Disciples carried the cross, before AD70

In the past, I thought the below requirement was a “pre-cross” commandment.

Luke 12 “31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.”

Luke 14 “26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple….those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”

But then we see AFTER the cross, the 1st Century Church sold everything in Acts 2-5.

Ananias and Sapphira died on the spot for lying about it.

Many of them carried the cross, selling everything and dying in persecution following Jesus.

We see Jesus telling His disciples to flee Jerusalem and not go back to take their possessions before it was destroyed.

Luke 17 “26 “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.28 “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.30 “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. 32 Remember Lot’s wife! 33 Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. “

Luke 21 “20 “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22 For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people…..27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”….Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

The (LAW) old heaven and earth passed away.

The law did not fully pass away on the cross.

The law still remained until the temple was destroyed.

That is why the believers had to forsake everything and carry the cross, even dying for the name of Jesus.

They had to fulfill the law following Jesus – to be His disciples.

This requirement does not exist today because the law ended in AD70.

Today we live in the age of GRACE in the new covenant where we eat from the tree of life freely (Revelation 22)