Hi Crossover,
http://bible-truths.com/fools.htm ----------------------
"Whosoever will come after Me, let him DENY himself, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS, and FOLLOW ME" (Mark 8:34).
This is not an "option" to salvation; this is an absolute REQUIREMENT.
I'm thinking you read this part of Ray's article and felt this was saying,
'you much suffer through martyrdom *if* should that time comes'. That is not necessarily what "take up His cross" means. It is a figure of speech, not literally to die a martyr. For each individual it is whatever hardship you must suffer and bare for the sake of living according to the example that Jesus Christ set, in order to follow His way of life. Here is the part of that article that came just before the part I gave you before.
http://bible-truths.com/fools.htm -----------------------------
Here is the briefest outline of how God "saves us:"
Jesus Christ must first "CHOOSE" us (John 15:16). You don’t choose Him until He first chooses you. You have no "free will" by which you choose Christ. Christ CHOOSES YOU, or you aren’t chosen. (Be sure to read my four-part series on "Exposing the Myth of Free Will" on this site).
The Father then "DRAWS" [Gk: ‘drags us’]" us to Christ (John 6:44). You don’t come without an invite. What may seem like a "free choice" on your part to come to Christ, in reality is the Father dragging you by many unseen circumstances beyond your view or control.
By GRACE, God gifts us with FAITH (Eph. 2:
. Both are from God; man contributes NOTHING. If you don’t give God credit for all of your faith then you don’t have any faith, because faith comes ONLY from God.
Then "the goodness of GOD leads you to repentance" (Rom. 2:4). Our repentance originates in GOD, not in ourselves. If God doesn’t lead someone to repentance then they CAN’T REPENT.
We are spiritually "BAPTIZED into Christ’s death" (Rom. 6:3).
"For he that is dead is freed from sin… For SIN SHALL NOT have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under GRACE" (Rom. 6:7 & 14).
And it is the grace of God ONLY that will save us. But HOW and WHEN? What does it mean to be "under grace?" Answer:
"For the GRACE of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, TEACHING US [Gk: ‘to train, educate, discipline, punish, chasten, instruct, learn, teach’] that, denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly [with a sound mind], righteously, and GODLY, in this present world" (Titus 2:11-12).
If you are not doing this and growing every day, then you are not being graced by God, and you are not on your way to salvation. The grace of God WILL DISCIPLINE AND CHASTEN us into obedience to all of God’s Spiritual laws and commandments.
"Whosoever will come after Me, let him DENY himself, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS, and FOLLOW ME" (Mark 8:34).
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Read the whole article at that link for a good understanding, but I hope this this bit gives you a better understanding for now.
mercy, peace and love
Kat