“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.” ~ Matthew 16:24
“There are two things that most trouble us in the way to heaven, corruption within us, and the cross without us: That which is within us must be denied, that that which is without us may be endured. Otherwise we cannot follow him by whom we look to be saved.” ~ Richard Sibbes
Denial of self is not the cause of our salvation, for Scripture clearly teaches,
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9Grace was granted to us only because it was God’s good pleasure to do so, and for His purposes alone.
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10There is within Scripture a tension between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. We cannot stress one to the exclusion of the other. Yes, salvation is all grace; by grace alone in Christ alone through faith alone to the glory of God alone. But that truth does not negate the clear teachings of human responsibility, nor do those commands imply that we are able of ourselves to walk out what they command. But by God’s grace, the same grace which saved us, we will be enabled to deny self, to pick up whatever cross God has foreordained we are to bear, and to walk worthily of His high calling.
And we should be given pause, if there are no evidences in our life of such a transformation, for all who are truly in Christ will give evidence to His life within them.
Moreover; we should be aware of the consequences of besetting sins and disobedience.
"If we bring any ruling lust to religion, it will prove a bitter root of some gross sin, or of apostasy and final desperation.” ~ Richard Sibbes
May we hear and heed these words:
"Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. ~ 2 Peter 1:2-11
