Dying to Christ

Philippians 1:21
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

For those of us who grew up in the church, and in particular went to Christian schools, this is a verse that is learned from an early age.  Yet, the meaning of it has always been elusive for me.  Sure, it gets explained all the time by youth pastors or Bible teachers, but what does it really MEAN?

I've always sort of just accepted that it meant we were to live a life pleasing to Christ, and that dying meant ascending to heaven to be in the presence of the Father.  But what if it's really something a bit more?  Jesus commands us to deny ourselves.  As my pastor Ryan pointed out in his sermon last Sunday, most of the time, we interpret that denial as simply not enjoying some sort of earthly pleasure like too much dessert.  I don't think that's what Jesus meant, though, nor do I think that when Paul says "to die is gain" that he's referring to our heavenly reward.

What, then, is denying ourselves?  What is the gain in death?  I think perhaps this death is a termination of our old selves.  Prior to our decision to become a disciple of Christ, we lived the life of <insert own name here>.  Once we choose to be a disciple, we are choosing to change ourselves to conform to the Master, no matter what kind of disciple we are becoming.  When that discipleship is conforming ourselves to Christ, we are choosing to live AS Christ, and rejecting everything that hinders this.  So in the death of our former selves, we gain the life of Christ, we gain the freedom, the space required, to be like Him.

Man, that's hard to do sometimes!  We are in a constant state of warfare!  It is so easy to justify our shortcomings, so easy to say, "if God really loved me...", but the fact that He has even given us an opportunity to return to Him shows He loves us.  Asking us to give up the flesh is His way of showing us His love.  Think about it.  Most sin seems super fun at the time, but then eventually leads to some sort of pain, whether it be emotional or physical.  Murder and adultery are pretty darn obvious, but what about overindulging in the kitchen?  Not only does it eventually make you feel bad physically (through sluggishness, lack of energy, all the way to diabetes, or other diseases brought on by lack of activity), it ruins your self esteem.  You feel unattractive and like you have no self control!  But man, didn't all that deep-fried chicken taste good??  God wants us to obey because it is healthy in every way. 

Yet, denying ourselves to be like Jesus is not simply about denying ourselves fun stuff.  It's about denying OURSELVES.  Period.  Jill's method of doing things is rarely God's way.  Naturally, I think my way would be awesome.  Yet, I'm not the Master; I'm the disciple.

Who Cares if They're Jerks?

In my line of work, I come in contact and become friends with many Muslims.  Like any religion, there are people who conform its teachings to what they already want to believe, and there are those who believe its basics but it doesn't really direct their lives, and there are those who genuinely seek to practice the truth that can be found.  I have yet to encounter any Muslims who practice it in the radical extreme that many of us have come to fear; most actually resent that kind of practice the way many Christians resent Westboro Baptist Church, as lost people who do not truly understand yet give the whole group a bad name.  In fact, the majority of my Muslim friends view me as a sister in the monotheistic triumverate.

Because these are people for whom I care, it grieves me whenever I hear sweeping generalizations about how evil Islam is and its followers.  People who do not study it as a practice to worship God pluck verses to prove their points just as people like to do to say, "Aha!" to find flaws in the Bible.  As someone who really wants to roll my eyes when that is done to me and my faith, I am sensitive when it is done regarding other faiths, whether it is one I understand at all or not.  So, I find myself frequently defending Islam to my friends or on on-line forums.

But here's the fact of the matter: Jesus says in John, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."  To me, that solidifies, along with other examples, that there are not many paths to God.  It would certainly be much more comfortable for me to believe that we could all find our own path, and that being a generally good person will get myself as well as all my friends into an eternity in the presence of God.  I rather like that idea, as a matter of fact.  But Jesus is pretty clear here.  He says He is THE way.  None of us can find our way to the Father without Him, and really, if we could, then His sacrifice on the cross would be for nothing.  Why suffer on my behalf if I can be in God's perfect presence any old way that suits me?  Of course we all like to pick and choose our goodness because it's so much easier to conform our faith to who we already are than to conform our lives to who Jesus calls us to be.

Muslims do believe in the Divinity of Christ, but they do not believe He is our Savior.  They believe He is a Prophet, and this means they reject that Jesus is The Way.  Perhaps my grief would be better placed that my friends do not see The Truth.  I suspect that I will continue to defend my friends, because all too often, the statements against Islam are made with gleeful anger that is unacceptable to me, no matter to whom it is directed.  Yet I think it is time I spend less time arguing, and more time praying for salvation for everyone who has not found Christ, Muslim or otherwise, and that the people who have allowed their hearts to be filled with hate to find grace.  If I really love them, it will do them more good to have their eyes opened, than for me to convince somebody that they're not all jerks.  Where will that leave them- and me- when standing before the Master?

Three Simple Steps

Step One: Deny yourself

Step Two: Pick up your cross

Step Three: Follow Jesus

Mark 8:34