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Looking At Self-Denial

When Jesus spoke, He not only did so in positive terms but also conveyed truth using negative expressions:

“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33).

And similarly He said:

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself….” (Matthew 16:24).

Self-denial is not something a person learns to do after becoming a follower of Christ, but an essential commitment he makes prior to discipleship. Furthermore, his being a disciple is first dependent upon his making that decision.

Note that “self-denial” and “forsaking all” are prerequisites of discipleship. In specific application of these affirmations, it can be observed that the very commands Jesus gave as conditions in order that men might receive salvation, are all exemplifications of self-denial. Let’s note the following:

1) Jesus told men to put their trust in him for salvation (John 8:24; Mark 16:16) — Since man is lost, he cannot save himself by himself — he can never become so “good” as to make up for the transgressions of law. He is insufficient to take care of the problem of sin by himself. Therefore, in true faith (trust), one denies the sufficiency of self and puts his trust in another to save him.

2) Jesus requires that men repent (Luke 13:3; Luke 13:13; Acts 17:30) — Many who have problems with pride or arrogance find that repentance is impossible, because repentance demands a denial of prideful self and a humbling of oneself before His Creator.

3) The confession of Christ before men was established by Jesus Himself in the limited commission (Matthew 10:32-33) and exemplified by Paul in Romans 10:10 — In essence, confession is a denial of self as Lord and the acceptance of another ruler — the Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.

4) When one humbles himself in order to be baptized “into Christ” by the authority of Jesus Christ, he denies self as the saving power and submits to the Lord’s will and authority (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-7; Gal. 3:27).

Jesus used different terminology to impress the same truth of self-denial in John 12:25:

“He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.“

Note the play on the words “love,” “hate,” “lose,” and “keep.” The man who loves his life, is the man who lives for the selfish interest and pleasures this life affords. Such a man, though he may gain the things of this life, will lose his eternal life. On the other hand, the man who loses his life by giving up self in service to Christ, will gain the eternal well-being of his soul.

For example, when a Christian makes a choice of sleeping rather than assembling with God’s children to study and worship, he has made a conscious choice of selfish interest over Christ.

When a man makes a choice for the gain of various luxuries so that his pursuit of work leaves him no time to serve Christ, he has made a choice for things over Christ. When a woman stays home to cook for company rather than assembling with the saints, she has made a choice of friends and family over Christ.

We might ask, “Why are some that claim to be Christians miserable and religion so difficult for them?” Simply because they never denied self, thus they live only for self – true discipleship being impossible to achieve.