The ABC of Christianity - Self Denial

Self-denial is the ABC of Christianity. It is the most basic lesson to learn if we are to live as Christians at all. If we do not learn this well, we can hardly progress and grow as Christians. If we strike something soft it will make no noise but if we strike something hard it will makes much noise. So if a man is full of self-love he will repine and rebel when things do not go his way, but one who has learnt self-denial will resign to the will of God.

How do we learn self-denial then? We learn self-denial by developing a right understanding of our position before the Almighty God. All is but grace.

1. We know that we are nothing. So it does not matter what we suffer, because we are nothing. We are nothing, yet God sets His eyes on us. We should rather be thankful than repine.

2. We know that we deserve nothing. If we deserve something, we naturally will be troubled if our rights are taken away from us. But if we know that we deserve nothing, we will be quiet whatever befalls us.

3. I can do nothing. We are not indispensable. If we know how little use we are of God, and how easily He can accomplish anything through any other means, we will have less discontent. If God were to annihilate me, if I were to perish, I will be no loss to anyone. Since I do so little, why do I complain that I am cut short of many things and why do I still demand so many things?

4. I am worse than nothing. Indeed, my heart is not only empty but so corrupt that good things received will be damaged in my hands if it had not been God’s mercy to preserve them and His grace to enable me to use them properly. The moment God withdraws His hands I will not even be able to make good use of anything. Since I am not only an empty vessel but a pitcher full of poison and all I deserve is Hell, why do I complain that I lack all the outward comforts?

A man who is little in his own eyes will see all his afflictions as very little but a man who is big in his own eyes will see every little affliction as great. Christ is our perfect example of self-denial. He was silent and submissive in all his sufferings. He was the most contented man in the world. A person who has learnt self-denial will find contentment because he no longer trusts himself, so he does not seek or wish for his own ends, but finds great satisfaction in all God's ways. Hence his heart is enlarged and his comfort is multiplied as he makes God's ends to be his own ends.

He can break through the greatest afflictions in the world because he stands on the highest plane to see God's wisdom in all things while the world is confused and perplexed. So as Christ who broke forth with joy and praised God in His lowest time in ministry, he also rejoices, “Yea, Father, for this is Thy good pleasure.” (Luke 10:21)