Jesus lays it out

Luke 9 

23 Then Jesus said to the crowd, 

“If any of you wants to be my follower, 

you must give up your selfish ambition, 

take up your cross daily, 

and follow me. 

24 If you try to hang on to your life, 

you will lose it. 

But if you give up your life for my sake, 

you will save it. 

25 And what do you benefit 

if you gain the whole world 

but are yourself lost or destroyed? 

26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, 

the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person 

when he returns in his glory 

and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.