On Self Denial And The Pursuit of Holiness (Pt.1)

Are you desiring a deeper intimacy with God? Are you striving to deepen your worship? Are you seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit? Are you denying yourself? Are you truly following Jesus?

Self denial is the act of (good job, you guessed it!), denying yourself. It’s a straightforward concept that sometimes causes us to stumble in our walk with God because we tend not to understand what it means to “deny”.

Self denial implies that there are things that we will naturally want in life that may not be profitable in our walk with God. The act of saying no to ourselves and instead focusing on God and His word is an opportunity to let go of the anxieties of life and put our trust completely in Him who created us and provides for us. Self denial is a commandment, it is a glorious opportunity to experience the power and love of God, and it is a practice that requires an understanding of God’s character and desire for us.

Before we get into this in earnest, it is essential to continually remind ourselves that as Christians there is NOTHING we can do to influence or earn our salvation. We do not earn it, nor are we able to gain favor with God through our actions, if we got what we deserve in this life, none of us would be happy with the outcome. These topics have to do with functional worship and living a life of holiness in Christ, it is not a how-to guide to salvation, nor is it a method to secure God’s blessings. With that said:

Self denial is a Commandment From God

Matthew 16:23-26

23. But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” 24. Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 25. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

God specifically requires us to deny ourselves in the pursuit of righteousness. A general rule to follow is that if Jesus says to do it, it’s a good idea to go ahead and do it, boldly. At first glance, the idea of losing one’s life seems terrifying, to do so intentionally even more so. Our Lord is exhorting us to be willing to die daily. To pick up one’s cross is to accept a certain fatality, to carry it willingly in obedience to God is a testimony to an ultimate trust in the Lord, just as Jesus did carrying his cross to the crucifixion. This does not mean that we are being commanded to literally carry crosses in remembrance as some do, nor does it mean to intentionally cause harm to ourselves in order to gain favor with God which is a heresy. But we are to lay down every part of our personal agenda at the foot of Jesus and to follow him through everything, even unto death.

Jeremiah 17:9

9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else, And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?

The human condition can be summed up in one word, fallenness. We are born with an inner sinfulness that tears us away from God’s holy plan for our lives. Our innermost desires come from what we feel we need in order to be successful or happy. Do we feel we will achieve fulfillment from a job? A cool car? A family? A position of leadership in the church? Are our desires for happiness coming out in our behaviors? Are we overeating? Are we spending hours a day being entertained or scrolling social media? Are we working endlessly without rest? Do we feel completely disconnected from God when we are in a bad mood or struggling with difficult circumstances, only to feel plugged back in when the storm clouds clear? Do we pray endlessly for things that we want, leaving no time for worship, fellowship or genuine study of the word? All of us experience these issues and thoughts, but the truth is none of these earthly experiences will be enough to satisfy the yearning in our soul for Truth and purpose. Only God can give us a truth and promise that is eternal, all other things that we seek will fade away. The human desires for wealth, health and happiness can easily have us caught in corruptive cycles of obsessive behavior that lead us from a true worship of our Lord. Even when our intentions are good (or even Godly), the way we approach our desires can often cause us to fall to an idolatrous, and therefore sinful spirit, focusing more on our plans, desires, and achievements than on the will and word of God. If your continual thoughts revolve around “if only I could (have/get/be) ______, then everything would be okay”, then there is something you need to let go of.

We are naturally fallen, God himself is Holy, He offered salvation through Jesus as the living sacrifice to free us from our slavery to sin. Jesus lives as an example of what a perfect life in service to God looks like, much of that involves learning self-control and putting limits on ourselves. We should always look to the example of Jesus when we want to be closer with God.

Romans 8:1-2

1. Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

As we learn to deny that part of our nature which constantly beckons us away from God, we will slowly begin to replace our personal priorities with the things of God. This is not an easy process and requires constant discipline, prayer and repentance. Through that painful struggle the old self is put off, and we grow more and more as a new creature(2 Corinthians 5:17). Praise God that he makes all things new, and that he loves us enough to free us of sin and offers eternal glory with Him!