Will of God: Christians passionately pursue the will of God. We do so passionately in that we are willing to suffer[1] to carry out God’s commands. Peter resounds the call of Christ that we follow Him in this way. We follow Christ with self-denial, choosing God’s interests over man’s.[2] Christ pursued obedience to the Father to the point of death, even death on a cross, and we are called to arm ourselves with the same purpose.[3] Any form of Christianity that brushes aside this call of Christ smothers the biblical voice of Christ. As one has put it: “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”[4] It is at the cross that redemption intersects with discipleship. The cross is the price of ransom, and the cross is the price of obedience.

Separation: Cross-bearing Christianity inevitably means separation from the world. The world in its godlessness does not submit to the will of God. Under the influence of Satan, the world pursues after its own desires/lusts. If we are faithfully walking with the Lord, the world should be “surprised” that we do not run headlong into the same vices. We follow “the Light of the world” (John 8:12), and we reflect Him and thus shine brightly as “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14-16). The world is in desperate need to come to terms with the great assize that is coming. Everyone must surrender to the authority of Christ and be reconciled to God. The gospel must always include this call to reconciliation with the holy God. May we be the voice of this gospel of Christ!

[1] The English word “passion” comes from the Latin pati which means “to suffer.” This is why the final week of Jesus’ earthly life is called the “Passion” week. It is the week in which He suffered for our sins.

[2] Cf. Matt. 16:21-24 where we are to seek the interests of the Father even to the point of death as Jesus did.

[3] Cf. Phil. 2:5-8. Cf. also Isaiah 50:4-6; Matt. 26:39, 42; John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38; 8:29; Heb. 10:7-9; 1 Pet. 2:21-24.

[4] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (New York: Macmillan, 1966), 99.