"For whoever would save his life shall lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake he save it." Luke 9:24

Some have called this the Great Principle. One other website _object_ed to me calling it that. So I dubbed it alternatively, the GPS of Jesus: aka Great Puzzling Statement of Jesus (GPSOJ)

It is recorded seven times in the four gospels in slightly different words and nowhere else in the Bible. It is an essential part of the gospel of the kingdom which Jesus preached.

Here are the other verses for those who want to look them up:

Matt ------10:39-------16:25
Mark -------8:35
Luke--------9:24-------14:26-27-----17:33

John 12:25 is probably my favorite: "He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."

From Matt ch 16, v24 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. v25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. v26 For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?"

Jesus hated his life in this world, for he wanted the eternal life. He did not try to preserve his life, he did not fight,and would not let others defend him either. He told us to follow him, we must do the same.

Of course this is not required under Paul's teachings. Peace
I have barely scratched the surface of this important new teaching of Jesus.

source: voiceofjesus.org