether in your time, priorities, or actions. Then, commit to doing it again tomorrow. What is one way you can take up your cross daily in your walk with Christ?
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