"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal." John 12:24-25
If a kernel of wheat is safely kept and preserved, it remains only one kernel of wheat. However, if it is planted in the ground and dies to itself, it will produce much fruit -- many more kernels of wheat.
Jesus used this illustration from nature to point out that He, should He preserve His life and be unwilling to die for the sins of the world, would remain alone and save no one. But by going to the cross and dying for the sins of the world, He would produce much fruit. He would rise from the grave victorious over sin and death and offer and give salvation to sinners like you and me.
Jesus did not try to preserve His earthly life and avoid suffering the just punishment for our sins. He obeyed God's laws perfectly in our stead and then willingly laid down His life for us sinners. Like a grain of wheat that must sacrifice itself in order to produce more wheat, so Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself to save mankind from sin and its eternal punishment.
Thus, all who believe in Him receive the assurance that their sins are forgiven because Jesus suffered upon the cross the just punishment for their sins; and they are assured that they will be raised up on the Last Day unto life everlasting because Christ rose from the dead in victory and ascended into heaven.
The Bible says: "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3,4); and, "But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept" (1 Cor. 15:20).
This little illustration about the kernel of wheat can be applied to our own lives as well. We cannot save ourselves or anyone else from sin and hell by our death; but since Christ has redeemed us by His innocent sufferings and death, we are to live our lives for Him (cf. 2 Cor. 5:15). If in this life, we live for ourselves and are unwilling to trust on the Lord Jesus and follow Him by living in accord with His Word, if we are not willing to deny ourselves, take up the cross of suffering which we must bear as faithful Christians and follow Christ, then we will end up losing our lives forever! But if we truly trust in Christ as our Savior and set our hope upon eternal life with Him in heaven, we will then lay down our worldly goals and the pleasures of this life and live our lives for the Lord Jesus, who has given Himself to redeem us from sin and hell and has given to us everlasting life with Him in heaven!
Grant that I only Thee may love and seek those things which are above till I behold thee face to face, O Light eternal, through Thy grace. Amen. (TLH, Hymn #398, Verse 4).
[Devotion by Randy Moll. Scripture from the King James Version of the Bible.]
Editorial on 04/16/2014