Luke 9:24

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. Thus it is said to the faithful: Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake …

Secondly, he invites by consideration of one's own peril, when he says: For whoever wishes to save his soul shall lose it, that is, whoever wishes to save his life in the present shall lose his life in the future, namely for a momentary life …

For he that will save his life shall lose it; and he that shall lose his life for my sake shall save it. Thus it is said to the faithful: He that will save his life shall lose it; and he that shall lose his life for my sake shall save it. As if it were said to the farmer: If you keep your grain, you lose it; if you sow it, you renew it. For who does not know that when grain is cast as seed, it perishes from sight, it fails in the earth? But from where it rots in the dust, from there it springs up green in renewal. Because indeed the holy Church has one time of persecution and another of peace, our Redeemer distinguishes these very times in his precepts. For in time of persecution life must be laid down, but in time of peace those earthly desires that can more readily dominate must be broken.

For whosoever will save his life,.... See Gill on Mat 16:25.

An entire sacrifice of the lower, or a willingness to make it, is indispensable to the preservation of the higher life; and he who cannot bring himself to surrender the one for the sake of the other shall eventually lose both.

These words of our Lord Jesus Christ contain three great lessons for all Christians. They apply to all ranks and classes, without exception. They are intended for every age and time, and for every branch of the visible church. We learn, for one thing — the absolute necessity of daily self-denial . Every day we ought to crucify the flesh, to overcome the world, and to resist the devil. We ought to keep our bodies under control, and bring them into subjection. We ought to be on our guard, like soldiers in an enemy's country.

These words of our Lord Jesus Christ contain three great lessons for all Christians. They apply to all ranks and classes, without exception. They are intended for every age and time, and for every branch of the visible church. We learn, for one thing — the absolute necessity of daily self-denial . Every day we ought to crucify the flesh, to overcome the world, and to resist the devil. We ought to keep our bodies under control, and bring them into subjection. We ought to be on our guard, like soldiers in an enemy's country. We ought to fight a daily battle — and war a daily warfare. The command of our Master is clear and plain, "If any man will come after Me — let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." Now what do we know of all this? Surely this is a question which ought to be asked. A little formal church-going, and a decent attendance at a place of worship — can never be the Christianity of which Christ speaks in this place. Where is our self-denial? Where is our daily carrying of the cross? Where is our following of Christ? Without a religion of this kind — we shall never be saved. A crucified Savior — will never be content to have a self-pleasing, self-indulging, worldly-minded people. No self-denial — no real grace! No cross — no crown! "Those who are Christ's," says Paul, "have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts." (Galatians 5:24.) "Whoever will save his life," says the Lord Jesus, "shall lose it; but whoever will lose his life for My sake, shall save it." We learn, for another thing, from our Lord's words in this passage — the unspeakable value of the soul. A question is asked, which admits of only one answer, "For what does it profit a man — if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?" The possession of the whole world, and all that it contains, would never make a man happy.

Will save his life - See on Mat 16:24 (note), etc.

Let us follow for a moment the clue of the martyr and the suicide; and take the case of courage. No quality has ever so much addled the brains and tangled the definitions of merely rational sages. Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It …