SELF DENIAL IN DESCIPLESHIP

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:24-26) – KJV.

One of the conditions of discipleship mentioned by the Lord Jesus Christ is self denial. It is the first thing we must do before taking up the cross and following the Lord. Though self denial at times may seem difficult, it is a great source of blessings. Every Christian should resolve from the very beginning to whole-heartedly deny himself in accordance with the terms of his calling.

To deny self is the very opposite of pleasing self. We deny ourselves to please the Lord. We give up self glory and recognition that Christ may entirely be enthroned in us. We give up the right to live by our own rules to the will of God, His glory, and the salvation of man overrides self interest and pleasure. Self involves crucifying self, the old man and its interest. Like John, we decrease, so that Jesus can increase.

We are to deny ourselves to meet the needs of our brethren. Joyfully we give up our rights and comforts even where these will place them at a better advantage over us. We should constantly remind ourselves of the command: “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves… For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me: (Romans 15:1,3).

Self denial covers every aspect of our life. It was so with our Lord Jesus Christ and so it must be for anyone that longs to follow him perfectly. Self denial is not in relation to what is sinful and unlawful. No, those have been dealt with at the point of conversion. Self denial is in relationship to what is legitimate and lawful. It must be exercised in our eating, drinking, and dressing. Our desires and appetites must be brought under subjection.

We do not give the flesh all it craves for but the limit that is required so that the inward man may be properly nourished. We regulate our sleep, the way we spend our time and resources and our pattern of living so as not to lose sight of the purpose of our calling. The will of God becomes the first choice in everything we do. And any desire that conflicts with God’s will is immediately crucified. How wonderful it will be when every member of the church lives this glorious life of Christ daily in this present world. “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).

THE SUPERIORITY OF GRACE TO THE LAW

"Therefore by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin…For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (Rom. 3:20, John 1:17). The book of the law was delivered to Moses by God and was defined for the Israelites how and when God would bless their nation based on their ability to keep the Law (Exodus 19:5) and obtain the righteousness of God which no one was able to attain. Whereas grace is the Hebrew word chanan or the Greek word Charis, meaning “the state of kindness and favor toward someone, often with a focus on a benefit given to the object.” (Strong’s Greek 5485). Grace is the plan of God from eternity past, and the truth is the doctrine that expresses it in time and this grace excludes man’s merit, ability, and talent.

The law is synonymous with Moses; grace is synonymous with our Lord Jesus Christ. Our relation to Christ is by faith in His atoning blood in the new covenant. Every unsaved man is under the law in that he’s seeking to establish a righteousness of his own rather than to accept God’s righteousness through Christ. To attempt to earn righteousness by keeping the Old Testament law or any other set of standards is to reject the principles of grace and salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Even though the Mosaic law was good, the main problem was that it was weak through the flesh. It told men what God require from them but could not empower them to obey it. But through the gospel of grace, the human nature of sin can be crushed, and the heart sanctified to obey God. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:11-12).

For the non-Christians, the only power they possess is the power of their sinful nature and they are thus helpless and hopeless, lacking the required strength to keep the law. “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:3-4). We recall that Moses begged God to see “see his glory” (Exodus 33:18). God made it clear that Moses could not see the face of God (Exodus 33:20,23). This greater glory, which we (born again Christian) enjoy is the glory we see “In the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

“For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious… But we all, with open faces beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:11,18). The Spirit of God is the One who lifts the veil and enables us to behold the glory of God in the face of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the instrument by which the greater glory of Christ, and thus of the new covenant, is beheld. The Old Testament spoke of the New Covenant (Jeremiah (31:31-34) and of the ministry which the Holy Spirit would play in turning the hearts of stone into the hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19). It is the Spirit of God in us who mediates the presence of Christ to us, and Christ in us is the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). This glory we experience in the measure now and in a greater measure than Moses. It is also the glory we shall experience to the full in eternity. Therefore, we are being transformed from (present) glory to (ultimate) glory. This hope of glory gives us great boldness in our proclamation of the gospel.

Finally, God's grace is truly amazing and glorious. Not only does it provide for our salvation, it enables us to live an abundant life in Jesus Christ. It is faith in Christ that is sufficient to save sinners from their sins.