In Matthew 16:24 Rabbi Jesus communicates what is necessary to possess Him as Savior. In so doing He also invites us to discover the key to securing its goal – eternity with Him in Paradise.

1. If you want Jesus to be your Savior then you must live the rest of your life rejecting the belief that the most valuable things in this life are those that advance/promote self-image or pleasure (24a).

1.1. When Jesus says “Come after Me” He is alluding to OT Messianic texts such as (Isa 55:1-4) which means He is referring to possessing Him as Savior (or coming to Him to receive salvation).

1.2. What Jesus means by “deny himself and take up his cross” is the making the choice to permanently reject the pursuit of my image (self-image) and those things which advance it as the most valuable things in this life. Even people who live for – or are infatuated with – or find most valuable, the lives of others and therefore try to imitate them are still people living for the advancement of their own self-image. The reason they associate with that person is because of what they believe it does to advance how they feel or look to others (e.g., fans [fanatics] of celebrities [sports, music, movies, social media etc.; devotion to a particular brand [sunglasses, shoes, etc.]). This same example can be multiplied many times over when one considers the number of things people will devote themselves to because they believe it will promote their self-image (meaning the image of themselves they want to promote) (e.g., growing a beard; tattoos; clothing, cosmetic or shoe brands; physical fitness; the kind of car they drive; their hobbies).

1.3. What (then) Jesus is not talking about: becoming “the navy seal of ‘no’”. IOW: the key to getting to heaven is not growing in self-discipline (Col 2:23; 1Ti 4:8). It is instead about changing whose image we are attempting to advance from self to God – which means believing that the most valuable things in this life are those things that promote that – His image (not ours).

2. Possessing Jesus as Savior will also mean adopting His belief that the most valuable things in this life are those that advance/promote God’s image and pleasure (24b).

2.1. By “Follow Me” Rabbi Jesus means imitate Him. Not, “become a clone”, but “be the best Christ-version of yourself” – which ultimately means we live not for our own glory but the glory of the Father. That we – like Jesus, see as most valuable in this life those things that advance/promote God’s image (Joh 8:29). This then is what replaces our former life pursuit (the advancement/ promotion of my self-image or pleasure). We stop living for the glory of self and start living for the glory of God – which again means that the things we now see as the most-valuable are those that achieve that goal (i.e., those things in life which advance/promote God’s image or glory and not our own).

2.2. The promotion of image is at the core of our design (Gen 1:26-28) = We were created as image-bearers (or image-promoters) which means this is our “modus operandi” – our hard-wired purpose in life (e.g., animals). As such every single person lives to promote either their image or the image of God- which means this is the test that determines where we spend eternity (Paradise or hell). On Judgment Day, our deeds will show whether we promoted our image or God’s image  during our earthly life (Rev 20:11-15)

2.3. Why will those who chose to live for self rather than promoting God’s image and glory go to hell instead of Paradise?

1) because you become what you do (i.e., you are permanently/eternally shaping the moral state of your spirit by your choices/who you choose to live for; 2Co 4:16-17 w/5:9-10; Eph 4:17-19; 2Pe 2:20). 2) those who chose to live for self are the destroyer of worlds (all this world’s problems and coming destruction is due to people living for self). 3) letting such people into Paradise would turn it into hell. 4) God is equitable and so will give to each person the world that best fits their spirit (the world they deserve/ordered based on their deeds) and not allow them to destroy the world that best fits the spirit of others.

2.4. By changing our focus/goal from promotion of self-image to the promotion God’s image and glory, our affections (love, loyalty and passion) will automatically change to align with our new-found focus/goal (Mat 6:21): this principle works both ways (self or God) – which is why you can always tell whose image a person is truly attempting to promote by simply looking at who/what they love, who/what they are loyal to and who/what they are passionate about.

2.5. That seeking to advance/improve/promote God’s image rather than our own is at the heart of Rabbi Jesus’ call to follow Him is confirmed in how He taught His disciples to pray (Mat 6:9-10) “Hallowed (i.e., glorified, advanced, promoted) be Your Name (i.e., Your Name/Image/Likeness [e.g. NIL])…[which means] Your kingdom come, Your will be done (i.e., the things associated with your Kingdom and will – not my own, will be the things most valuable in my life).” = This is what we are to commit ourselves to every day through prayer as the disciples of Rabbi Jesus – which means every day (assuming we pray this) we end up showing ourselves to be true disciples or total hypocrites.

2.6. The one thing Rabbi Jesus pursued above all others as most valuable to promoting God’s image - and as a result, loved or was passionate about (most loyal to and lost without): the practice of equity toward others (Mat 7:12) = The establishing of equity (fair treatment) to others is the primary purpose behind God giving the OT Scriptures (“for this is the Law and Prophets” = This is the OT’s primary purpose).

2.7. How we know this was the thing most valuable to Jesus during His earthly life: because Jesus was the embodiment of the OT Scriptures (Joh 1:14) = The expression “full of grace and truth” (v14) is the LXX rendering of God’s memorial name – most specifically the last portion (Exo 34:6 “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth”) confirming Jesus to be the God encountered by Moses while in the cleft of the rock.[1] Jesus however was also “the Word [which] became flesh.” IOW: He was not only the fleshly embodiment of the OT God, but the OT Scriptures (their principles in perfect practice).

Considering this - along with what Rabbi Jesus teaches in Matthew 7, means that equity (i.e., treating others fairly – or in the same way as we want others to treat us) was indeed the thing most valuable to Jesus. As the living example of the OT Scriptures (and therefore their primary purpose), His concern was the fair treatment of others. And this (once more) He did as the means to advancing/promoting God’s image.

2.8. Why is equity the thing most valuable (or the best way) to advance/promote God’s image? Because God’s Word (the book which defines it) also represents the character or person of God. His Word is His self-expression (or as the old saying goes, “He is what He does”). Hence why John can say that Jesus - as the Word which became flesh “explained Him (God the Father)” (Joh 1:18). The manifestation of God’s Word through Jesus’ earthly life also meant the manifestation of God (His character and Person). By promoting equity we are therefore promoting what God Himself lives for (what He is and does).

2.9. This also (then) is at the heart of what it means to love God and love others –since this too is how Jesus summarizes the purpose/goal of God’s Word (Mat 22:36-40 “On these two…depend the whole Law and the Prophets”). To love (whether it be God or humans) means (then) to be equitable in our treatment of them (which is only accomplished through obedience to the principles established in God’s Word). This is seen most explicitly through the second love command, the command to love our neighbors (Lev 19:11-18) = Love equals equity (and that especially toward our covenant brothers and sisters [“neighbors” refers to those in the covenant community]). This obligation however is expected in relation to all people – evil or righteous (Mat 5:43-44) = This is what it means to “be perfect” -or complete, in our love like God – who likewise shows equity to all people – whether evil or righteous.

2.10. Having equity as my life’s mission (or most valuable thing) is what Paul calls living for the whole in (Phi 2:1-4) “regard one another (or the whole) as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also the interests of others (or the whole).” IOW: the fair treatment of others is always more important than getting what I want – which means if getting or doing what I want requires that I take advantage of others, or violate – or ignore their rights, then I forgo getting - or doing that thing. That by the way, is the definition of selfishness: behavior that is willing to violate the rights of others to get what I want. Hence the reason Paul contrasts what he is saying with “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit ([Grk., kenedoxia] = Self-glory or for the glory of self [image]).” Notice he identifies “living for the whole” as the attitude of Rabbi Jesus during His earthly life (vv5-8) = Even though He was God and the riches of heaven already His, Jesus responded to His incarnation as a man in the same way we are required to respond. He “emptied Himself” and He “humbled Himself.” He rejected living for the advancement of His self-image and instead focused His attention on God and the advancement or His image. And He did this through a life epitomized by obedience to the Law (the code book on equity to god and others) which He maintained even when He was being unfairly tried, tortured and killed by others (1Pe 2:21-24 = Jesus did not let the inequity of others cause Him to be inequitable in His treatment of them; e.g., Luk 23:33-34).

2.11. Unfortunately, far less than what Jesus suffered causes many people to turn back and start serving self again (Gal 1:6-7) = The Galatians were deserting simply because they were being “disturbed ([Grk., tarasso] = To disquiet the mind through soliciting fear and doubt).” Notice Paul makes their problem an image issue (vv8-10; the unpopular nature of Paul’s gospel proved his motives were not the promotion of self through the praise of others).  

2.12. Jesus’ entire ministry and teaching was devoted to securing equity (or the fair treatment of God and others) through a correct understanding of God’s Law (e.g., Joh 8:1-11).

2.13. Given what immediately follows Rabbi Jesus’ call to equity, it would seem that this is also at the heart of how we discern the true gospel from the false, and the true shepherd from the wolf (Mat 7:13-20) = Those possessing the true gospel will care about equity whereas those who don’t [the false gospels and prophets] - won’t - as demonstrated by their actions (“fruit”) (e.g., they think it’s okay to slander others – i.e., to condemn our church as a cult or me as a false teacher without providing the evidence – Deu 19:15-19 states that their punishment will be the same as those they falsely accused).

2.14. Seeing equity (or the fair treatment of God and others) as our most valuable mission in this life is therefore what the disciples of Jesus – those following (or imitating) Him must live for. This is how we advance/promote God’s image – and protect against promoting our own. It is impossible to live for equity and promote your own image (the two are diametrically opposed) – which means this is also the key to securing Paradise since a person truly living for equity will not only be a person living for God’s image and not their own, but also a person without a price (in respect to sin) (e.g., the only way you can convince me to cheat on my wife is if you can show how it is equitable to her).

2.15. Understanding this from the perspective of Genesis 1 means that all Jesus is doing by His call to follow/imitate Him in this way is restore us to what God intended when He created us as image-bearers. We were created to bear (advance/promote) God’s image not our own. It means also that this is the path of abundant life (or blessing) (and why Jesus can say what He does in Joh 10:10). As mentioned earlier, all of humanity’s problems stem from choosing to promote self over God. This includes even those things that seem more dubious (e.g., PTSD or psychological issues related to trauma; people who fail to rise above their circumstances or use their circumstances as an excuse/means of debilitation; quitters and cowards) (Joh 8:12 w/31-32) = According to Rabbi Jesus, following Him - i.e., imitating Him in pursuing the promotion of God’s image and glory through the practice of equity toward others is the “light of life” and the “truth” that sets us free from the debilitating darkness which defines the lives of so many – and the reason so many will fail to see Paradise.

2.16. Final note: Pursuing the promotion of God’s image/glory through practicing equity is not only how we become the best Christ-version of ourselves, but also live up to Jesus’ expected ROI of 100% (Mat 25:14-23 = Take self and turn into the best Christ-version of yourself [not somebody else]- that is a 100% ROI [how you double what He gave you]).

CLOSING CONTEMPLATION: Am I a disciple of Rabbi Jesus? A couple of questions that may help you discern the answer: Can you live with yourself knowing your choices create inequity in relation to others (e.g., a double-standard)? When you consider the things most valuable to you, are they the things that promote your self-image or pleasure (e.g., are you more concerned what others think about you than you are what they think about God [whether they have the right gospel])? If your answer is “yes” to either or both, then you are not Jesus’ disciple and He is not your Savior.

[1] “‘Abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness’ (ESV) becomes ‘full of grace and truth’ in John’s Gospel.” - Lester J. Kuyper (“Grace and Truth: An Old Testament Description of God, and Its Use in the Johannine Gospel”)