“He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” - John 12:25
There are two answers to this question. The first answer is yes, it is good and needful for us to love ourselves enough that it compels us to take proper care of the bodies God has given us. Good personal hygiene, not indulging in things that harm or foolishly endanger our bodies, and not self-inflicting harm or death to our bodies are examples of proper ways that we ought to love our lives. Most importantly, we ought to love our lives enough to seek the eternal welfare of our souls. The rest of this discussion will assume this point is realized and understood.
To understand the rest of the discussion, it may be helpful to think of the question in this way: “Is it possible to seek my own will and way while also following and obeying Jesus?” This question is really about what is most important to us. What will I love above all else? Is it my own wishes and desires, or am I willing to forfeit those in light of a greater calling and purpose? Can I do both? If Jesus is my Saviour, will he be OK with however I choose to live my life? Is my salvation and faith in Jesus a spiritual reality that is separated from my physical life, or are they connected? These are the questions we are hoping to answer in this discussion.
Let’s start by looking at what Jesus himself said about obeying him. Jesus says in John 14:23, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” Jesus, in his teachings, made it very clear: to love is to obey. Notice he didn’t say in these verses that if we love him, we must obey him. He said if we love him, we will obey him. It’s really pretty simple: if we really love someone, we will do what pleases that person. If we don’t love someone, we don’t really care whether we do or do not please that person. It is the same way with Jesus. If we love him, we will align our lives to the things that please him. By living our lives in a way that is not according to his will, we prove to ourselves and others that we do not love him.
You see, to obey Jesus is to embrace and follow the plan he has made for the forgiveness of my sins and then to live in such a way that Jesus can live within me. It is simply to allow his goals and interests to permeate and control every area of my life. It is to engage my entire being to love what he loves, hate what he hates, pursue what he is pursuing, and build what he is building. One of the key foundations to understanding what it means to obey Jesus is the realization that Jesus’ primary focus is not on the life we are living presently. His focus remains fixed on the eternal objective of restoring a sinful, broken, and struggling humanity back to fellowship and life with him. He is building a kingdom that is perfect and entirely free from the sin and woes of our present reality. To say “yes” to Jesus is to become a citizen and a soldier of this kingdom. A real kingdom whose King is Jesus. As citizens then, of a kingdom that is “not of this world,” our ultimate goal in life becomes serving the interests of this Heavenly kingdom.
How does this look when this is lived out in my life and your life? I will share a true story to illustrate how it looked in the life of one family who chose to obey Jesus.
About 200 years ago, there was a great revival in Wales, England. As a result, many missionaries went out into different parts of the world, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. One group of missionaries went to a remote region in India and lived and taught among the hostile head-hunting tribes of that region. These people were called head- hunters because they had a social custom of hanging the heads of their conquered enemies on the walls of their homes as a testament to their ability to defend themselves and overcome those who came against them. The more heads that hung from your walls, the more you were feared and respected. Through the example and teachings of these missionaries, the Spirit of God brought conviction to one young man and his family who repented of their sins and chose to follow Jesus. So contagious was their new-found joy and peace that many villagers soon began to follow in their footsteps. Feeling threatened by this new faith, the infuriated village chief brought the young man, his wife, and two children to the village square and demanded that he renounce his faith in Jesus Christ. The consequence of disobeying the Chief’s orders would be the death of his two precious children. The young man loved his children dearly but knew he could not deny his Saviour who had so lovingly delivered him from the terrible fear and bondage to sin he had been enslaved by. His answer to the chief was the first line of what is today a well-known hymn. “I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back!”
The chief gave orders to the archers who shot his two children to death. The chief again demanded that he renounce Jesus, or his wife would be killed. The young man’s heart was fixed as he responded, “Though none go with me, still I will follow. No turning back, no turning back!” His beloved wife soon joined his precious children in death. The chief gave his final warning. Renounce Jesus or you will be killed. Now standing alone beside those he had loved so dearly, his heart turned with joy toward his Saviour, and he knew he could not turn back. He responded, “The cross before me, the world behind me, No turning back, no turning back!” The enraged chief did not hesitate. The young man soon joined his family in death and went to dwell forever with the Saviour he loved above all else. As the chief stared in shock at the scene that had just unfolded, a gripping realization enveloped him: “The Jesus this young family followed must be real!” His hardened heart melted as he realized what he had done. He fell to his knees in repentance and found forgiveness, hope, peace, and new life in Christ. Many of the villagers soon followed the example of their chief and gave their hearts to the God who could give such courage and peace to a family that they were unshaken, even in the face of death. This man, his wife, and two children had a desire to live just like you and I do. Yet the call to obey Jesus took precedence over their desire to protect their earthly lives. They were willing to obey Jesus no matter what the cost might be. They followed the footsteps of their Saviour who so unselfishly gave his life for their redemption.
I ask the question, is it possible to selfishly love my life, claim pleasure and ease as my right, and excuse my careless attitude toward sin in my life, while following the One who did the exact opposite? Jesus himself tells us in John 12:25-26, “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor.”
You see, Jesus knew that it is impossible to give our all to the building of his kingdom while also pursuing our selfish wishes and dreams. Hence, to love, follow, and obey Jesus is to hate, or count of no value, the earthly pursuits that will last a very short time. How can we advance and build an eternal kingdom when our focus and energy is spent on temporary things?
The conclusion is simple. I must choose, and you must choose. Will we love our life, or will we, in loving submission to our Master and King, obey and give our lives to his control? We will never be able to do both. The two choices are fixed, unchanging, and an eternal destination apart!
But can I love serving Jesus and building his kingdom? Can I find pleasure and fulfillment in giving up all to follow him? Yes! Absolutely yes! In fact, it’s the only true fulfillment available to humanity! It’s the only pursuit in life that will truly satisfy the inner longing of our hearts. My heart resonates with David, who said in Psalm 119:97, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.” The beauty of being a part of this kingdom is that our peace and joy is not based on the changing circumstances of life. Rather, we live with the constant reality that this life will soon be past, but the purpose we are giving our all to fulfill will reward us for eternity.
Dear Friend, will you today, make this beautiful choice to join a kingdom that God himself created, is able to redeem every broken situation of humanity, and will stand throughout the timeless expanse of eternity when everything here has long passed away from our lives and minds?
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