For Christians concerned with spiritual formation, who yearn to grow in Christ-likeness, Thomas A Kempis’ The Imitation of Christ is an indispensable resource. But, most copies of this wonderful book are in King-James style English (Even, dare I say, Moody Press’ version). While this kind of old English has its merits, I grant, sometimes it’s distracting. Here, I adapted one of A Kempis’ famous passages about taking up the cross.
While I can’t say I’m one-for-one on A Kempis’ theology, I greatly appreciate how he was able and willing to take a stand on some of the hard teachings of the Bible which most well-meaning Christians today prefer to shy away from. A huge reason why the topic of suffering is such an incessant one for Christians today is because we’ve forgotten what the cross means. Yes, Jesus’ blood atoned for our sins at the cross. Yes, Christ was the once-for-all sacrifice. Yes, we are “Justified” at the cross, to speak theologically. But have we forgotten that, even before Jesus laid eyes on the cross that would kill him, He commanded His disciples to take up their cross in imitation of Him?
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matt. 16:24–25)
It’s a paradox at the center center of the gospel—death leading to life. Thomas A Kempis, poetically and fearlessly addresses this mystery, that if we die with Christ, we come alive with Him, long before our physical heartbeat ever stops. This is a good news we must recover if we are to be lights in the world and avoid the poison of hypocrisy.
To many, this seems a hard saying, “Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus.” (Matt. 16:24). But it would be much harder to hear that final word, “Depart from me, you cursed, into eternal fire.” (Matt. 25:41). For those who presently and willingly hear and follow the word of the cross will not have to later fear the sentence of everlasting damnation.
The sign of the cross will be in the sky when the Lord comes back in judgment. Then all the servants of Christ, who in their lifetime modeled their lives after Christ crucified, will be able to stand before Christ the Judge with perfect confidence.
So why are you afraid of the cross that leads you to Christ’s presence? In the cross, there is salvation, life, and protection from our enemies. In the cross there is the fragrance of heaven, strength of mind, joy of spirit, the peak of virtue, the perfection of holiness. There is no salvation of the soul, no hope of everlasting life, except in the cross of Christ.
So take up your cross and follow Jesus, and you will find there the everlasting life Jesus promised (Luke 14:27). He went before you, bearing His cross (John 19:17), and died for you on that cross—not so you can escape sacrificing yourself—but so you may enter life the same way. May we want willingly to take up our cross and die to ourselves.
For if you die with Jesus, you will find yourself in life with Him. And if you be His companion in suffering and pain, you will find yourself His companion in glory.
(Adapted from chapter 12 of Imitation of Christ, “Of the King’s Highway of the Holy Cross”)
