December 20, 2024 HE WHO HATES HIS LIFE
John 12:25-26,46 “He who loves his life loses it; and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall My servant also be; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor Him.” “I have come as a light into the world, that everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness.”
I am hesitant to use this passage of scripture because some may feel condemned and some may think it has negative overtones. Our respond to these verses is telling; they have a way of revealing our deepest beliefs about God. I pray that you will find encouragement as we spend a few minutes looking at what Jesus is saying. There are parts of these verses that may cause some to fear, but in reality, there are great promises in this passage. You may be asking if you love your life; or if you hate your life. Big question that we must answer. Let me say up front that Jesus came to give us abundant life and He gives us all things to enjoy. The issue is whether or not we have died to ourselves; or are we living according to the ways of God or according to our own dictates. Jesus is telling us that if we reject ‘our’ life and live His life in us, we will find life. That is a paradox; if we lose our life, we find life. When we experience life in Christ, we will hate the life we lived apart from Christ. So, it is a blessing for us to lose our life-even to hate life in the flesh. This issue of us losing and hating our life is a crucial issue. As believers, we can live according to the flesh or according to the Spirit. I know that when I live according to the flesh, whether for a few moments or for a longer period of time, I ‘hate’ that life; that is the life we must hate. If I am rude to someone or if I in someway express ungodliness, I regret that-that’s not the life I want. There is one truth, that if we miss it, we will not experience the life God has for us. That central truth is that we must die to ourselves and let the life of Christ in us be our life. He is our life; He desires to live through us. Any life other than the life of Christ in us, is a life that misses the mark by a mile. If misunderstood, dying to self may be a fearful thought. However, only as we die to ourselves and receive the life of Christ, can we find the life that fulfills every longing.
Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Blessings, Buddy
John 12:25-26,46 “He who loves his life loses it; and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall My servant also be; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor Him.” “I have come as a light into the world, that everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness.”
I am hesitant to use this passage of scripture because some may feel condemned and some may think it has negative overtones. Our respond to these verses is telling; they have a way of revealing our deepest beliefs about God. I pray that you will find encouragement as we spend a few minutes looking at what Jesus is saying. There are parts of these verses that may cause some to fear, but in reality, there are great promises in this passage. You may be asking if you love your life; or if you hate your life. Big question that we must answer. Let me say up front that Jesus came to give us abundant life and He gives us all things to enjoy. The issue is whether or not we have died to ourselves; or are we living according to the ways of God or according to our own dictates. Jesus is telling us that if we reject ‘our’ life and live His life in us, we will find life. That is a paradox; if we lose our life, we find life. When we experience life in Christ, we will hate the life we lived apart from Christ. So, it is a blessing for us to lose our life-even to hate life in the flesh. This issue of us losing and hating our life is a crucial issue. As believers, we can live according to the flesh or according to the Spirit. I know that when I live according to the flesh, whether for a few moments or for a longer period of time, I ‘hate’ that life; that is the life we must hate. If I am rude to someone or if I in someway express ungodliness, I regret that-that’s not the life I want. There is one truth, that if we miss it, we will not experience the life God has for us. That central truth is that we must die to ourselves and let the life of Christ in us be our life. He is our life; He desires to live through us. Any life other than the life of Christ in us, is a life that misses the mark by a mile. If misunderstood, dying to self may be a fearful thought. However, only as we die to ourselves and receive the life of Christ, can we find the life that fulfills every longing.
Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Blessings, Buddy
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