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He Saved Others: Himself He Cannot Save(That’s what you think.)By: Joseph H. MurrayMatt. 27:42a; Matt. 16:25; Acts 2:40; Luke 23:35 Little did the chief priest and scribes and the elders of Israel know that Jesus being on the cross was not only saving Himself but was qualifying Himself to save many others. We know they had in mind, or were speaking of, coming down from the cross and not bearing it. This, we know, would have been a gross disaster for us; for, had He not borne His cross, there would be no salvation for man. And man would have had to remain in sin forever. There are times in our lives that we have to deny ourselves to gain a better end. This was true in the case of Jesus on the cross. “Then Jesus said unto His disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it” (Matt. 16:24–25). Bearing our cross and following the Lord will gain us favor with God, and many will be drawn to follow us as we have followed the Lord. My Christian friend, there is no joking or jesting on a cross. It’s a dying to self and foolish desires. There is a deep sense of soberness that transcends all our carnal plans and ambitions and puts God’s will for our lives our main objective (on our cross). Are you bearing your cross, my brother, my sister? If you can answer my next question in the affirmative, you are on solid ground. Are you more interested in others being saved than saving your natural life? Or, even being saved yourself? If you are among this group of Christians, you are following the same pattern set forth by Jesus in saving others and Himself. Remember, others must come first, before you can be saved. A whole life time of interest in others being born into the family of God must be spent before we can be qualified to be saved. After preaching repentance and baptism to the house of Israel on the day of Pentecost, Peter also told them to “Save yourselves from this untoward generation” (Acts 2:40). Untoward what, Peter? Untoward God, of course. By turning away from the world and its evils, God adds one to the group that should be saved with an eternal salvation. “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47). |
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