Take Up Your Cross No. 1 (Matthew 16:24-26) | Orthodox Christian Hoodie

The Saviour of the world indicated two paths, two ways of life for those who believe in Him—the path or the life that leads to salvation, and the path or the life that leads to perfection. The second way of life the Lord called “following Me,” since it is the most exact expression of the Lord’s teaching and a forcible* emulation of the way of life that Christ led during His earthly life. Those who wish to follow on the first path need the following: faith in Christ; life according to God’s commandments; and the healing, through repentance, of a deficiency in the fulfillment of the commandments. Consequently, salvation is attainable and given to all, as long as a person works and lives in a way not contrary to the Law of God.

As for the second path, the emulation of Christ, some were called to it directly by the Lord, such as the apostles, but in general, the Lord leaves the choice of this path to each person, which is clear in every gospel passage where the Lord speaks of this path. The choice of this path remains with the person, but God Himself dictates the conditions of such a life; without keeping to these instructions, a life in emulation of Christ is not possible. Christ describes the path of perfection in the following words:

If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me. If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be my disciple. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple. (Matt. 6:24, 19:21; Mark 10:21; Luke 14:26-27, 33.)

+ St Ignatius Brianchaninov, “A Conversation Between a Layman and a Monk,” from The Field, Chapter 34

* “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force.” (Matt. 11:12)