[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by OneAccord

See the thread "Are you a follower? ...or a FOLLOWER?" I posted on this passage a while back. During His earthly ministry, many followed HIM for His miracles and the loaves and fishes. , but only few followed His Word. There is a price to be paid to follow His Word. Many are hearers, a few are doer sof the Word. To be a doer, we deny our flesh... we do it HIS way, not our way.

When Jesus used the words "...and take up his cross..." He was using a visible representation of what it means to follow Him. Israel was under Roman rule at the time, and the Roman capital punishment was death by crucifixtion. The condemned often carried their crosses through the streets (as Jesus had done) on their way to their deaths. When the people saw someone carrying their cross they knew someone was about to die. When Jesus said "... deny himself, take up the cross...", he was saying exactly what Paul said in Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Denying the flesh is Mortifying the deeds of this body... dying out to the flesh.

What One Accord said!