Carrying Our Cross - Easy & Light?

[Michael37]

1 hour ago, Vine Abider said:

Which approach is His easy & light way?

The Pharisees, Sadducees, Lawyers and Scribes and whoever else objected to the ministry of Jesus were yoked to Judaism and its critical mass of laws, rules, regulations, traditions, customs, and observances.

Mat 23:4  For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

A study of the word "yoke" (Gr. zugos ) reveals it is used metaphorically to convey the concept of servitude. Disciples are said to be yoked to their masters, whomever it is they choose to follow to gain knowledge and experience from.

Act 15:5-10  But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses."  (6)  Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.  (7)  And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: "Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.  (8)  So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,  (9)  and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.  (10)  Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

The heavy yoke of the Law under Judaism requires righteousness and salvation to be earned.

The light yoke of Christ makes these available as a gift, that is, Grace through Faith in Christ who carried His Cross to His Death so we could have Life. 

Act 15:28-29  For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:  (29)  that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.
 

 

[Marathoner]

We can also sum up serving the Lord in this way:

"Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people." (Jeremiah 7:23a ESV)

No observances... no rituals... no regulations needed nor required. Obey the voice of the Lord. That, my friends, is no burden at all. 

[Not me]

On 3/14/2023 at 1:01 PM, Vine Abider said:

I think there's real light here - anybody else see this?

Yes, I believe you are seeing into a great truth…  I hold true that to the degree one sees in their being joined with Christ in both His death and resurrection, to that degree will they be set free to walk in newness of life…..

 

Oh to have eyes that would see the deeper, blessings, Not me 

[Vine Abider]

13 hours ago, Not me said:

Yes, I believe you are seeing into a great truth…  I hold true that to the degree one sees in their being joined with Christ in both His death and resurrection, to that degree will they be set free to walk in newness of life…..

 

Oh to have eyes that would see the deeper, blessings, Not me 

Amen!

This morning I woke up a little down, but also realizing how little I actually knew of what God is doing with us. So what could I do but turn to Him!?  My realization and prayer was this: "Lord I don't really know that much about the cross (or much of anything else), but I just turn to You, Who is all and everything I need!"

In Him, and now via His life living IN me, when I come to Him, I automatically get whatever I need - which includes the crossing out of the old life. I'm reminded of the time when the children of Israel were being bitten by deadly snakes.  God's solution and cure? Just look at the brass serpent being lifted up and live!  How simple is that!!!???

Then I read this verse: "But of Him are you in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God - that is, righteousness, sanctification and redemption."  1 Cor 1:30  It's all in Him!

ALL WE NEED IS IN HIM - AND HE'S IN US!!! So in everything, we just turn to Him and let Him operate in us, and His life automatically does whatever we need!

Edited March 17, 2023 by Vine Abider
typo & clarity

[Not me]

1 hour ago, Vine Abider said:

Amen!

This morning I woke up a little down, but also realizing how little I actually knew of what God is doing with us. So what could I do but turn to Him!?  My realization and prayer was this: "Lord I don't really know that much about the cross (or much of anything else), but I just turn to You, Who is all and everything I need!"

In Him, and now via His life living IN me, when I come to Him, I automatically get whatever I need - which includes the crossing out of the old life. I'm reminded of the time when the children of Israel were being bitten by deadly snakes.  God's solution and cure? Just look at the brass serpent being lifted up and live!  How simple is that!!!???

Then I read this verse: "But of Him are you in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God - that is, righteousness, sanctification and redemption."  1 Cor 1:30  It's all in Him!

ALL WE NEED IS IN HIM - AND HE'S IN US!!! So in everything, we just turn to Him and let Him operate in us, and His life automatically does whatever we need!

Such a blessing to read, and to see God’s hand in another’s life…. 
 

Be blessed in His life in you… 

 

A fellow follower, Not me 

[Vine Abider]

@Not me  @Marathoner  @Michael37 @Marilyn C @Neighbor  I read something from Hannah W. Smith pertaining to this that was a little "revolutionary" to my thinking.  In it she was conveying how as a little girl she loved to climb trees and make mud pies and play with dolls, and hated to sit still and learn long lessons and sew, etc.  But when she matured things got reversed.  What she hated doing before as a child she now finds great pleasure in those things!

Therefore, she says the mature woman is now dead to the things she found pleasure in before.  She now delights in the pursuits of her mature life.

The author then goes on to say: "There are a great many Christians who look at the Christian life as I in my childish ignorance looked at adult life; they think religion means to give up the things you love and do the things they hate. They call this 'taking up the cross' and actually think God enjoys their grudging service."

What do you make of that?

[Marilyn C]

48 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

@Not me  @Marathoner  @Michael37 @Marilyn C @Neighbor  I read something from Hannah W. Smith pertaining to this that was a little "revolutionary" to my thinking.  In it she was conveying how as a little girl she loved to climb trees and make mud pies and play with dolls, and hated to sit still and learn long lessons and sew, etc.  But when she matured things got reversed.  What she hated doing before as a child she now finds great pleasure in those things!

Therefore, she says the mature woman is now dead to the things she found pleasure in before.  She now delights in the pursuits of her mature life.

The author then goes on to say: "There are a great many Christians who look at the Christian life as I in my childish ignorance looked at adult life; they think religion means to give up the things you love and do the things they hate. They call this 'taking up the cross' and actually think God enjoys their grudging service."

What do you make of that?

Hi VA,

I loved to play music when I was young and still do. So, I don`t think that illustration H.W. Smith says works in all cases. I don`t remember hating anything when I was young, but appreciated being able to do things. I`m older now and appreciate things I can do at this age. 

I do understand what she is saying for her own experience, but not for all.

Marilyn.

[Michael37]

46 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

@Not me  @Marathoner  @Michael37 @Marilyn C @Neighbor  I read something from Hannah W. Smith pertaining to this that was a little "revolutionary" to my thinking.  In it she was conveying how as a little girl she loved to climb trees and make mud pies and play with dolls, and hated to sit still and learn long lessons and sew, etc.  But when she matured things got reversed.  What she hated doing before as a child she now finds great pleasure in those things!

Therefore, she says the mature woman is now dead to the things she found pleasure in before.  She now delights in the pursuits of her mature life.

The author then goes on to say: "There are a great many Christians who look at the Christian life as I in my childish ignorance looked at adult life; they think religion means to give up the things you love and do the things they hate. They call this 'taking up the cross' and actually think God enjoys their grudging service."

What do you make of that?

Not a fan of anyone begrudging me their time and resources, but it happens.

I have a book in my library that exhorts Christians not to be masochists who deliberately put themselves through pain and hardship by taking on tasks beyond the call of duty for egotistical reasons.

Task oriented people are often driven to be busy and seek out opportunities to prove they are superservants.

Commitment to serve does come with burden-bearing but if the Lord guides He also provides, as with Christ and His Cross when it got too heavy.

[Not me]

1 hour ago, Vine Abider said:

@Not me  @Marathoner  @Michael37 @Marilyn C @Neighbor  I read something from Hannah W. Smith pertaining to this that was a little "revolutionary" to my thinking.  In it she was conveying how as a little girl she loved to climb trees and make mud pies and play with dolls, and hated to sit still and learn long lessons and sew, etc.  But when she matured things got reversed.  What she hated doing before as a child she now finds great pleasure in those things!

Therefore, she says the mature woman is now dead to the things she found pleasure in before.  She now delights in the pursuits of her mature life.

The author then goes on to say: "There are a great many Christians who look at the Christian life as I in my childish ignorance looked at adult life; they think religion means to give up the things you love and do the things they hate. They call this 'taking up the cross' and actually think God enjoys their grudging service."

What do you make of that?

Greetings, I sense she was on her course and God was teaching her… For however one comes into their understanding of being dead in Christ, is a personal thing, one can point to their experiences, but for another to grow from another’s experience, God Himself has to open that heart, but one can taste the light and question God about it, thereby does one find food in another, just like you are doing…. For what works in one life might not work in another’s, God knows, this is His work of wonders…. 

But the ground of one’s death in Christ once entered into, is the most freeing of things, for if one would want to taste true freedom, do righteousness, that is, search into, look into, strive after what is righteousness, for of a truth, in righteousness will freedom be found… 

For righteousness is like the counting  of numbers, regardless of how high one counts, there is still an infinite amount of numbers still to be counted, always will be, never to end… 

When one sees that righteousness is the same, life becomes a joy to itself, for regardless of what one is doing, each opportunity is an opportunity to manifest righteousness…. Therefore does each and every day reveal a new, deeper, more joyful revealing of righteousness, it is never to end to all eternity… Entering into this eternity of righteousness now, is open to all the hearts that would be willing to search into what is righteousness in every situation and circumstances one finds themselves in.. ..

Then is the presence of God known as a part of life itself, as it grows so does the joy of the life, it being Christ’s life, enjoyed…

Blessings in your relationship with our Lord Jesus….

 

A brother in the faith, Not me 

Edited March 20, 2023 by Not me

[Wayne222]

The cross of Jesus was our salvation. Of course as a sin offering once and for all. We take the lord's supper looking back at his death. It's important to remember the lord's death. So we will live for him daily taking up our cross everyday. Deny the self and do the will of God. It's not a burden to do the will of God.