Scriptures Weekly 66 - Leaving Self Behind

In John 12:24, Jesus speaks about “loving life and losing it.” or “losing this life to find life eternal.” 

“Verily, verily, I say unto to you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”

Did you hear that?

Jesus the Christ spoke often to dying to sin, of surrendering self, and of yielding to the complete will of God. 

In Mark 8:34-35, Jesus emphasis on surrender continues. 

“Whosoever will come after Me , let him deny himself” (leave self behind), 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 and the gospel's will save it."

This death is not so much in relation to externals such as houses or lands or silver, or gold, but deals with the broken heart, the contrite spirit, the real alabaster box that is so difficult to crush.

Water baptism WILL NOT HELP the person who yet lives with an un-surrendered heart.

Baptism is for the “dead” – not those who intend to die someday, or are in the slow process of dying, but for those who “leave the SELF behind” and seek to follow Jesus.

Romans 6:1-2,

“What shall I say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”  

This is the preamble of the entire chapter 6. To give up this foundational truth is to give up the truth about baptism. The death to sin is the basis of baptism (the burial), and the confirmation of a true resurrection. It is mockery to bury (baptize) one still alive to his own selfish desires and lusts. Even a “corn of wheat” when planted will remain lifeless until it dies.

So with the “old man” crucified (verse 6) and the new man “alive into God:" (verse 11), the very principle of sin is broken, the punishment of sin is no more, and the Christian is given power over sin in his daily life.

Jack Exum

1979