THE INTERRELATIONSHIPS OF TRUTH

" . . . 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 . . . If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:31-36)

Devotion 13 of 20

SELF DENIAL

Self denial is not the same of asceticism. God does not simply call us to a life of isolation and harsh self discipline. It is true, we are not to "love the world, neither the things that are in the world." Our fleshly lusts are to be subordinated with strong intent--mortified in the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:13; Col 3:5). But that is not the end of the matter. We do not simply take up our cross to enter a life of idleness and a lack of involvement! Rather, we do so to follow Christ! "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" (Matt 16:24-25).

In Christ, coming away from something is always in order to come TO something. Subordinating inferior desires is necessary for culturing superior ones. Denying self is the necessary prelude to embracing the Lord and His will. Refusing to give heed to the allurements of earth is a requirement for giving attention to Him "that is speaking from heaven" (Heb 12:25).

Since "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:23), self-desires are actually in competition with Divine intentions. Until the individual has been "joined to the Lord," he is at enmity with Him (1 Cor 6:17; 1 Cor 2:14; Eph 4:18). One might imagine that becoming a Christian, or, to be more precise, being born again, resolves the problem of conflicting desires. But it does not. While our essential persons are regenerated, we carry with us the "old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts" (Eph 4:22). This is the part of us that is to be denied and subordinated in the power of the Spirit.

Receiving Christ in the first place (John 1:12) involved the refusal to maintain the alienated life. Believers choose to "lose" their lives, embracing life in the Son. It is only then that they find true life. Too, after they come into Christ, they still refuse to culture a world-centered or self-centered life. With the Apostle they joyfully confess, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Gal 2:20, NKJV).

This is a willing choice, not one forced upon us. The Lord opens our heart, that we might attend to the Word (Acts 16;14). He also opens the "eyes of our understanding" so we can see what He has commanded us to seek (Eph 1:17-20). Thus, with expectation, we "deny ourselves," rejecting the temptation to make ourselves the center of our universe. Instead, we choose to live with Christ at the center of our lives.

Taking up our cross involves willingly accepting the repercussions of self denial. The world will not take kindly to our rejection of its supposed preeminence. Neither, indeed, will our old natures volunteer to remain upon the cross. Self denial and cross bearing, however, is our choice because of the exceeding great and precious promises the Lord has held before us (2 Pet 1:4.

The power of these revealed means (self denial and cross bearing) is realized in their unity with God's revealed intentions. They are all related to the objective of God, finding their sole significance in His eternal purpose. Were it not for the prize set before us, there would be no need for self denial. If there were no "better thing" to embrace, there would be no reason for saying "NO" to the conflicting desires of self.

PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You for the reality of Christ and eternal life. The strong persuasion of them, created by faith, has constrained me to deny myself and take up my cross every day.

-- TOMORROW: A THOUGHT ABOUT TRANSLITERATION --