“For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15 NASB1995)

Jesus Christ, who is God, the second person of our triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – left his throne in heaven, came to earth, was born as a baby to a human mother, a virgin, and he was conceived of the Holy Spirit. Since he was not born of man, he was not born with a sin nature as we are, and although he was tempted to sin, as we are, he never once sinned. And he grew to manhood, and he, along with his 12 disciples, ministered to the people. He healed the sick, raised the dead, delivered people from demons, fed the hungry, comforted the sorrowful, and performed many miracles.

But Jesus’ mission on this earth was not just to perform miracles. He was here to preach the need for all of us to deny self, die to sin, and follow him in walks of surrender to his will in obedience to his commands. He taught that we must forsake our lives of sin and obey God. He taught that his followers are those who listen to his words, who heed them, and who follow him in obedience to his commands. And they are the ones who have the hope of eternal life with God. All who just give lip service to him only, who do not obey his commands, will not inherit eternal life with God.

[Isaiah 53:1-12; Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Matthew 20:17-19; Matthew 26:26-29; Luke 9:23-26; Luke 17:25; John 1:1-36; John 6:35-58; John 8:24-58; John 10:27-33; John 15:1-17; John 20:28-29; Acts 26:18]

But Jesus was not here on the earth just to heal, and just to preach, but he came to die for us on a cross. For this was in God’s plan for him that he would be hated and rejected and put to death by his own people, of his own nation, i.e. by those who proclaimed faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who, in truth, is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. But in his death he put to death with him the sins of the entire world so that, by faith in him, we will deny self, die to sin, and obey him in practice. He paid the price for our sins so that we can now live free from sin’s control.

And please know that Jesus Christ did not require of us that we give honor to his death on that cross, and to his bodily resurrection, only one day out of a year, where we go through ritualistic exercises to proclaim his death and resurrection to the people of the world, especially if we make no mention of him until the next religious holiday. We who believe in him are to be sharing the truth of the gospel to the people of the world daily (consistently), but the truth that he taught, and not the “watered down” version being taught today which appeases human flesh and which does not offend the ungodly.

For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him, in faith, we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin and to self), and follow (obey) him and his commands, in practice. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and if we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God the Father who is in heaven (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Acts 26:18]

Jesus, Rescue Me

Based off of Romans 7:7-25 thru Romans 8:1-39
An Original Work / September 18, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Jesus, rescue me today.
Listen while I bow and pray.
I need Your help to obey You;
Live for You always.
Meet me in my hour of need, Lord,
As I pray to You.
Help me walk in fellowship, Lord,
Living in Your truth.
Jesus, how I long for You to
Change my heart anew.

Father, God, my heart’s desire
Is to live for You this hour
In Your Holy Spirit’s power
Living in me now.
Teach me to walk in Your love, Lord,
Guiding me each day.
Help me to show love and kindness
To the lost, I pray.
Father, teach me to love others
As You love always.

Holy Spirit come in pow’r.
Revive our hearts in this hour.
Change our hearts to be like You, Lord;
Live for You each day.
Help us to forsake our sins, Lord,
As we humbly pray.
Teach us how to live for You, Lord,
Obey You always.
Holy Spirit come in power,
Revive us today.

So We Might No Longer Live For Self
An Original Work / April 5, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love