This Temporal World

What is this world? Jesus has something interesting to say about life in this world: "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. Here is a verse that is completely contradictory to the American way. Our society today breeds and lives off fun, indulgence, pampering, and the easy life. Our economy relies on the fact that we live for this world. Of course I'm not asking you to never buy anything from the store again, but we need to pay attention to how we are living our lives and where our hearts truly lie. I remember my grandma use to say to me (this was in high school, some of my darker days and way before I even knew about Orthodoxy) "Steve how many hours have you spent playing video games this week?" "umm... I don't know, maybe 30 hours" "And how many hours did you spend praying, going to church, or reading the Bible?" "I went to church on Sunday, that’s it" I remember I use to feel so guilty after these phone calls, but just forget about it and continue "living it up".

So the question is do we love this world more than God? Can you not bear the idea of parting with this world or something in it? It is so critical to answer this question honestly because salvation depends on it. If you cannot survive without things of this world, then how would you survive in heaven? Think about it, if you HAVE to watch a certain TV program or play video games to get by in life then you have become dependant on something other than God and you draw your life from the temporal, not the eternal. What do you think would happen when you come face to face with Jesus in heaven and you were to ask Him "Oh do you mind if I watch "Friends" every Wednesday night? It's my favorite show and I would die without it." I bring this issue up because I need to uproot so many passions (something a person is enslaved to) that have been rooted in my heart.

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.” Matthew 16:24-28

I would like to add what my Orthodox Study Bible has in the commentary as well: “Here Jesus states the central (central, not peripheral) paradox of the Christian faith. In grasping the temporal, we lose the eternal; in sacrificing everything we can know, we gain unimaginable riches. In dying, we live. When the Son of Man comes in glory to reward each according to his works, it will be shown that absolutely nothing exceeds the value of finding true life, the salvation of one’s soul.”

I know you hear “deny yourself” all the time, but are we really doing it? Do you deny yourself what you really want, or do you just do things that don’t matter that much to you? I again am guilty of this.

If you think you don’t have anything you are to attached to, then I present you with a challenge. Find the thing you love most and give it up for a week or a month. You will then know if you are too attached to something.

My dear brothers and sisters let us all be ever vigilant for the sake of our souls and truly deny ourselves and pray that God will aid us and grant us that which desire, eternal life.