Jesus makes it clear that following Him comes with a cost. In Matthew 16:24-25, He says,
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.'”
To die to yourself means to lay down your own will, desires, ambitions, and fleshly nature in order to live fully in obedience to Christ. It is a surrender of self-rule, replacing it with the lordship of Jesus. The cross in Jesus’ time was an instrument of death, and when He told His followers to take up their cross, He was telling them to be willing to die—not just physically, but spiritually to their old selves.
Paul echoes this in Galatians 2:20,
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Dying to yourself means that your old nature no longer controls you. Your desires, thoughts, and will are no longer your own, but Christ’s. This death is not a one-time event; it is a daily choice to crucify the flesh and live by the Spirit.
The Command to Take Up Your Cross
Jesus’ command to take up our cross is found multiple times in the Gospels:
Luke 9:23 – “Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.'”
Mark 8:34 – “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
This is not just about suffering or trials—it is about a complete surrender. It is a call to put to death anything that stands in the way of Christ’s rule in our lives.
Paul describes this death as putting off the old man:
Colossians 3:3-5
“For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
When we take up our cross, we put to death the sinful nature, refusing to live according to the flesh. Instead, we walk in the Spirit, submitting every part of our lives to Christ.
Crucified with Christ – The New Identity
Being crucified with Christ means that the old person we once were is no longer in control.
Romans 6:6-7
“Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.”
The moment we come to Christ, we die with Him. This is why Paul could say:
Galatians 5:24
“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
To follow Christ means that we must leave behind our former life. The habits, desires, and ambitions of the old self must be put to death.
What It Means to Be Born Again
If dying to self is the first part, being born again is the second. Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3,
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Being born again is the process by which the Holy Spirit gives us new life. Paul describes it in 2 Corinthians 5:17,
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
This new birth means that:
We are no longer dead in sin but alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5).
We have received the Spirit of adoption, making us children of God (Romans 8:15-16).
We now walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).
Being born again is not just about a moment of decision—it is a transformation that affects every part of our lives. It is a resurrection from spiritual death into eternal life with Christ.
The Daily Walk of Dying and Living
Paul makes it clear that this is not a one-time event, but a daily choice.
1 Corinthians 15:31
“I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.”
Every day, we must put to death our sinful nature and live in the Spirit. Jesus Himself said in John 12:24,
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.”
True fruitfulness in the Kingdom comes only when we die to ourselves and live for Christ.
My Final Thoughts
Dying to yourself and taking up your cross is not an option for a Christian—it is a requirement. Jesus made it clear that unless we lose our lives for His sake, we cannot find true life. This is not about self-improvement but self-denial. It is not about living better but dying completely so that Christ may live in us.
Being born again means that we are no longer our own. We are new creations in Christ, walking in the Spirit, living by faith, and submitting to His will daily. This is the essence of true discipleship: not just believing in Jesus, but following Him wherever He leads.
So today, take up your cross. Die to yourself. Walk in the newness of life that Christ has given you. And in doing so, you will find the abundant life that Jesus promised.
