For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. Mark 8:35
Does this verse mean that everyone who believes in Jesus must die a martyr? I can think of many saints who have died of old age in bed. Did they lose their eternal life with Jesus for a peaceful death? No, I think this verse is about that desire to control the outcome by our worldly means. Many people in this world want to live forever, and they have an idea of how to do it. A news show once ran a story of a man who ate nothing but pills. I would imagine his dinner parties might be a bit dull in the food department.
Science fiction writers have told tales of planets where the natives live forever or beings of pure energy who were supposedly better than us (kind of a low bar to set) dwelt, and many others. These tales have a tendency to leave out the One who offered us eternal life because, well, the control thing. No one, it seems, in our first birth wants to cede control in order to gain that life we seek.
So, along comes Jesus who died to save us from our desire for control of the first life to gain that eternal life we really want.
Peace and life to you in Christ Jesus our Lord!
Bucky
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