From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. [Matthew 16.21-27]
If we are not living to die, we have missed the point.
Jesus ONLY purpose to live on earth was indeed to die.
Peter, under the influence of Satan, overwhelmingly represented every person who misunderstands Jesus' purpose to come to earth. Jesus did not come to earth to entertain or to be entertained - He came to die.
There is no Biblical proof that "life" is ours to preserve. Jesus' example and teaching says it all. God indeed said He would care for us, but we are strictly forbidden to take that matter into our own hands:
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [Matthew 6.33]
The pursuit of life is a human perspective of self-centeredness, idols, and Satan himself who inspires us to take our lives into our own hands for the sake of living. This is, as Jesus rebuked Peter for, a dangerous trap.
Do I mean that all the things we do "to live" are a dangerous trap? Yes, that is what Jesus said.
When death is on the line, our motives become clear. Peter only said what all of us feel. That lust to live on earth is the work of Satan. That self-centric motivation is exactly what tripped up Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. At the heart of such error is the notion that God, Who reserves the right to be our everything, is not.
Is it wrong then that we live? Of course not! But it is wrong for any "follower of Christ" to "take matters into their own hands" regarding their life. The apostle Paul said it quite clearly to the Church in Galatia:
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. [Galatians 2.20]
Nothing says what or who we trust in more than our "life." Regardless what we have been deceived to believe, any trust in ourselves or other man-made systems is idolatry. It is, in fact, what Jesus warned against in Matthew 16 above: If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?.
This is serious. This should occupy our thoughts every day... to live only as Christ with zero concern for "living on earth." This preempts "name-it-claim-it" mentality with the question instead, "What is necessary today to bring glory to God living only like Jesus knowing that God "has my back"?" If it's a miracle of epic proportions, fine. If it's the miracle of my cross, even better! Just let me follow Jesus!
Suddenly, the things of life do not matter. Suddenly, finance, insurance, medicine and technology become a clear affront to faith in Christ alone.
Hebrews 11 (the famous faith chapter) is perhaps the most taken-out-of-context chapter in the entire Bible. Everyone loves the first part of Hebrews 11 where those mentioned got the faith-opportunity to live. But most prefer to overlook the last part of Hebrews 11 where others had the faith-opportunity to die! Living or dying is not the focus! The focus is faith in Christ!
For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. [Philippians 1.21]
As a believer in Jesus Christ, my "life" is in heaven. I only "live" on earth to serve God's purpose. At least, that's the way it should be...
Father, like Peter, I get so distracted with "living" that I find myself rebuked by Your Word, Jesus. Help me instead to have a proper Biblical evaluation of my life on earth. May I be found giving up my own way, taking up my cross, and following Jesus. So be it.
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