The statement “He who loves his life will lose it” comes from John 12:25, where Jesus says, “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” This profound saying of Jesus requires some explanation to fully understand its meaning and implications.
First, it’s important to note the context. Jesus says this shortly before His crucifixion, as He prepares His disciples for His coming death and resurrection. He knows He is about to give up His life on the cross out of love and obedience to the Father. So in this context, “losing one’s life” relates to letting go of self-interest and living for God’s purposes instead of one’s own.
Secondly, Jesus contrasts two ways of living – loving one’s life versus hating one’s life. The word “hate” here does not mean despising or having animosity. Rather, it refers to loving less or having less regard for something in comparison to something else of greater value. Jesus says if we insist on holding onto or “loving” our earthly lives, placing our hopes, dreams, and identity in the things of this world, we will ultimately lose it. That is because this life is fleeting and temporary. If we live just for ourselves and for what the world offers, clinging tightly to our own interests, comforts, and desires, then we miss out on the full and eternal life God intends for us. Much of Jesus’ teaching centered on the kingdom of God – placing our allegiance in His kingdom and living according to His values. That must be our first priority in life.
In contrast, Jesus says if we “hate” our lives in this world – meaning we loosen our grip on the things of this world, not making them the focus of our existence – then we will actually keep our lives for eternal life. As we let go of living for ourselves and live for God and His purposes instead, we gain an eternal perspective and can partake of eternal life – knowing God and finding our true purpose and meaning in Him. Paradoxically, by “losing” our earthly lives for His sake, we gain so much more – abundant life now and eternal life in the future (John 10:10).
There are several important implications of this teaching:
1. Our earthly lives are not meant to be lived purely for ourselves and for what this world offers. We were created for God and His glory.
2. If we insist on living for ourselves and earthly pursuits alone, we will miss out on the fullness of life God intends for us, now and eternally.
3. We must loosen our grip on the temporary things of this world and live in light of eternity.
4. By giving up self-centered living and living for Christ and His kingdom instead, we actually gain abundant life here and eternal life in the future.
5. Our lives on earth are meant to align with God’s purposes and reflect His values. As we do this, we find meaning, purpose, joy and fulfillment.
6. Letting go of living for this world is difficult and radical, but it’s the only path to real life – the eternal life that only God can give.
7. The way of Christ is paradoxical – losing life is gaining it, dying is living. But it reflects the wisdom of God which seems foolish to the world (1 Corinthians 1:18-25).
In summary, Jesus is calling us to live in radical, upside-down kingdom ways – to let go of self-centered living and live wholeheartedly for Him instead. This requires faith to trust Him above our own wisdom. It means aligning our priorities, hopes, dreams, and outlook around His kingdom and eternity rather than the temporal things of this world. Dying to ourselves is difficult, but it leads to the fullest life possible. This wisdom was modeled by Jesus, who gave up His very life on the cross, but was raised to eternal life and glory as a result. He calls His followers to walk the same path – loving and living for Him, yielding our lives to His purposes, so that we too may gain eternal life.
Below are some additional Bible verses that provide context on this topic of losing our lives to gain them:
Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Matthew 16:24-26 – Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
Luke 14:27 – Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
Matthew 10:37-39 – Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Philippians 3:8 – Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.
Mark 8:35-37 – For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 – For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
1 John 2:15-17 – Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
Luke 9:23-24 – And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
Romans 6:11 – So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Luke 17:33 – Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.
John 12:23-26 – And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
Romans 8:12-14 – So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Colossians 3:2-3 – Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Mark 10:29-30 – Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.
1 Corinthians 15:31 – I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day!
2 Timothy 2:11 – The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him.
1 Peter 4:1-2 – Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.
Revelation 12:11 – And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.