THE DEATH TO EMBRACE

John 12:24 KJV

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Death in nature is a natural occurrence and is often powerfully beneficial. In school we were taught that Cells are the basic building blocks of all living things. Science says the human body is composed of trillions of cells that provide structure for the body, take in nutrients from food, convert those nutrients into energy, and carry out specialized functions. (“What is a cell?: MedlinePlus Genetics”) Among the processes that is important in cells is termed “Cell death”. Cell death promotes the removal of unwanted cells (Cells that were only needed for certain stages of development, excess cells such as white blood cells after an infection has been cleared, or damaged cells from radiation or toxins or when cells are infected by viruses). Failure of this process, or cells dying when they shouldn’t, can lead to or intensify many diseases.

Cells can die because they are damaged, but most cells die by killing themselves. There are two main ways in which a cell dies, apoptosis or necrosis. Apoptosis is the normal healthy form of programmed cell death that is triggered from within the cell. They die naturally to maintain cellular balance in your body. Apoptosis is needed for your body to function normally. The average adult human loses between 50 and 70 billion cells each day due to apoptosis.  The apoptotic cell kills itself because it senses stress or it picks up signals from other cells.

As in Apoptosis the cells kill themselves systematically in order for the body to remain healthy and functional, so must we as believers die to self so we can be spiritually healthy.  This programmed death of cell implies that you decide that there is a sinful habit or a nasty attitude that you need to change and so you are triggered by the Holy Spirit within to kill that which is at work in your flesh. Apoptosis of a cell requires energy and so it is with death to self, it requires you taking your cross daily and dying to old ways. How do you kill? You kill through prayer, fasting, obedience to the Word of God, submission to the Spirit of God, submission to authority and becoming more disciplined regarding Christian principles.

Necrosis occurs when a cell dies due to lack of a blood supply, or due to a toxin or trauma or internal or external factors. These factors may include diseases, infections, injuries, or other conditions. These conditions lead to damage in your cell walls, which makes them unable to function normally. “The cells’ contents can leak out and damage neighboring cells and may also trigger inflammation.” (“Cell death | WEHI”) So this kind of cell death will need medical attention.

Unlike Apoptosis, death via Necrosis would represent the kind of death that a Christian would experience primarily through no fault of their own. Some of us due to trauma, church hurt, disappointments, rejection, bloodline etc. will experience a dying or wounding within the area of the soul that was affected. This would cause persons to erect walls for self-preservation, may become abusive or may have their vision so colored that they lack sensitivity to the truth. This death requires additional help as medication is to Necrosis. This medicine would be a heavy leaning on the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the Help, to heal those damaged areas which necessitates that you trust the finished work of calvary to do this repair.

 In the natural, many diseases can be linked to abnormal cell death. Cancer cells often resist cell death, even after anti-cancer treatment. Cancer spreads and is very aggressive and destructive in nature. As Believers when we refuse to bring ourselves under subjection to the promptings of the Holy Spirit or to the Word of God, our bad habits or evil traits will begin to resist death and so there will be an increase in our sinful nature. It is therefore not surprising that the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 2:17 in the Amplified Classic Edition spoke of the evil teachings of Hymenaeus and Philetus that  ^“their teaching [will devour; it] will eat its way like cancer or spread like gangrene.” Evil speaking only lead to an increase of such if not prevented. It is therefore no wonder that King David in Psalm 141:3 asked that the Lord set a watch before his mouth and that the door of his lips be kept.

Immune cells that attack the body’s own tissues normally die, when this does not occur it can cause diseases such as lupus or type 1 diabetes. In Christians when your own will is wrestling against God’s will, the consequences can be severe. Jonah refused to submit to the will of God and so a fish was prepared for him. Had he not finally chosen to die to his own desire, he would have decomposed within the belly of that fish and not fulfil his purpose.

Viruses need to keep a cell alive in order to reproduce. Cell death can therefore prevent viral replication. (“Cell death | WEHI”) Matthew AMP 24:12 says “Because lawlessness is increased, the love of most people will grow cold.” When we are not dealing with matters of the heart or pursuing intimacy with the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of the spirit, like an unattended virus, lawlessness, rebellion, and disobedience will increase and that will diminish love. When love is diminished, we become distant from God and cold, harsh and impatent to your fellow brethren.

A life without an active Holy Spirit is one that is resistant to death to self. Our Lord and Savior laid down His life, that was the ultimate death to self! Death to self deals with all of the works of the flesh, lust of eyes and pride of life. As the grain of corn has to die in order for it to multiply and by extension live again, so death to self is a must if we want to increase in the things of God and to live eternally! Let’s emphatically embrace death to self!