Destined for the Cross

Romans 8:6-11

“Death to self” happens at salvation, when we are crucified with Christ (Rom. 6:6). The old self dies, and we are given a new nature as the Holy Spirit comes to live within us (John 14:17). At times, however, it takes a bit longer to willingly make a sacrifice—to hand over to the Lord something we love and value.

Once God has given us a new nature, we can experience freedom because Jesus triumphed over sin. But our Father doesn’t stop with our salvation; His purpose is to conform believers to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). To live as God intends, however, we must be willing to give Christ the predominant position in our life. As a result, the Lord calls us to the cross on a daily basis—to lay down anything that might distract us from our purpose of serving and following Him.

Don’t misunderstand what this means. God isn’t going to take away everything so we see ourselves as lonely paupers. Instead, leaving our valuables—whether possessions, people, or dreams—at the foot of the cross frees us from the attachments of this world.

When we lay down these treasures, our self-esteem will no longer be tied to “stuff” and our sense of acceptance won’t come from people. Then we are complete in the Lord. Or, as Paul said, we are “alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 6:11).

Bible in One Year:1 Kings 8-9