Take Up the Cross

And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?
— 1 Kings 19:20

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
— Matthew 10:37

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
— Matthew 19:22

Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
— Mark 10:21-22

And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people. Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
— Acts 19:33. 1 Timothy 1:10-20

For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
— 2 Timothy 4:10

But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day.
— Deuteronomy 4:4

Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.
— Deuteronomy 10:20

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
— Matthew 16:24

From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
— John 6:66-69

But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
— Hebrews 10:39

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
— James 4:4

If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
— John 15:19

And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
— Ruth 1:15-16

And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
— Luke 9:59

But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
— Genesis 19:26

And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
— Luke 9:61-62

Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
— Proverbs 8:1-3

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
— Matthew 22:2-3

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
— Zechariah 8:23

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
— Revelation 18:4-8

And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.
— Luke 22:47

Kiss of the Backslider, by Horatius Bonar. The following contains an excerpt from Chapter Twenty-Four of Volume One of his work, “The Old Testament: Light and Truth Thoughts and Themes.”

And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her. — Ruth 1:14 c, d

(1.) She was not prepared to leave Moab. The ties between her and it were still unbroken, though for a time a little loosened. Moab was still Moab to her, the home of her kindred, the centre of her affections, the dwelling place of her gods. Thus millions are not ready to leave the world, though often in some measure broken from it. They cling to their old haunts of vanity, foolishness, pleasure, lust, or literature.

They cannot think of forsaking these. Nay, they soothe their consciences with the argument, that it would not be right to break off from all these. To them the world is still the world; attractive and excellent. They cannot think of crucifying it, or themselves to it. They have been born in it, lived in it, their friends are in it,—why should they leave it? Their hearts are still here, their treasure is here; and they linger in it, though at times they feel the necessity of leaving it. What would life be to them without the novel or the ballroom, the theatre, the gay assembly, the banquet, the revel, the folly, the wine-cup, and the song?(2.) For the sake of Moab she was willing to part with Naomi. She was not without longings after Naomi and her city, and her kindred, and her God. But her old longings and ties kept her back, and in the end prevailed. Yet she wished to part in peace, to bid a decent farewell to her mother-in-law. She kissed that she might not cleave. Her kiss was a farewell; a farewell to Naomi, her land, and her God. Have we not many Orpahs? They would fain have both Israel and Moab. They would rather not part with either. Their heart is divided. They would fain cast in their lot with God’s people, and obtain their inheritance. They are not scoffers; not openly godless; not reckless pleasure-seekers. But half-and-half, or rather not so much. They would be religious up to a certain point,—to the point when a choice must be made,—and then their heart speaks out. They give up Christ, and turn back to the world. Yet they do so quietly, as it were, and kindly. They kiss at parting; but will that kiss avail them? Will God accept the kiss as an excuse for turning back, or as a substitute for the whole-hearted service which He desires?

God will not accept the divided heart. He abhors vacillation and compromise. If you prefer Moab, go dwell there. Enjoy its pleasures, and worship its gods. If you choose Israel, pitch your tent there, and take Jehovah for your all.

What does that kiss mean now? What will it stand for in the great day of the Lord? It is not the kiss of Judas certainly, but it is the kiss of the “fearful and unbelieving” (Revelation 21:8).

Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth insisted on staying with Naomi. — Ruth 1:14 c, d

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