Lay Down Your Life

John 10:17-18

“The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Jesus was not murdered. He voluntarily laid down His life as a sacrifice. He took up His glorified body at the Resurrection.

God the Father gave Him the authority to do this. At the Cross He died as “the last Adam”, but at the Resurrection He arose as “the Second Man”, “the firstborn among many brothers”. See 1 Corinthians 15:45, 47; and Romans 8:29.

God will not crucify our “old man”. He asks us to do that voluntarily. His intent is not to make our old man better, rather it is to make us a totally “new creation” after we deny self, and willingly submit to our death on the cross with Jesus. See 2 Corinthians 5:17.

He has given us authority in Christ Jesus to lay down our old life and take it up again in the form of a new person. What a magnificently powerful truth this is!

Have you denied self? We must do this daily so we will have our new life.

TODAY’S CHALLENGE:

Tell the Father you are glad you are a new creation in Christ Jesus by His Holy Spirit living in you. Ask Him to help you learn to deny self daily.

Rededicate your life to Him today. Deny self.

Dive Deeper: Study John 10; Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 15:45, 47; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21.