Deciphered Variance
Matthew 10:39 - “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Well that may be one of the most convoluted statements that could be put together... to find your life you will lose it and if you lose it you will find it? Come on now, many people search for most of their life for who they are and what their life is about, you are saying if you find it then it will be taken from you? And if you lose your life, what in the world does that mean? And how can you find it if you purposely lose it?
Have you ever thought about the idea that Christianity presses upon the paradox that if you live for yourself you will die and if you die for Christ you will live? If you live you will die, and if you die you will live? There’s a diametric statement.
John 11:25-26 “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’”
In Matthew 10:39, ‘life’ is the greek word for soul. In ‘life’, Jesus is speaking about all of who you are, your being, your thoughts, your actions, your past, your future, your strengths and weaknesses, all of who you are. Not merely your breathe. But your being. Your purpose. Your essence: life.
The world wants you to run after yourself, to “self-actualize”, and live for yourself. After all, what other purpose is there to life than to serve yourself and have fun while it lasts? Christ asks of us the exact opposite.
John 15:13 - “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
Live for yourself and you will die for none other than your own futility, alone. Die to yourself (reject self-actualization and your own wants and desires), live for others, for Christ, and you will live for something bigger than yourself. Live for Christ and you will live past yourself and live through the power of Christ. And remember, with life we are not talking about physical breathe, but being. Eternal life. Who are you living for?
This verse serves as not merely a call, but also a warning. The greek word used here for ‘lose’ is apoluo which is literally translated ‘to loose from’ but came to mean ‘destroy’. So whoever finds his life will destroy it, ‘...but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.’
Seeking pleasure in wealth, goods, power, affluence, pleasure, all the other entrapments of this world will do nothing more than destroy your life if the end purpose of these things are yourself. Nothing inherently evil in any of these things, but to purpose your life over such things is like living in someone else’s house and claiming yourself rich indeed. These things are not the end all nor can they bring you joy and fulfillment. It seems so counterintuitive, but to lose yourself in Christ is the only way to truly find yourself. To give yourself up and live for someone else may seem counterproductive, but it is the only way to find true happiness. In Christ alone will you find peace. Love. Joy. Contentment. In yourself, only contention.
Jared Williams
Well that may be one of the most convoluted statements that could be put together... to find your life you will lose it and if you lose it you will find it? Come on now, many people search for most of their life for who they are and what their life is about, you are saying if you find it then it will be taken from you? And if you lose your life, what in the world does that mean? And how can you find it if you purposely lose it?
Have you ever thought about the idea that Christianity presses upon the paradox that if you live for yourself you will die and if you die for Christ you will live? If you live you will die, and if you die you will live? There’s a diametric statement.
John 11:25-26 “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’”
In Matthew 10:39, ‘life’ is the greek word for soul. In ‘life’, Jesus is speaking about all of who you are, your being, your thoughts, your actions, your past, your future, your strengths and weaknesses, all of who you are. Not merely your breathe. But your being. Your purpose. Your essence: life.
The world wants you to run after yourself, to “self-actualize”, and live for yourself. After all, what other purpose is there to life than to serve yourself and have fun while it lasts? Christ asks of us the exact opposite.
John 15:13 - “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
Live for yourself and you will die for none other than your own futility, alone. Die to yourself (reject self-actualization and your own wants and desires), live for others, for Christ, and you will live for something bigger than yourself. Live for Christ and you will live past yourself and live through the power of Christ. And remember, with life we are not talking about physical breathe, but being. Eternal life. Who are you living for?
This verse serves as not merely a call, but also a warning. The greek word used here for ‘lose’ is apoluo which is literally translated ‘to loose from’ but came to mean ‘destroy’. So whoever finds his life will destroy it, ‘...but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.’
Seeking pleasure in wealth, goods, power, affluence, pleasure, all the other entrapments of this world will do nothing more than destroy your life if the end purpose of these things are yourself. Nothing inherently evil in any of these things, but to purpose your life over such things is like living in someone else’s house and claiming yourself rich indeed. These things are not the end all nor can they bring you joy and fulfillment. It seems so counterintuitive, but to lose yourself in Christ is the only way to truly find yourself. To give yourself up and live for someone else may seem counterproductive, but it is the only way to find true happiness. In Christ alone will you find peace. Love. Joy. Contentment. In yourself, only contention.
Jared Williams
