Mar 6, 2025 5 min read paradox

Life Essential Paradoxes

Both/and are paradoxical realities of what matters most for a fulfilling life on earth. Jesus explains the truth.

Paradoxical clarity from Jesus Mark 8:34-35

Jesus never bribed anyone. He was up-front, transparent, clearly identifying what you in for. Notice the word if in Mark 8:34-35.

Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.

If means that you have a choice. Maybe you will. Maybe you will not. You have the freedom to choose to follow or not follow. You can choose to give up your way or keep it as is. You may also choose to take up your cross or drop it. Jesus said, "Estimate the cost" (Luke 14:28).

Deny Yourself

This is probably one of the most misunderstood and misapplied commands of our Lord. The word Mark uses in 8:34 means "to resist," "to reject," or "to refuse"; in short, to say no.

The phrase deny yourself is used in a number of important New Testament texts. For example, in Mark 14:71 Jesus had been arrested, and Peter was standing outside the courtroom warming himself by a fire. Peter was confronted three times and accused of having known Jesus. He began to curse and swear say, "I don't know ths man you're talking about." Peter denied that he even knew who Jesus was.

To deny yourself is to say,
"I do not know the person."

Denying yourself may involve denying things, but this is not what Jesus is getting at. Denying yourself does not mean denying your feelings. And although some would say if you are enjoying following Jesus, something must be wrong; in truth, it is not about denying yourself happiness. Finally, denying yourself does not mean deny your brains.

To deny yourself means to deny your self-lordship. It means saying no to the god who is me, to reject the demans of the god who is me, to refuse to obey the claims of the god who is me.

A decisive no!
I do not know Lord ME.
I do not bow down to ME anymore.

Jesus calls us to say no to ourselves so that we can say YES to Him!

Take up your cross

This phrase has also been misunderstood and misapplied. Many people use it to refer to enduring an illness or relationship: "This is the cross I must bear." But Jesus' words mean much more. The phrase would evoke the picture of a criminal forced to carry a cross beam upon which he was to be publicly executed.

A criminal picked up his cross only after receiving the death sentence. When a criminal carried his cross through the streets, for all pracitcal purpose, he was a dead man. His life had ended. A man on his way to public crucifixion demands that followers of Jesus bury MY plans, MY hopes, MY agenda. Then God will either resurrect these dreams or replace them with dreams and plans of His own.

This is a hard saying, but a liberating saying as well that defines a paradox: two seemingly contradictory statements.

Human bondage in all its forms
is the result of being our own gods.

Freedom comes when we lay down the ill-gotten, false crown, when we say no, when we live as though the gods who are "me, myself, and I" have already died.

Lose your life for My sake

Herein lies the paradox of the road less traveled. We finally find ourselves when we lose ourselves for Jesus' sake! And how do we lose our lives for Him? By investing all that we are and have for Him and His gospel. By saying to Him, "Here is my home, my checkbook, my talents and gifts, my brain, my heart, my hands, my feet, my mouth. Here, it is all yours. Use it all to glorify Yourself and further Your purpose on earth."

This is a risky thing to say according to the world's wisdom. But in the end, when history is completed, what will really matter? Nothing except the kingdom of God The only investments that pays off in the end are the investments made in the kingdom now. Those who walk the road less traveled, the road of losing everything for Jesus' sake, end up gaining everything that finally matters.

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

That is why Paul told the Philippians, with great joy, in Philippians 3:7-11,

"Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.... I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.... I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death."

The life essential paradoxes of Jesus bring about abundant joy, long-term happiness, and suffering. Both/and are paradoxical realities of what matters most for a fulfilling life on earth.