Thus let us live to Him Who while He dies for us is Life; and let us die to ourselves that we may live to Christ; for we cannot live to Him unless first we die to ourselves, that is, to our wills.

  - Columbanus, Sermon X (Irish, 7th century)

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

  - Romans 6.8

That's a mighty big "if." How can we know "if we have died with Christ"? Columbanus suggests that it all comes to down to our wills. What we will to possess, to achieve, to enjoy, and to do.

The will of the fallen flesh is self-seeking. We want what we want when we want it - or as soon as possible. We look to gratify some need for attention, esteem, or personal enrichment. We insist on our way all the way, or no way at all.

We can be very petty. But the will of Jesus is much less complex than ours. His will was do the Father's bidding, and to bring Him glory. This He did by denying Himself, taking upon Himself the form of a servant, and becoming obedient even to the point of death on a cross.

Imagine if Jesus had been just another self-willed, self-seeking human being like the rest of us. Well, we wouldn't be enjoying this column together then, would we?

Our salvation meant Jesus had to die. His death means we can live. But we cannot truly live unless we first die - die to our selfish wills so that we might learn to will what Jesus does and live for Him. Living for Jesus is infinitely more satisfying and pleasurable than any amount of mere self-serving we might imagine. Believing that, and believing it so that we die to our selfish wills daily, is the necessary prerequisite to finding it to be true.

Today you will live. But if you will live for Jesus today, in Jesus, and in the joy and pleasure of His presence and will, you must die to your own will. You must set aside your personal agenda and take up the cross of Jesus, dying to Him so that you might live in Him and bring the beauty of His saving life to others.

Today then, let us live for Jesus. If, that is, we have died with Him first of all.

T. M. Moore, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.