Dying to Self and Being Crucified with Christ

Rob Bell talks in a video about how death is the engine of life. He reminds us of the parable Jesus told about how a seed cannot bring forth fruit unless it goes into the ground and is buried. Rob pointed out how much we try to maintain a certain public portrait for our own benefit, but that if we are willing to admit we were wrong, apologize, and ask for forgiveness, that is like dying. It's killing a little bit of that fake person we spend so much time maintaining. That, he says, is being crucified with Christ. Makes a great deal of sense to me, and I thank him for the clarification.

And I'll go him one more step. When we are willing to die this way, and go to someone we have wronged and sincerely apologize, and then have that other person refuse or be unable to forgive us, that is even more like being crucified with Christ. Once you expose yourself like that, and the other person doesn't respond in the nice Sunday School way we all assume he or she will, then you are stuck. More like nailed. And all you can do is take it. Like Jesus did.