Day Eight: Beliefs that Get in the Way of Serving, Part Five: Denial of Self Denial

Self-denial is a foundation attribute of Christ's life and what our Christian life should be, but it is really spoken about or practiced in the church. We deny the importance of self denial--- denying our wants and desires for the sake of someone else--- by our actions. In his book, The Imitation of Christ, Thomas A Kempis give a much better explanation of this then I ever could, so I'll just pass on what he had to say about it.

From Thomas a Kempis’ The Imitation of Christ (slightly modernized for increased readability)

“Jesus has many lovers of his heavenly kingdom, but few bearers of his cross. He has many desirous of comfort, but few of tribulation. He finds many companions at his table, but few of his abstinence. All desire to rejoice with him, few are willing to endure anything for him, or with him. Many follow Jesus unto the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the cup of His passion. Many reverence his miracles, few follow the humiliation of his cross. Many love Jesus so long as adversities do not happen. Many praise and bless him, so long as they receive comforts from him. Where shall one be found who is willing to serve God for naught?

Unto many this seems a hard saying, “Deny thyself, take up thy cross, and follow Jesus.” But much harder would it be the hear that last word, “Depart from me, I never knew you.”

In the cross is salvation, in the cross is life, in the cross is protection from our enemies, in the cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness, in the cross is strength of mind, in the cross is joy of spirit, in the cross is the height of virtue, in the cross the perfection of holiness. There is no salvation of the soul, nor hope of everlasting life, but in the cross.

Go where you will, seek whatever you will, you shall not find a higher way above, nor a safer way below, than the way of the holy cross.

Christ’s whole life was a cross and martyrdom; and do you seek rest and joy for yourself?

And the more the flesh is wasted by affliction, so much the more is the spirit strengthened by inward grace. This is not the power of many, but it is the grace of Christ, which can and does so much in the weak flesh, so that what naturally it always hated and fled from, that by the fervor of the spirit, it encounters and loves. If you look to yourself, you shall be able to accomplish nothing of this kind.

Oh that we were worthy to suffer something for the name of Jesus! With great reason we ought to cheerfully suffer a little for Christ’s sake since many suffer much worse things for the sake of the world.

Know for certain that you should lead a dying life. And the more any man dies to himself, so much the more does he begin to live unto God.

If there had been any better thing, and more profitable to the salvation of man than suffering, surely Christ would have shown it by word and example. “If any will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me.” Luke 9:23 So that when we have thoroughly read and searched all, let this be the final conclusion.”