Needs To Die

There are some things that need to be buried if we want to see new, better life emerge.

Some of the things that need to be buried are bad things that we know are bad because they feel bad, and lead to bad results almost immediately. Getting stoned on meth or some other illegal drug? Needs to die. Do you use physical violence when you get angry at someone? Needs to die. Do you wallow in shame-filled guilt even though you know you’re covered by the grace of God you discovered in Jesus Christ? Needs to die.

Some of the things that need to buried are bad things that feel sort of good, so we’re not always sure they’re bad unless someone we trust (maybe a pastor…) brings it up. Inappropriate sex feels pretty good – maybe even really really good – but if it’s outside of a healthy marriage, you’re doing more harm than good, even if you don’t see it and if everyone else is doing it. Needs to die. Excessive use of alcohol or prescription drugs – takes the edge off, helps you escape, no big deal? Think again. If you’re using substances to escape, you’re only allowing more destruction to ensue in yourself and those around you. Needs to die. What about a bad attitude? That doesn’t hurt anyone, right? You’re only venting! Guess again – hurts you, hurts the recipients, smells up whatever room you’re in. Needs to die.

Some of the things that need to be buried seem really good, but are severely lacking. A thorough knowledge of scripture seems good, but if it never gets practiced, we’re just clanging gongs and cymbals. Unapplied biblical knowledge needs to die so that we may live the teaching of Jesus and experience life in the Spirit. A lukewarm faith feels safe, and is very common. Needs to die, however, lest we get spit out of God’s mouth. God desires life to the max for us, which simply cannot take place unless we let go of some junk.

Some of the things that need to be buried are good things that need to go in order to allow the best to sprout and grow. Looking only after our own interests is good and responsible. But it gets in the way of the best – looking after our needs and those of others at the same time. The former needs to pass away in order for the latter to take root. One is good. The other is clearly best. Self-centeredness needs to die. Commitment to former ways of thinking need to die if God is trying to break in with something new and different. Settling for the status quo in our current life experience – which may be good – needs to die if the Way of Christ is calling us out of our comfort zones, ushering us toward abundant life.

Jesus knew that if he stuck around in his body that the Kingdom he came to create would never grow much beyond himself and what he could do while in his physical body. Only if he died and lived again would people understand that the era of sacrifices to win God over was complete. False hope in the law died, making way for life fertilized by forgiveness and grace. (See John 12:20-33).

U2 recently released their latest album, No Line On The Horizon. I’m sure you’ve all been listening to it as much as I have. In one particular song about bringing about change, the chorus cries out, “It’s not a hill, it’s a mountain, when you start out the climb.” It’s hard to change.

It’s hard to let stuff die to make room for new life. Even if it’s bad stuff that everybody knows is bad. Especially hard to let good stuff die, because it really requires faith that God will lead us to something better.

So, in light of all this, what does a genuine CrossWalker look like? What does the picture of a fully devoted follower of Jesus include? What are things that must be dead or absent? What are the things we suspect should be growing? Seriously – write it out.

May you figure it out, trust God, and let things die for new things to live.