Matthew 10:38-39
And anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Are we stubbornly holding on to our old ways and rebelliously not wanting to give up pleasing the sinful nature of the Devil in us? How are we to consider following Christ, if we do not want to carry our own cross. Carrying our own cross is living daily to put to death all the misdeeds of the sinful nature of the Devil in us. Only then could Christ's divine nature be formed in us. When we willingly give up pleasing the sinful nature we will gain the divine nature of Christ if only we obey all that He had commanded us.
Galatians 5:18-21
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are
obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Why you should carry your cross? Because, if you don't, you will be cherishing and pleasing the sinful nature of the Devil in you instead.