We all have the natural instinct to live. It is a gift from God to protect us from doing foolishly dangerous things. We not only protect our physical bodies, we also protect our egos.
Jesus establishes a new way of viewing life. He tells us to lay down our lives for the sake of following him. Unless we die to ourselves, we will bear no fruit. If we deny our selfish tendencies God will produce much spiritual fruit through us. If we hold onto our self-centered rights, we remain alone.
Jesus put it this way, “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:24-25).
