Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
John 12:24
In literature, a paradox is a statement that may seem contradictory but can be true. Paradox in fact stands out and plays an important role in the teachings of Jesus Christ.
One example of a paradox in the Bible as taught by Jesus Christ is that spiritual growth comes by the way of death and therefore victory over self and the world comes by the way of dying to the things of the world and the lust of the flesh.
Jesus told his stunned disciples about this principle saying: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain”.(John 12:24)
Now, He is not referring to physical death here but Jesus uses the symbol of death to define how a Christian can grow spiritually.
Exploring this principle further, we shall soon realize that the only way to total victory is the way of the cross. What is the cross? It is the way of spiritual death to everything the world has to offer which are in real fact antithetical to spiritual growth.
The Holy Spirit teaches us that we as Christians are not permitted to live for ourselves but for the Lord Jesus, and secondly for others. This principle is the direct opposite of what we find in the world today which is the source of many turmoil and troubles rocking our lives and the world.
In Galatians 2:20 Apostle Paul give a vivid definition of how to live the life of the cross saying: “ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
What does this mean? It means our lives should by faith reflect the Christ who was crucified for our sin on the cross. In doing this we literally live out the death of Christ and no longer controlled by our sinful nature but by the great revelation of His death on the cross.
The more we allow the Holy Spirit to live out the death of Christ in our daily conversations and conduct the greater the peace we will have and the more power to overcome is granted to us, but we must be willing to yield our lives to the Holy Spirit first.
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