Denying the Self

Luke 9:23: "And He said to them all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'"

This striking and convicting statement by Jesus is directed at not only His immediate disciples who will go on after His resurrection to lead the Church, but it is also directed at us.  The point is clear and succinct: God wants us to give Him our very best and to not let anything prevent us from this utter and total commitment.

When it comes to our faith, to our dedication, there is no substitute for recklessly-abandoned, wholly-devoted faith that is ready at a moments notice to give up, if need be, anything and everything in total submission to Christ and to His Word.  This is Christianity.  This is the Word of Christ.  There is no "half-way" or "moderate" form of Christianity that is anything less than disbelief and lukewarmness.

We should be always and ever eager to give up more of ourselves so as to be filled with more and more of Him.  This is the deal.  There is no "trial" version, no "Christianity Lite" for people to try for a taste of this Christ thing.  Therefore, we should keep this at the forefront of our minds whenever we would consider limiting our devotion by not going that extra mile, by not caring that extra bit, or ignoring the friend that needs a helping hand or ear.  Let us then always keep this before us as we strive to live as Christ has called us to live.

Deny Self & Pick Up Cross

Matthew 16:24: "Then Jesus told His disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'"

Luke 9:23: "And He said to them all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'"

Essentially, these verses say the same thing but Luke adds one important word that changes the whole thing: daily.  The point in all of this is that following Christ requires that we acknowledge giving every thing to Christ in obedient worship and praise to His glorious name.  Salvation is often reduced to a single act of ascending to theological propositions in faith unto salvation.  But belief in Christ demands more.  As Luke's quote of Christ remarks, devotion to Christ requires a daily, intentional giving of ourselves to the Lord Jesus in obedient faith.  Let us then take these words of Christ seriously, always.

The Heavy Pack of Pride

There is a specific mountain northeast of Nepal that the over centuries has been dubbed, Shikhanah Benerkha, which is loosely translated as "the mountain of life".  For centuries, travelers have come to the  mountain to climb it.  The legend goes that if a man can climb the mountain with his burdens and sins on his back, they will be released from their troubles after they ascend to the highest peak and drop off their packs.

At the base of the mountain, before the ascent, the would-be climbers meet with their guides, fill their packs with their burdens, and consider their journey.  After the arduous hike up and down the mountain, the climbers, now freed from their burdens, would go home with a renewed sense of life.  A journalist had heard the reports of the mountain and went to report on what was going on.

For weeks, the reporter stayed at the base of the mountain and watched as people would come with their packs full of burdens, then climb the mountain to let them go.  The journalist saw people with packs full of coveting, others with packs full of greed or of lust, but one time a man came to the base of the mountain with a giant pack, far bigger and more stuffed than any other pack that he had seen yet.

The journalist walked over to the man as he was meeting the guides and the other climbers.  The journalist inquired, "Hey there, I've seen a lot of packs.  Your's is the biggest.  Your burdens and sins must be huge.  What are they? Lust? Greed?"  The man looked at the reporter and chortled, "Ha!  Greed, lust, covetousness, vanity, wrath--that's nothing compared to my problems!  Ha!  Get out of here and let me handle my business."

The man then turned back to his preparations.  The journalist shrugged at the man's rudeness and turned back to the shack at the base of the mountain.  It wasn't until the man had started his trek up the mountain that the reporter realized that his giant, heavy pack was full of only one thing: pride.  For pride is the heaviest and most destructive of all of man's sins.

The poison of pride seeps into every pore of a person.  It is the basis for every sin.  The essence of pride is the overvaluing of self to the undervaluing of everyone else.  Because of this truth, it has no place in Christianity.  Unfortunately, because pride is a sin disease that is common to all mankind, only through the powerful indwelling of the Holy Spirit regenerating our minds and our hearts will we be able to overcome the destructive force of pride.  Let us then devote ourselves to laying down our burdens of pride and selfishness at the foot of the cross so as to follow Christ and love people truly selflessly!

How Far Would We Go For Love?

There is an old sailor's tale that goes something like this:

There was once a proud sailor.  He had sailed the seas of the world his entire life, living his whole life on a ship.  The sailor had always loved the allure and freedom of the seeing, never considering that he would or even could be pulled away from the torrent and tides of the deepest oceans.  He had a variety of lovers at each of the ports he would visit; a different girl in every place.

Then, on one of his frequent in-land tours, he and his party stumbled across a native peoples that intrigued him.  They were a fishing tribe but were remarkable skilled in dying fabrics, and they wore of the brightest colored clothing that he had ever come across.  While trading various trinkets with the tribe, he met the chief's daughter.

She was a beautiful woman with auburn hair that stirred up images of autumn and her lightly-tinted, grain-colored skin reminded him of the grain-filled pastoral plains of his childhood.  Within moments of being in her presence, he fell for her like the dropping of an anchor from the ship of his heart.  He vowed that he would make her his wife.

The sailor brought the woman gifts of the finest jewels and silk from the farthest corners of the earth but she was uninterested in his knickknacks.  He then decided that he would impress her by studying her tribe's culture and history.  As his ship set sails for other shores, he stayed behind to settle with her until he could convince her that he loved her.  For months, he tried to impress her with his enthusiasm and gifts, but he was always hindered by the significant language barrier.

Finally, as his time was drawing to a close because his ship would be returning, he determined to learn to speak her language so that he could tell her in her tongue that he was madly in love with her and that he wanted to make her his wife.  Over much arduous and intent practice, he had finally learned enough to tell her that he loved her.

In the end, this final step was what the chief's daughter was waiting for.  Although there had been many sailors who had tried to woe her and win her hand with gifts, none of them had been so determined in his affections that he would learn her own language.  When the sailor had learned her language and gotten to the point that he could tell her how he felt, he had proven his love for her by his persistent pursuit and determination. She then knew that he would go to any lengths to love her.

This tale is one of love.  It is remarkable how determined the sailor was to love the woman.  He went to the limits of his power to express his love for her: he gave her his finest treasures, he gave her his time, his career, and his mind.  In the end, it was his utter and persistent devotion that was the limit of his love.

Let us translate this to God.  How far are we willing to go to love God?  Would we give up all our treasures? Our time?  Our very lives?  Like the sailor, there should be no lengths to which we would not be willing to go to show our love for God.  Truly, there are many verses that express this very thought, but perhaps Jesus' words in Matthew 16:25 says it best:

"Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

Let us, then, determine to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and with all strength regardless of the cost!

Scripture: the Light for our Paths

It is a not an uncommon occurrence to need to search for something in the dark.  Think of hunting along the wall for the seemingly hidden light switch.  Or looking through the darkened garage when the light is out.  Or even foraging through the junk drawer for a candle and match during the most tempestuous of storms.  As anyone who has ever gone camping can attest, a light can be the most useful thing amidst darkness.

Life is full of darkness.  The bleak blackness and dark gloom of this world falls like a pall over life.  Fortunately, God has not left us without a bright and shining light to illuminate every step and to shimmer its godly glow to light out paths.  This heavenly light is the Word of God, the Scriptures which is to protect us from harm (Psa. 119:105; Pro. 6:20-24).

While the aforementioned verses are often memorized and quoted for their beauty, it is more important that we would live by the truth therein then to simply acknowledge it as true whilst neglecting the application.  If we are to apply the truth that God's Word is to light and guide our way, then there are some important things that must be pointed out.

First of all, if the Scriptures are to light the path of the Christian, then the Christian must be acquainted with them.  A flashlight is useless if the person does not know how to turn it on or if they fail to put the necessary batteries in it.  In other words, the Word will fail to be the light to our paths if we neglect learning how to wield it.

To be sure, this is all about Bible Study.  Unless we are in the Word, studying the Word and memorizing it, our paths will forever remain dark and shadowy.  But when we have sufficiently immersed ourselves in the Word and allowed it to permeate into the depths of our hearts, we will be sufficiently prepared and equipped for God's Word to light our life.

Additionally, letting the Word take its rightful place as the light to our paths is all about humility and submission.  For the Scripture to guide our every step, we must submit ourselves to its authority in our lives.  This is fundamental, foundational, and necessary.  Unless we turn over our very volition to that of the Word of God, we will continue to struggle in the darkness for lack of a sufficient light to our paths.  Let us then determine to depend on the Word and make it the very basis for our lives!

The Quest for Humility

Facebook has made all the world self-promoters, Twitter has made every one fancy themselves a quick-quipping pun king, and Youtube has made everyone think they should be a star.  We live in a world that spreads self-esteem and expects self-exaltation, making the truly humble heart is a rarity.  But God demands something more, indicating that there is ruin for those who would exalt themselves in haughtiness and pride.

This is a hard but necessary teaching.  Many of us would rather be noticed and heralded, but God asks for something else altogether.  Throughout the book of Proverbs, humility is contrasted to pride just as wisdom is contrasted to foolishness and as godliness is contrasted with sin (Pro. 3:34; 11:2; 15:31, 33; 16:18-19; 18:12; 21:4; 26:12; 29:23; 30:32).  This should be enough in itself for us to know that God demands us to be humble so as to receive His favor and His blessings.

But before we should think that only the Old Testament was concerned with humility, we should be reminded of Jesus very own words: "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matt. 23:12; cf. Luke 14:7-11 & 18:9-14 )."  We should take Jesus' words with seriousness and sobriety and it should, ultimately, convict us on to humility.

Clearly, humility is a big deal.  However, as mentioned above, it goes against our well-ingrained, western tendencies.  Accomplishing the task of humility is a holistic, full-person endeavor.  To be sure, the quest for humility is a matter of identity.  If we are to be found solely and securely in Christ, then there is simply no room for pride or haughty self-exaltation because we will be looking at our own worth in the light of the Holy Lord.  Let us then look to God to be our identity and our only boast!

Put Your Self to Death

Putting your self to death is a significant and challenging doctrine of Christianity.  Paul speaks of it most directly, particularly in his epistles to the Romans, Galatians, and Colossians (Rom. 8:13; Gal. 2:19-20; Col. 3).  The difficulty with this concept is due to the intensely metaphoric language as well as the personal accountability the doctrine places on believers.

At the onset, parameters of dying to self should be laid out to guide this discourse.  The death of self can be reduced to the intentional separation from our fleshly self, in which we previously lived, for the expressed purpose of drawing closer to our renewed and reconciled spiritual self in Christ.  This should be the framework that guides our understanding of dying to self.

There are two basic parts of ourselves that we are putting to death.  The first part of self to be put to death is our previous self.  When we become Christians, through confession and belief in Jesus, we put to death our previous self in repentance and faith in order to turn to God.  This is so fundamental to the Christian life that if we have not taken this first step of putting our selves to death we should seriously examine the state of our salvation.  This part of the self that we put to death includes every previous bit and iota that had previously filled and dominated our life.

The second part of our self that needs to be put to death is our future self.  When we give ourselves to Christ, we are to place our plans, our dreams, and our desires into His hands.  This can be a very challenging proposition, particularly in a society that so values goal orientation but it is so utterly necessary for us to grow to be the people that God desires us to be.  We need to place everything in His sovereign, loving, and omnipotent hands, knowing that He is the God of all creation and the Lord of our lives.

Once we have accepted the reality and necessity of putting our old self to death, then we will be prepared to take the next steps of growth: putting on our new self.  Paul speaks of this concept very directly in Colossians 3, indicating that we are taking off our old, fleshly self and putting it to death and putting on the new self.  The new self is found and defined only in Christ.  It is in Christ, by Christ, through Christ, and for Christ that the new self is all about.  A correct term for the new self is "God-obsessed."  After we die to self and are risen anew to the Spirit, we should strive to live God-obsessed in every manner, word, and deed.  Let us then press forward to put our selves to death to be made new in Him!

Building Relationships Like Christ

Life is about relationships.  Jesus says that we should not lay up treasures for ourselves that moth and rust can destroy, or that thieves may steal (Matt. 6:19-20).  Distilled, Jesus is saying that the physical treasures of this world will ultimately perish and fail.  Therefore, our hearts should value that which cannot be destroyed, namely character and relationships.

If we consider Jesus' method for relating to people as the standard to be emulated, then the Gospels and the remainder of the New Testament should serve as the guide.  Jesus loved people perfectly.  He did this in two ways.  First,  and most important, He gave Himself to be crucified for the sin of all mankind.  Secondly, Jesus lived with people, really lived with them.

The essence of this is what relationship building is all about.  Jesus spent time with all types of people.
He went into peoples' houses.  He sat down and ate meals.  He walked miles with groups.  This takes time and a certain humility.  Even though Jesus was in very nature God, He continually made Himself low so as to raise others up.  This stands at the core of building real relationships.

Another key to relationship building is compassionate honesty.  No one will ever allow themselves to be truly vulnerable if they feel judged.  We should strive then to maintain humility and compassion at all times so that people would feel comfortable enough to open themselves to us, and thus expose their hearts to the Lord.

If we truly want to be used as salt and light, then we must take seriously the example of Jesus, particularly in relationships.  Acquaintance is not enough for the love of God to pass through us.  We need to be willing to open our hearts to others so as to allow them the freedom to do the same.  Transformational relationships require time and effort for they do not happen overnight or passively.  Let us then strive to live the love that Jesus modeled so that we could form relationships that transform hearts and lives!

Discipleship's Cost

There is a distinct and clear cost to following Jesus.  Throughout the New Testament, the price of being a disciple of Christ is simple but stiff: everything.  Devotion to Christ requires that we lay everything down before the Lord.  This is inline with the greatest commandment, which commands us to devote every part of ourselves to the Lord in worship and devotion.

Scripture presents numerous examples of believers paying the price of discipleship.  For starters, there is Abraham.  The Lord called Abram to pick up his whole life and leave his homeland for a promise (Gen. 11:1-3).  Abram simply laid down his previous life for the promises of God.  Or consider Abraham's ordeal in regards to Isaac.  Abraham and Sarah had been barren for several decades, waiting for God to fulfill His promises of descendants.  Yet when God did finally bless the couple with Isaac, the Lord asked Abraham to sacrifice him.  And Abraham proved himself obedient to the cost of discipleship and was blessed for his faithfulness.

Another example is the calling of the disciples by Jesus (Matt. 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Lk. 5:2-11).  All of the accounts are remarkable.  Jesus simply calls the disciples to come and they, like Abram, pick up everything and follow the Lord.  They were successful self-employed business men that laid down it all to follow Jesus.  As Peter declares, "we've left everything to follow you (Lk. 14:26).

The other pertinent example of this is Saul, who becomes Paul after he lays down everything for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus.  Saul was a Hebrew of Hebrews, on the fast track to the Jewish religious elite (Phil. 3:4-6).  Saul had created a life to be envied, yet when the Lord Jesus called him, he cast it all aside.  This is the true cost: giving everything up for the sake of relationship to the Lord Almighty. Paul is quick to assert that he counts everything lost as a gain because of the immeasurable riches of gain the Lord (Phil. 3:7).

Scripture is unified in this regard.  Discipleship costs believers their very lives.  Practically speaking, believers are to take all of their lives, everything, and to devote it to the Lord.  In this, God sanctifies our past experiences, good and bad, for His purposes.  This is what is described by the concept of daily picking up your cross and denying yourself to follow Jesus (Lk. 9:23).

Ultimately, Jesus is the Suffering Servant who served the world through His very death.  If we are to be His followers, it makes logical sense that we will acquiesce to the same fate as His.  In a real way, this means that we will relinquish every part of our selves for the purposes and will of the Lord.  Truly, the cost of discipleship is high but the resulting relationship with the Lord far outweighs the cost.  Let us then press forward to live lives of servanthood that mirrors the life our Savior lived!