Self-denial is never just a series of isolated acts of mortification or asceticism. It is not suicide, for there is an element of self-will even in that. To deny oneself is to be aware only of Christ and no more of self, to see only him who goes before and no more the road which is too hard for us. Once more, all that self-denial can say is; ‘He leads the way, keep close to him.”
“…and take up the cross.” Jesus has graciously prepared the way for this word by speaking first of self-denial. Only when we have become completely oblivious if self ate we ready to bear the cross for his sake. If in the end we know only him, if we have ceased to notice the pain of our own cross, we are indeed looking only unto him.
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The cross is laid on every Christian. … It is that dying of the old man which is the result of his encounter with Christ … Thus it begins; the cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise god-fearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die. It may be a death like that of the first disciples who had to leave home and work to follow him, or it may be a death like Luther’s, who had to leave the monastery and go out into the world. But it is the same death every time-death in Jesus Christ, the death of the old man at his call.
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oh, well in that case. i’ll jump right on board the jesus train. lol.
i really am enjoying bohoeffer a lot. (not that i’m reading it for enjoyment, i think i might be struck down with the hatred he has for cheap grace if i said that.) he’s so so intense. and i love it, cuz at least he’s legit. like. he died at age 39 in a nazi concentration camp. for doing exactly what he writes about. he’s so intense though. i read like 8 pages at a time. i just finished chapter 4. and he kinda just says it how he sees it. and he makes sense logically. and progresses from idea to deeper idea to deeper idea until you see yourself nodding to agreement to something that blows your mind completely if you try to see it actually applied to the world today.
i’m so interested in Christ as of late. Vintage (Spokane-church) is doing a series through mark (its lasting from last easter to this easter. i love my church) and its so good and intriguing and legit to just hear people talk about Jesus. like. the jesus christ actually in the Bible. Bonhoeffer does it too. (as much as i’ve read) his entire book just looks at encounters that jesus has with people with emphasis on those he calls to discipleship. hence the title. the cost of discipleship.
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i hate it when i get distracted half way through a blog. cuz now its not really concluded. but i lost my train of thought completely. plus its like 1:30 and i really need to go to bed. sorry.
