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Self-esteem. Self-seeking. Self-serving. Self-pity. Self-expression. What do we do about self? We sing, “None of self, and all of thee.” Easier sung than done! If you will remember that hymn involves a progression: “All of self and none of Thee…Some of self and some of Thee…Less of self and more of Thee…None of self and all of Thee.” How many of us have really progressed as far as we sing?
Let’s consider the following New Testament passages addressing our subject:
“And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels’” (Luke 9:23–26).
“Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me’” (Matthew 16:24).
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26–27).
As Christians we are disciples of Jesus. Three times Jesus said, “If any would come after me/be my disciple.” Then, he laid down some requirements. Why should I want to be his disciple if requirements are attached? Not only that, but those requirements demand a certain kind of sacrifice. If I don’t do these things, I cannot be his disciple. Because self-denial is odious to some are we to set it aside?
Self-denial begs no definition, only effective illustration. In other words, I don’t need to define it. I need only to ask, “What does self-denial look like?” The Scriptures give us an idea of what it looks like when you see it, and when we don’t see it.
Abraham denied everything in himself as a father to offer Isaac (Genesis 22:2).
Moses loved his people more than he loved himself: “But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written” (Exodus 32:32).
Adonijah (son of David) had no discipline growing up: “His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, ‘Why have you done thus and so?’” (1 Kings 1:6).
Jesus: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38).
Paul: “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).