1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

— Ephesians 2:1-3

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

— Deuteronomy 6:5

37 And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

38 This is the great and first commandment.

39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

— Matthew 22:37-39

24 Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.

25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

— Matthew 16:24-26

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

— Romans 12:2

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life — is not from the Father but is from the world.

17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

— 1 John 2:15-17

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Immense grace and love to you from Jesus Christ.

Another confusing gospel message teaches that we can earn salvation by loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself. In reality, it is impossible to produce this kind of love before salvation. This false gospel message comes out of Deuteronomy 6:5 that says you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Although Jesus said this was the greatest commandment, He did not imply that a person could earn salvation by obeying it. There are many similar command given in the Word of God, but there are for God’s children yo obey, not for unbelievers to be saved. It is believing the good news about Jesus that saves a soul, not loving God and others.

Then how about following Jesus and bearing one’s cross? Do they save? In Matthew 16:24-26 Jesus said to His disciples that they must deny themselves, take up their crosses to follow Him if they want to come after Him. He also told them that one needs to lose his life for His sake to find the life. The key to understanding this passage if to understand that Jesus was addressing to believers. This is a a sanctification passage rather than a how-to-be saved passage. Jesus was warning believers to not sell out to the world, not to miss out on the abundant life and become unfruitful in service here on earth.