The duty of self-denial arises from the unnatural
relation which sin has created between us and God. The first act of
disobedience committed by man was a setting up of himself in opposition to
God. It was a declaration that he would regard his own will in preference to
the will of his Creator. Self became the supreme object of his
affections. And this is the case with all unregenerate people. Their own
happiness is the object of their highest wishes. They pursue their own
selfish interests with their whole hearts. When anything occurs, the first
question which arises in their minds is, "How will this affect me?"
It is true they may often exercise a kind of generosity towards others; but,
if their motives were scanned, it would appear that self-gratification is at
the bottom of it. The correctness of these assertions no one will doubt, who
is acquainted with his own heart. All unconverted people live for
themselves. They see no higher object of action than the promotion of their
own individual interests.
The duty in question consists in the denial of this
disposition. And a moment's attention will show that nothing can be more
reasonable. We belong to a grand system of being, of which God is the Sun
and Center; and no individual has a right to attach to himself any more
importance than properly belongs to the place he occupies in this system. It
is by this place that his value is known. If he thinks himself of more
consequence than the station he occupies will give him, it leads to
discontent and murmuring; and this is setting up the wisdom and will of the
creature in opposition to the Creator.
This was probably the origin of the first act of
disobedience. Satan thought himself entitled to a higher station in the
system of being than God gave him; therefore he rebelled against the
government of the Most High. This act of rebellion was nothing more than
setting up his own selfish interests against the interests of the universe.
And what would be the consequence, if this selfish principle were carried
out in the material universe? Instance our own planetary system: if every
planet should set up an interest separate from the whole, would they move on
with such beautiful harmony? No; everyone would seek to be a sun. They would
all rush towards the common center, and universal confusion would follow.
God is the Sun and Center of the moral universe; and the
setting up of private, individual interests as supreme objects of pursuit,
if permitted to take their course, would produce the same general confusion.
This it has done, so far as it has prevailed. Its tendency is to create a
universal contention among inferior beings for the throne of the universe,
which belongs to God alone. But the interests of God—if I may be allowed the
expression—are identified with the highest good of his intelligent creation.
Hence we see the perfect reasonableness of the first commandment—"You shall
have no other gods before me." There can be no selfishness in this; because
the best interests of the universe require it. But, by pursuing our own
selfish interests as the chief good, we make a god of self.
The religion of Jesus Christ strikes at the root of this
selfish principle. The very first act of the newborn soul is a renunciation
or giving up of self—the surrender of the whole soul to God. The entire
dedication which the Christian makes of himself, soul, body, and property,
to the Lord, implies that he will no longer live to himself, but to God.
"Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God." "For
none of us lives to himself." "Those who live should not henceforth live
unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again."
"Whether, therefore, you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all
to the glory of God." Self-denial, then, is the surrendering of our
will to the will of God. It is an adoption of the revealed will of God
as the rule of duty, and a steadfast, determined, and persevering denial of
every selfish gratification which comes between us and obedience to this
rule. It is seeking the glory of God and the good of our fellow-creatures,
as the highest objects of pursuit. In short, it is to "love the Lord our God
with all our heart, soul, might, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as
ourselves."
By carrying out this principle, in its application to our
feelings and conduct, we learn the practical duty of self-denial;
which Christ declares to be an indispensable term of discipleship. "If any
man will come after me," says he, "let him deny himself, and take up
his cross daily, and follow me;" and, "He who loves father or mother more
than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loves son or daughter more than
me, is not worthy of me." "If any man will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever will save his
life shall lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake shall find
it." "If any man comes to me, and hates not his father and mother, and wife
and children, and brethren and sisters, yes, and his own life also—he
cannot be my disciple." "He who loves his life, shall lose it; and he
who hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal." "If your
right eye offends you, [or causes you to offend,] pluck it out, and cast it
from you." We must follow Christ. Here we are taught that, unless we
put away self-seeking, and willingly surrender the dearest objects of
affection on earth, yes, and our own lives also, if need be—we have
no claim to the character of disciples of Christ. The glory of God, and the
general good, must be our ruling principle of action; and we must not
gratify ourselves, in opposition to the will of God or the interest of our
fellow-beings.
Every action must be brought to this test. Here is heart
work, and life work. Self must be denied in all our spiritual feelings, and
in all our devotions, or they will be abominable in the sight of God. Here
is work for self-examination. Every exercise of our minds should be tried by
this standard. We must likewise deny self in our conduct. And here we have
the examples of many holy men, recorded in Scripture, with a multitude of
martyrs and missionaries, but especially of our Lord himself, to show what
influence the true spirit of self-denial exerts upon the Christian life. Our
Lord declares that, in order to be his disciples, we must follow him.
And how can this be done, but by imitating his example? He was willing to
make sacrifices for the good of others. He led a life of toil,
hardship, and suffering, and gave up his own life, to save sinners.
His immediate disciples did the same. They submitted to ignominy, reproach,
suffering, and death itself, for the sake of promoting the glory of God in
the salvation of men.
Cultivate, then, this spirit. Prefer the glory of God to
everything else. Prefer the general good to your own private interest. Be
willing to make sacrifices of personal interest, ease, and feeling, for the
benefit of others. Carry this principle out in all your social fellowship,
and it will greatly increase your usefulness. It will likewise promote your
own interest and happiness. Nothing renders a person more amiable and
lovely in the sight of others than unselfish benevolence. Think no
sacrifice too great to make, no hardship too painful to endure, if you can
be the means of benefiting perishing souls. Remember, it was for this that
Jesus gave up his life; and he requires you to be ready to give up
everything you have, and even life itself, if the same cause shall require
it.
But let me caution you against placing self-denial
chiefly in outward things. We are not required to relinquish any of the
comforts and enjoyments of this life, except when they come in competition
with our duty to God and our fellow-creatures. "Every creature of God is
good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving;" and
godliness has the promise of this life as well as of that which is to come.
The religion of some people seems to consist chiefly in denying themselves
of lawful enjoyments; and you will find them very severe and censorious
towards others, for partaking freely and thankfully of the bounties of God's
providence. This, however, is but a species of self-righteous mockery,
characterized by Paul as a "voluntary humility." Instead of being
self-denial, it is the gratification of self in maintaining an
appearance of external sanctity. It may, however, be not only proper, but
obligatory upon us—to sacrifice these lawful enjoyments, when we may thereby
promote the interests of Christ's kingdom, which requires the exercise of a
self-sacrificing spirit.