SELF-DENIAL
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It’s funny how we remember random things from our childhood days. Maybe it’s one of the consequences of growing old, but I was recently thinking about how, in our Baptist church when I was a boy of seven or eight years old, every year we used to have what was called “Self-denial Week.” All the congregation were given special envelopes and we were supposed to deny ourselves something – chocolate or something like that, and then put what had been saved as cash into the envelope. All this money was then sent to the Baptist Missionary Society although I can’t help thinking that the missionaries themselves would probably have liked the chocolate more!
Well anyway - that attempt at self-denial was worthy, however, over 60 years of listening to sermons I don’t think I’ve ever heard one on that subject. Is this a thoughtless omission or is it a reflection of our 21st century Western mind-set where everything is about - I, me and myself? The truth of the matter is that denying self is something that our human nature avoids at all costs if possible. I heard a very successful business woman on the radio some time ago saying “I do not deny myself ANYTHING.” Well she wasn’t a Christian so that’s understandable, but for us as Christians self-denial is still something we do not do automatically.
PAUL TAUGHT SELF-DENIAL on a number of occasions:
Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts:
“Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Romans 6:12)
Dying to self and sinful lusts:
“Put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5).
Not pleasing ourselves:
“We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbour for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself” (Romans 15:1-3).
“Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:12).
PAUL PRACTICED SELF-DENIAL HIMSELF:
“I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).
JESUS IS THE SUPREME EXAMPLE OF SELF-DENIAL:
In coming into this world he laid aside all His rights:
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation… He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:6).
In facing the cross he denied Himself:
“O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39).
He does not ask us to do anything that He has not done himself:
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).
One of our problems with self-denial is that it sounds so negative.
It seems like it is all about what we can’t have, what we can’t do.
It all seems so hard and – well, self-denying!
Actually self-denial is a very positive thing.
When we deny self we close the door on selfish plans and desires and open the door to something better.
It could be said we find a better self – or at least we find ourselves in a better place.
Remember the door that Jesus opened by denying Himself
– we are all living in the life, love and glory of that!
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