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The Gospel of John, The Period of Crisis, The Visit of the Greeks, Part VIII, John 12:25 - Lesson 105
Read Verses John 12:23,24, And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. for review:
John 12:25, He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
Jesus tells us that like a seed cast into the ground giving up itself and its self identity the person that hates his life enough to lose his life for Christ will keep it to life eternal.
That which you have, is to be given to God like a seed is given to the earth.
Like a seed given to the earth brings forth much fruit we also are to die to ourselves like a seed dies in order to bring much fruit.
A seed left in the bag so it keeps its identity as a seed will never bring forth any fruit.
A seed that says "I want to be me" is a worthless seed to the farmer.
It must die in order to live bountifully.
Jesus tells us the principle of keeping is losing.
You only keep what you give to Christ.
The seed of your life that is given to Christ, he turns into gold, silver, and precious stone.
The seed of your life that is kept in the bag is revealed by his purifying fire as wood, hay and stubble.
Jesus compares this sacrifice of your life as hating your life.
Hating a life that is not in obedience to the one who created that life.
Hating a life that is constructed, fashioned and molded from a heart that God calls desperately wicked and deceitful.
A life attempted to be lived without God.
That is the life that Jesus expects us to hate.
Because only then shall we keep it unto life eternal. |