Bulletin Articles
At the Crossroads
Scripture warns against those who “walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.” Paul writes, “Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things” (Phil 3:18-19). Elsewhere Paul writes that those who cause divisions “do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive” (Rom 16:18). There can be specific applications of this (e.g., Judaizers, perhaps those greedy for food, or immorality), but the concept is still that there were those who were allowing their own desires to take precedence over the will of God. The only thing that mattered to them was their desires, so they gloried in their shame. Sadly, there can be those who give the appearance of wisdom in what they say and do, but they are promoting a “self-made religion” that has “no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh” because, in reality, they are “not holding fast to the Head,” Jesus Christ (Col 2:16-23). They are enemies of the cross.
Contrasting this selfish spirit of fulfilling their desires and having minds set on earthly things, Paul speaks of dying to the elementary principles of the world and recognizing heavenly citizenship (Col 2:20; Phil 3:19-20). The enemies of the cross set their minds on this world to serve self. Citizens of heaven set their minds on things above because “you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Then, “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Therefore, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you…” (Col 3:1-5). Do you see where this is going?
The fight that we will always have is a spiritual battle with self, urged on by the devil. We may sometimes mask our selfish desires with a self-made religion that sounds good, but our self-affirmations and selfish ambitions betray us. We demand rights and fight for entitlements. We worship God as is convenient for us. Our personal happiness is paramount, and we use our freedoms to fight for our desires. Are we portraying the picture of those whose god is their belly and setting their minds on earthly things? Or are we showing what it means to die to self and live for Christ?
This concept of dying to self should not surprise us because it runs throughout Scripture. I have often remarked that the most difficult command in Scripture, at least for me, is found in this: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Self-denial is a prime trait of a child of God, though it comes with a heavy price: self must die! This is not easy.
Think of the ways this theme is stated: “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:3). “How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Rom 6:2). “He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Cor 5:15). “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20). “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24). “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal 6:14). “We know that our old self was crucified with Him…” (Rom 6:6). Many more passages can be cited.
Self-denial is not a passing concept in Scripture. It is at the crossroads of our service to the Lord, the decision point where we demonstrate how serious we are about our faith. To make self more important than the Lord is to become an enemy of the cross. To set our minds on earthly things is to run contrary to our heavenly citizenship. “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom 8:5-8).
This will always be the critical fight. Will we deny self to take up the cross and follow Jesus? How we answer this will define the rest of our lives.
