On a serious note,someone should help me with the topic above.I mean to say,What was this CROSS Jesus was telling the disciple to carry?
Mar 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

The cross wasn't necessarily a literal one. It represented the price that one had to pay to walk with Jesus at the level He walked.

This level transcends that of just being saved.

It's the level of the Spirit.

It's the God's Kingdom of Earth.

It takes much more to walk at that level than what it takes to be saved.

So what it requires to walk at that level is the cross Jesus was talking about.

God bless.

jesusjnr2020:
The cross wasn't necessarily a literal one. It represented the price that one had to pay to walk with Jesus at the level He walked.

This level transcends that of just being saved.

It's the level of the Spirit.

It's the God's Kingdom of Earth.

It takes much more to walk at that level than what it takes to be saved.

So what it requires to walk at that level is the cross Jesus was talking about.

God bless.

but what is still surprising,it is Jesus conversations with the young man.In Mark10:17-21
7  And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

 18  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

 19  Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

 20  And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

 21  Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

At the end,Jesus still tell him to take up the cross and follow him.
That means there is something more to the cross.
1)the cross is not keeping the ten commandments only
2)Is not just selling all we have and giving to the poor
3)Is not just laying treasure in heaven.

Darnley:
On a serious note,someone should help me with the topic above.I mean to say,What was this CROSS Jesus was telling the disciple to carry?
Mar 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

The original Greek word for what was used to kill Jesus in the first century means a pole or stake and not cross, this is the first error the early translators made when translating God's word.

The Roman authorities use this stake to torture criminals to death by nailing them hand and feet until they bleed to death, so this instrument of execution was known back then as the "torture stake" it's only condemned criminals that are executed this way, therefore Jesus who was not a criminal in any way is now contemplating such cruel torture as his last moment on earth.
If Jesus simply says "i'm no more interested in the case of Adam's descendants" all he needs to do is use his power to free himself from that stake and walk away but then mankind is doomed! So for the love Jesus had, he surrendered himself till death to redeem mankind from Adamic sin.

So what has all these got to do with his disciples who aren't going to die for the sin of anyone?

Jesus' statement means "If you want to follow me, you too must see yourself as someone under torture because there are lots of things people out there are doing but due to the love of Christ you'll keep your restraint in order to be approved on the last day, surely you can't satisfy yourself anymore like others will do even when they know it's wrong, you will loose lots of worldly friends, families, jobs and so on because you're now a Christian. Take it upon yourself that you are experiencing torture in a world that's about to expire and Jesus will crown you with everlasting life in Paradise" Matthew 10:32-39

See you there!

Darnley:
On a serious note,someone should help me with the topic above.I mean to say,What was this CROSS Jesus was telling the disciple to carry?
Mar 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

Your Cross is in fact all that is particular to you and you alone... i.e your worries, your desires, your problems, your goals, your suffering, your mind, your heart, your soul... everything that is you and you alone.

Matthew 11 vs 27-30 (ESV)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
27. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
28. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

I believe Jesus Christ said that to make us realize that when we come to follow Him, we ought to come alone, not carrying or bearing the burden of others but alone as an individual.

Matthew 16 vs 24-27
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
24. Then Jesus said to his followers, [b]“If any of you want to be my follower, you must stop thinking about yourself and what you want. You must be willing to carry the cross that is given to you for following me.
25. Any of you who try to save the life you have will lose it. But you who give up your life for me will find true life.
26. It is worth nothing for you to have the whole world if you yourself are lost. You could never pay enough to buy back your life.
27. The Son of Man will come again with his Father’s glory and with his angels. And he will reward everyone for what they have done.

The Old Covenant burden was harder as it had people bearing the burden for their entire family so when a person erred against God, it was likely that punishment came upon the entire household and not just on the one who sinned. But I believe in the New Covenant, Jesus Christ came to use with a light yoke and an easy burden. And that burden requires that you forsake every bond/responsibility binding you to others in order that you may follow after Him.

Matthew 10 vs 34-39
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
34. “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace. I came to bring trouble.[h]
35. I have come to make this happen:
‘A son will turn against his father.
A daughter will turn against her mother.
A daughter-in-law will turn against her mother-in-law.
36. Even members of your own family will be your enemies.’
37. “Those who love their father or mother more than they love me are not worthy of me. And those who love their son or daughter more than they love me are not worthy of me.
38. Those who will not accept the cross that is given to them when they follow me are not worthy of me.
39. Those who try to keep the life they have will lose it. But those who give up their life for me will find true life.

His disciples are recorded to have done the very same- they abandoned family, friends, career, responsibilities, respect, positions etc. Peter, for example, abandoned family, including his marriage - I believe he may have been married or engaged to be married at the time Jesus Christ showed up in his life. They walked with Jesus Christ for a period of 3 or more years with Jesus Christ, away from family, friends and other responsibilities.

MaxInDHouse:


Jesus' statement means "If you want to follow me, you too must see yourself as someone under torture because there are lots of things people out there are doing but due to the love of Christ you'll keep your restraint in order to be approved on the last day, surely you can't satisfy yourself anymore like others will do even when they know it's wrong, you will loose lots of worldly friends, families, jobs and so on because you're now a Christian. Take it upon yourself that you are experiencing torture in a world that's about to expire and Jesus will crown you with everlasting life in Paradise" Matthew 10:32-39

See you there!

But Jesus spoke about the cross,even when he has not gone to the cross.His statement were not also futuristic like what he asked the two sons of Zebedee in Matt20:22.
It means the cross existed before he was tortured and finally went to the physical cross or stake

Darnley:

But Jesus spoke about the cross,even when he has not gone to the cross.His statement were not also futuristic like what he asked the two sons of Zebedee in Matt20:22.
It means the cross existed before he was tortured and finally went to the physical cross or stake

Of course it existed before he got there!
That was the instrument the then colonial master (Roman empire) used in executing condemned criminals and Jesus knew from the start what will happen to him.
His statement is for all Christians both past and future because we must bear certain conditions that is not palatable even when we know the way out but because it's the only way into God's Kingdom! Luke 13:24

Darnley:
but what is still surprising,it is Jesus conversations with the young man.In Mark10:17-21
7  And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

 18  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

 19  Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

 20  And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

 21  Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

At the end,Jesus still tell him to take up the cross and follow him.
That means there is something more to the cross.
1)the cross is not keeping the ten commandments only
2)Is not just selling all we have and giving to the poor
3)Is not just laying treasure in heaven.

I think easier to use the life His disciples lived to understand what Jesus meant, for they had met the requirement. They had taken up their cross and were following Jesus.

Maybe you should go further down to what Peter said they had done, because that was exactly what Jesus was asking the man to do.

God bless.

Darnley:
but what is still surprising,it is Jesus conversations with the young man.In Mark10:17-21
7  And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

 18  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

 19  Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

 20  And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

 21  Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

At the end,Jesus still tell him to take up the cross and follow him.
That means there is something more to the cross.
1)the cross is not keeping the ten commandments only
2)Is not just selling all we have and giving to the poor
3)Is not just laying treasure in heaven.

Op, the meaning of take up the cross, is to believe in the death and ressurection of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you notice the Lord Jesus Christ didn't say, take up your cross, he said take up the cross. He is talking about one particular cross. The cross that he will die on. The only way any one can receive eternal life is to believe in the death and ressurection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Believe that he came to this world in the flesh, died on the cross in the flesh and ressurected from the dead in the flesh. this is the greatest fight of the devil to make us not believe in the death and ressurection of the Lord Jesus Christ. All God want us, is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ that He has sent. believe that he died on the cross in the flesh and ressurected from the dead in the flesh and you will receive the eternal life of God. Through this life you will be able to walk like the Lord Jesus Christ walked on earth and follow him. For more Bible reference read John 3:14-15 and 1 John 5:10-13