https://odb.org/2025/05/22/love-worthy-of-our-life
Matthew 16:21–28 (NIV): 21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. 28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Christian life is as much about suffering as it is about enjoyment of life. So much so that in the early days, the charismatic movement looked at enjoyment of life as a form of sin. Enjoying life was compromising our standards. It felt wrong then. So we didn’t watch television or dwell into worldly pursuits.
Later, like some sort of backlash, the pendulum swung all the other way. We started to embrace prosperity and begin to enjoy life to the fullest while remaining in the Kingdom of God. It became so bad that there were new believers who came into the fold to become prosperous! Yahweh inadvertently became the God of Prosperity like in Chinese culture!
While there is truth that becoming a child of God brings the blessings of heaven upon us, and we face life protected under His wings, we are nevertheless not shielded by the rigours of life. We face challenges and issues of life like everyone else. Just that with God, we approach things with Godly principles, sometimes denying our self interests for the good of others. We have an eternal calling, and no matter how we may suffer here on earth, we will one day be with Jesus and our Father God for eternity and receive our crown of glory.
But the crown comes with the cross. Just like Jesus is seated at the right hand of God the Father now, He had to go to the cross first and die for our sins. He rose victorious and was resurrected, but He had to endure the cruel punishment of the cross, the humiliation from His creation. He was wounded for our transgressions. For it was by His stripes that we are healed of our spiritual condition and reconciled back to Yahweh.
There will be some sort of suffering and sacrifice we need to go through not only as part of life but as a true believer. If we refuse to compromise our faith, we sometimes need to take the longer route to our desired destination. Don’t take the easy way and become just a nominal believer, paying lip service to the faith. The easy way is usually filled with more easy ways, and in no time, we will be adrift in our faith, giving in to the bright lights and the luxurious trappings of life.
Ronnie's Thoughts 