Willing to Loose that You May Gain

J.A. Matteson


"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Mark 8:34

Each day offers its own opportunities to hear and obey. God is working out his redemptive ends among the sons of men and has chosen to work through his people in order to bring those ends about. The concise words of the Lord Jesus in this passage summarize his many other statements relative to kingdom life and self denial, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.... "(Matt.6:33); "He who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves me" (Jn. 14:21); "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake" (Matt. 5:11). The picture that the Lord Jesus displays repeatedly is the exact relationship between faith and obedience. That is, genuine faith is known by its obedience and genuine obedience is known by faith. Faith and obedience are two sides of one coin; viz. salvation. One cannot exist apart from the other. We cannot have obedience apart from faith and we cannot have faith apart from obeying the command, "Repent and believe he gospel" (Mk. 1:15). God is working all around you today, seek therefore his activity in the people within your sphere of influence. Consider his provinces as opportunities to follow him in obedience. Notice within your thinking if you find yourself drawing back in order to take what you perceive to be a less risky route. That moment is your cross of obedience, follow Jesus. Be willing to loose in the eyes of the world in order that you may gain the praise of God, your abba Father. The intersection of loss in the eyes of the world is gain in the kingdom of God. Consider the cross of Christ, apart from which eternal atonement for sin would remain unsatisfied. Enduring the shame of the cross the Lord Jesus opened the way for sinners, permitting access into the most holy place, the very presence of Almighty God. Consider the risk someone took when they shared Christ with you? Were they not denying themselves and obeying Christ? It was their obedience that in part led to your salvation for, "our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit with full conviction" (1 Thess. 1:5). So we too, as imperfect vessels, beloved by God, count it both a privilege and solemn responsibility to deny ourselves in our Lords service for the sake of the gospel. Consider how many souls may one day thank you in heaven!


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