It almost sounds like a line from a dark horror movie: “Have you gone to your own funeral?” And yet, there is something in each one of us that needs to die before we can become the people we were meant to be. Many years ago, a man by the name of Paul, who happened to be a follower of Jesus Christ, wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” No, Paul wasn’t talking about committing suicide, he was describing what happens when a person receives Jesus as their Savior and Lord.
Some people talk about religion making them better people. For Paul, knowing Christ made him a whole different person. Jesus never promised to just tweak a person’s life, he was adamant that in taking over our lives, we would no longer live for ourselves but that he would live through us. Sounds metaphysical, but it’s very practical. A Christian of the past century put it this way:
“It is not a question of giving up sin, but of giving up my right to myself, my natural independence, and my self-will. This is where the battle has to be fought…The cost to your natural life is not just one or two things, but everything. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself…” That is, he must deny his right to himself, and he must realize who Jesus Christ is before he will bring himself to do it. Beware of refusing to go to the funeral of your own independence.” 1
The concept of Jesus’ death on the cross being the payment for human evil has been called shockingly unacceptable to modern thinking. What may be unacceptable to human ears is life giving justice to God. God loves us too much to let us continue to live as though we were our own gods. Through faith in Christ we can die to that lie and have new life in Jesus Christ, living out the truth that he is not only the Almighty God of all things, but that he loves each one of us personally – for all of eternity.
Go to your own funeral! Ask Christ to put to death the delusion that you are in control and then burst into the new life he offers you today, tomorrow and forever.
1 “My Utmost for His Highest” – December 19, Oswald Chambers,